Liberation Theology

Liberation theology is a system of religious beliefs created to help others by using the tenets of Christianity as a guide for compassionate behavior, particularly toward those in need. Founded in the 1960s, the focus of liberation theology has always been on the poorer communities of Latin America, although liberation theologians now have a global presence.

History

The idea of liberation theology began with a shift in the Catholic Church's thinking about its purpose. In 1962, Pope John XXIII held a meeting with Church officials known as Vatican II during which he proposed a set of possible new guidelines for the Church’s activities. He wanted to make the Church more inclusive, like a community. He believed that working with impoverished communities was vital to reaching this goal; he felt that grassroots work with poorer people would be most effective. A group of bishops from Latin America was present at the meeting and inspired by the Pope’s ideas.

A few years later, the Church held a second meeting in Medellin, Colombia. The officials who gathered there wanted to address social and economic inequities in the poorer areas of Latin America. As the members of the meeting discussed their plans and brainstormed ideas, they documented their thoughts. A major idea was that the poorer countries of Latin America could not develop unless the oppression that was widespread in their government was corrected. Another was an insistence on nonviolent measures as well as the creation of what came to be known as Base Ecclesial Communities (BECs), which were small Christian communities. From 1964–1985, BECs increased in importance as the government pressured and restrained religious organizations.

During a revolution in Nicaragua in the 1970s involving a clash between the Sandinistas (the Sandinista National Liberation Front) and the dictator Anastasio Somoza Garcia, the BECs became ideological bases, of sorts, for the Sandinistas as the alliances between the Church and the Sandinistas grew. This was hazardous for the liberation theologians; fifteen priests were killed by government-led death squads. On February 28, 1977, one hundred people were killed during an outdoor mass. The leader of the liberation theologians at the time was Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was ultimately murdered for his anti-government sentiments. During the 1980s, the liberation theologians, and more specifically, the BECs they established, became a vital part of the war for independence in Central and South America—even though they did not receive the support of the Catholic Church led by Pope John Paul II. However, during the twenty-first century, many consider Pope Francis to be reviving the ideals of the original liberation theologians.

Beliefs

Liberation theology is based on a few key ideas. One of the most important is that the Bible can be interpreted as a guide for social change—that its principles of respect for all can be read both as an incitement to help the poor and a possible manual for the social redevelopment of impoverished communities.

The most basic unit of liberation theology is the Base Ecclesial Community (BEC). The "base" reference in the name refers to the work that liberation theologians do, which is ground-level, grassroots, and hands-on. It also refers to the people to whom liberation theology is most relevant: the poorest members of society.

BECs are typically established in worshipers’ homes. The services held there consist of discussions and interpretations of Biblical texts; such interpretations are intended to show how the Bible gives models of social behavior and rehabilitation. BEC meetings are led by laity within the Catholic Church who support liberation theology; there is no liberation theology church, so to speak. The life of Jesus is frequently held up as an example of correct behavior and his selflessness and commitment to the well-being of others is pointed out. Interestingly, the idea of the Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is viewed by liberation theologians as a model for non-hierarchical social planning in which all members of a social structure may have equal standing and equal rights. To further identify with the impoverished individuals they are trying to reach, liberation theologians may live in the poorer communities in which their BECs are located.

The political actions of liberation theologians have evolved over time; in modern times, they do not function as political demonstrators as they did during the 1970s and 1980s; their actions are more in line with those of good Samaritans. Their method of political advocacy is based on the teachings of Jesus in the Bible; they give clothing to those who have none, food to those who are hungry, and medical assistance to the sick and injured. The projects liberation theologians engage in are akin to those organizations such as the Peace Corps might undertake. Typically, the liberation theologians view the world as a place full of conflict, and anything they can do to provide a balm for the pain caused by that conflict is considered a worthwhile activity. There is an economic side to liberation theology as well, which has led many to associate the belief system and its attendant political movement with socialism. The liberation theologians consider the gap between the wealthy and the impoverished to be a significant social problem and advocate in favor of an equal distribution of wealth.

Bibliography

Evans-Pritchard, Ambrose. "Liberation Theology is back as Pope Francis holds capitalism to account." Telegraph,

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans‗pritchard/10559802/Liberation-Theology-is-back-as-Pope-Francis-holds-capitalism-to-account.html. Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.

"Liberation theology." British Broadcasting Corporation, 18 July 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/beliefs/liberationtheology.shtml. Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.

Rampone, Abby. "Do We Need More Liberation Theology?" US Catholic, 24 Jan. 2024, uscatholic.org/articles/202401/do-we-need-more-liberation-theology/. Accessed 28 Oct. 2024.