Latin American Liberation Theology Summary

1051 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Critical examination of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant

Liberation theology is defined as a movement that seeks to deduce Scripture with the conditions of the poor as a primary focus. Liberation theology originated around the 1950s and 1960s as a development in the Catholic Church in Latin America. The term was first used in 1973 by Gustavo Gutiérrez, a Peruvian theologian as well as a Dominican priest who is considered to be the first to come about with the concept of liberation theology [1]. Other theologians who have contributed to the model of liberation theology include Jon Sobrino, Juan Luis Segundo, and Leonardo Buff [2]. I believe that Christian Smith says it best in his book The emergence of liberation theology: Radical religion and social movement theory when speaking about liberation …show more content…

The first factor is a post-Enlightenment theological movement whose advocates includes G. Gutiérrez, Juan Segundo and Jose Miranda. Their movement had influences on the perspective of Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, and much more. The second factor is European political theology in the perspectives of J. B. Metz, Jurgen Moltmann, and Harvey Cox. They have criticized the qualities that make up the nature of existential theology. The third factor is the theological movement of the Roman Catholic …show more content…

According to a New York Times article, Pope Francis and Gustavo Gutiérrez have met within the Vatican. Many find this interaction between the two to be ground breaking, especially considering the fact that people believed Gutiérrez to be a Marxist and approached him with a hostile attitude. The meeting between the two was “[…] just as quickly interpreted as a defining shift in the Roman Catholic Church”. Since Pope Francis is the first pope to be from a developing country, his need to put the poor at the center of his papacy is understandable. A professor from Fordham University was able to pitch in his opinion about the subject. Michael E. Lee commented that “It is not liberation theology that is being rehabilitated [...] It is the church that is being rehabilitated” [2]. I agree with Lee in the idea that the church is starting to become a more liberal place of worship; many people comment that they are able to visit this kind of community without feeling the judgement and hostility they would have experienced years

Show More
Related

  • Latin American Revolution Essay

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    History is usually outlined by critical moments which have had enduring effects in the world. Several turning points have defined the history of Latin America. Two major climaxes in Latin American History were the 19th-century Wars of Independence and the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Both of these events have significantly changed the course of Latin American history.

    Read More

  • Gustavo Gutierrez: A Catholic Priest and his Influence

    1133 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...overall I find this theology refreshing; it is always good to help the less fortunate as Jesus did many times. Gustavo Gutierrez had such a passion for helping the poor in Latin America, witnessing first hand of their lack of hope and helplessness. One interesting thing that stood out to me was when Gustavo talked about the different kinds of poor people. I never realized how cultures and different societies are forgotten through history. Generation after generation they remain poor never able to get out of poverty. People sometimes have this pre-conceived idea about the poor, how they are dirty and different and almost not even human. This is where so many are wrong and we should be helping them not just by donating money, clothes, food, but give them the tools and resources needed to get out of poverty and start a better life, or this endless cycle will continue.

    Read More

  • A Common Struggle Depicted in Bread Givers and Of Plymouth Plantation 

    2152 Words  | 5 Pages

    In de-emphasizing the role of the Church, it’s rituals, and offices, and supplanting them with a more direct and personal approach to God and spirituality; the Protestant Reformation, through the works of Martin...

    Read More

  • Liberation Theology: Saving People of Color from Oppression

    1913 Words  | 4 Pages

    Black Liberation Theology is the systematic analysis of the historical Black experience in the United States, which in affirms slave/African American humanity in the world. It is, according to one of the original advocates of the philosophy, James H. Cone, “A rational study of the being of God in the world in light of the existential situation of an oppressed community, relating the forces of liberation to the essence of the Gospel, which is Jesus Christ.” Black liberation theology is systematic in that it has evolved over four hundred years, dating back to the first Africans that were stolen and brought to this country. This theology originated with the slaves as they incorporated their spiritual and holistic understandings of the universe into the distorted Christianity of passivity and repr...

    Read More

  • Latin America’s Struggles After Independence

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    Latin America went through many years of colonial rule from Spain, but around the 1800’s they began to seek their independence. The years to follow were full of rebellion and war, trying to gain their independence from colonial Spain. The “Americanos”, now believed that they were able to rule themselves, and that it was no longer necessary for Spain to keep controlling the Americas. When Latin America finally defeated Spain, new issues began to arise that were caused by many years of war, which led to chaos and a sense of imbalance in the hands of Latin America. Many of these struggles impeded Latin America’s success to rule themselves, and create their own democracy. Some of the main challenges and struggles that were most predominant in the independence of Latin America, was the economic instability caused by many years of war, the burden of colonialism from Spain, and the strong hand of the caudillos.

    Read More

  • Views of the Episcopal Church

    1294 Words  | 3 Pages

    Goodstein, Laurie. "Pared-Down Episcopal Church Is Looking to Grow Through ‘Inclusivity’." New York Times. N.p., 18 July 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.

    Read More

  • Black Liberation Theology

    1822 Words  | 4 Pages

    Black Liberation Theology can be defined as the relationship that blacks have with god in their struggle to end oppression. It sees god as a god of history and the liberator of the oppressed from bondage. Black Liberation theology views God and Christianity as a gospel relevant to blacks who struggle daily under the oppression of whites. Because of slavery, blacks concept of God was totally different from the masters who enslaved them. White Christians saw god as more of a spiritual savior, the reflection of God for blacks came in the struggle for freedom by blacks. Although the term black liberation theology is a fairly new, becoming popular in the early 1960’s with Black Theology and Black Power, a book written by James H. Cone, its ideas are pretty old, which can be clearly seen in spirituals sang by Africans during the time of slavery nearly 400 years ago.# It was through these hymns that black liberation spawned. Although Cone is given credit for “the discovery of black liberation theology,” it’s beliefs can quite clearly be seen in the efforts of men like preacher Nat Turner and his rebellion of slavery in mid 1800’s or Marcus Garvey, one of the first men to “see god through black spectacles” in the early 1900’s. More recently black theology emerged as a formal discipline. Beginning with the "black power" movement in 1966, black clergy in many major denominations began to reassess the relationship of the Christian church to the black community. Black caucuses developed in the Catholic, Presbyterian, and Episcopal churches. "The central thrust of these new groups was to redefine the meaning and role of the church and religion in the lives of black people. Out of this reexamination has come what some have called Bla...

    Read More

  • Essay On Latin American Religion

    674 Words  | 2 Pages

    Religion is a huge part of the lives of the people of Latin America. It is not so much just a belief but a way of life.Whenever you discuss religion in Latin America you have to be able to understand the meaning of the Church, because of the fact that approximately 90% of the people who live in this region practice Catholicism. Due to Spanish and Portuguese colonization that started in the 1500s. Latin America was under the control of the Catholic Church,and about 80% of the Latin Americans identified as Catholics. While the Catholic Church is a big part and has a big political impact too in Latin America, it can no longer be seen as the only religion practiced. The religious image of Latin America is further clouded and complicated by

    Read More

  • Latin American Independence Essay

    1482 Words  | 3 Pages

    Latin America’s independence kicked of with the independence of Haiti. Before the the independence movement that overtook Latin America, Haiti had gained independence twenty years before the movement. The Spanish Empire had been in decline for a period of time after the rise of the English empire and many failed battles on the Spanish (class notes). The French Revolution and the American Revolution had inspired many of the Latin American countries to fight for independence (Chapter 3). They were inspired by the Enlightenment that washed over Europe. Of the inspired, one man stood out and took the movement by heart.

    Read More

  • Spirituality And Religion In The Murri People's Preparation For Christmas

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jesus washed the feet of 12 people to show that we should be doing the kind and most respectful things towards each other even if they have been untrustworthy and against your beliefs, you should still be there if they need someone, and this is what Pope Francis is doing. Pope Francis is upholding the ritual of Jesus in hoping the outcome will be that someday, all people of all races and nationalities will stand alongside each other in all types of circumstances for the greater good and we, as humans, become better of for

    Read More

  • Letter From Birmingham Jail Figurative Language Essay

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    The contemporary Church is so often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the arch-supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the Church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the Church's silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are.”

    Read More

  • Black Theology

    1507 Words  | 4 Pages

    Emmanuel McCall, "Black Liberation Theology: A Politics of Freedom," Review and Expositor 73 (Summer 1976):330; cf. C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya, The Black Church in the African American Experience (Durham: Duke University Press, 1990), 352.

    Read More

  • Design and the Church

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ore significant of an impact than it does now, if the heart of the Church doesn’t change. It’s stuck. At the same time, I can perceive in various people a certain movement that the conventional church fails to recognize because it’s not explicit doctrine. It involves personal responsibility, empathy, and most importantly, a humility in oneself concerning the fate of their own soul, in favor of the well-being of others. I believe the artists among them are doing powerful things, I believe that the whole world sees it, and I further believe that God works through them. In a world that mocks Christ, they unknowingly embrace him with open arms, more by the more.

    Read More

  • The role of the Catholic Church in Latin America

    428 Words  | 1 Pages

    The first Catholic priests came to South America with the conquistadors and through social and political force superimposed 16th century Catholicism upon conquered peoples and in subsequent generations upon slaves arriving in the New World. Catholicism has, likewise, frequently absorbed, rather than confronted, popular folk religious beliefs. The resulting religion is often overtly Catholic but covertly pagan. Behind the Catholic facade, the foundations and building structure reflect varying folk religious traditions. (2)

    Read More

  • Poverty in Developing Countries

    590 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the most basic teachings in the Catholic Church is to ?Love one another as I have loved you.? This can be implied towards people living in poverty as we can follow the steps that Jesus had undertaken to love other people even if they are your enemies. By showing love and compassion we can create a world that is aware of poverty issues and help the declination of poverty. Countless organisations are heavily involved in carrying missions to help ultimately eradicate poverty. These charities and organisations include CARITAS, World Vision, Oxfam, St Vincent de Paul and many other non profitable organisations which help carry out work to help those who are in need.

    Read More

More about Latin American Liberation Theology Summary

Open Document