WWW.THECOLLECTOR.COM
How Liberation Theology Shook the Catholic Church in Latin America
The first half of the 20th century saw a dry, uninspiring Catholic Church. Christianity as a whole was hardened and largely unchanged from the late 19th centurys conservative, uptight theologies and practices. But, as the world began to modernize, some of the Catholic faithful wanted to breathe fresh air into religious practice as well. For many inside the church, reform was also desired: though things had changed, many old injustices still remained. How should the Church respond to this new world?A Changing World: Christianity in the Early to Mid-20th centuryPope Pius XII, who led the Catholic Church during World War II. Source: Vatican MediaThroughout history, Christianity has evolved in response to the argued necessities of its present reality, and modernity was no exception. With the dawn of the 20th century, the way Christianity spread, operated, and structured itself as a religion had begun to shift. Both Protestant and Catholic Christians explored new ways of practicing their faiths, but not without opposition, notably the rise of fundamentalist Christianity in response to more liberal practice. Liberalism was rejected by many Christian institutions, particularly the Catholic Church, which became increasingly centralized and decisively more conservative. Institutional Christianity failed to oppose extremists, sometimes even siding with them, as with the Nazis in Germany.Yet the aftermath of the Second World War brought a strange, new peace. The world had gone through two wars before even reaching the half-century mark. Emancipation, the collapse of totalitarian regimes, and newfound hope around the world led to a spike in Christian converts. By the 1960s, millions of people had joined the Christian faith in some denomination or other. But these new Christians, alongside the earlier practitioners who welcomed these new times, began to ask their faith for answers it had previously failed to provide. A theological revolution was brewing.The post-war peace enjoyed throughout the world proved to be fragile and largely empty for many. All the while, the injustices of old continued. Thus, in regions such as Latin America, members of the Catholic Church began questioning themselves and their roles in their communities. Social gospel met social justice in an effort to lift the marginalized in Latin America through the Christian faith.A Changing Church: The Second Vatican CouncilPope Paul VI presides over a meeting of the Second Vatican Council, St. Peters Basilica, 1963. Source: National Catholic ReporterThe Second Vatican Council (widely referred to as Vatican II) was one of the most consequential Catholic ecumenical councils in modern history. While some traditionalist Catholics argue against the validity of the council, more radical traditionalists, so-called sedevacantists, go as far as refuting the council altogether, as well as all popes after Pius XII.These reactions, though extreme, are not entirely surprising. The Second Vatican Council was transformative in many real ways. Arguably, it simply had to be. A chaotic world context manifested in the 1960s; changing church demographics, a stale and uninspiring mainstream theology, and reactionary stances from the church became a perfect cocktail for a new ecumenical council, the first in almost a century. And so, the Second Vatican Council came to both clarify doctrine and redefine the churchs relationship with its people.The Roman rite changed with the council, and liturgy was allowed to be translated into languages other than Latin. A world church emerged after Catholic centers of strength started to shift away from Europe and the Americas and began to become more diverse. But for later proponents of Liberation Theology, the council did something else: it updated the Catholic Church in a way some saw as fertile ground for even broader, deeper changes. Gaudium et spes, the only pastoral constitution promulgated during the Second Vatican Council, was seen by some members of the church as a new definition for the relations between the church and the world.The Second Episcopal Conference of Latin America and CELAMA group of Latin American clergymen working at the II CELAM Conference, unknown photographer, 1968. Source: CELAMAn updated church as envisioned by the Second Vatican Council gave rise to new voices who believed their critiques of the Catholic institution had been validated. Those offering such new perspectives began to articulate their concerns and proposals, finding venues and spaces to do so, including the second Conferencia General del Episcopado Hispanoamericano (Episcopal Conference of Latin America). Organized by the Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano y Caribeo (Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council, CELAM), the conference took place in Medelln, Colombia, in 1968, just a few years after Vatican II. It consolidated much of what the critical voices among the Latin American clergy had started articulating years prior.While the first CELAM conference was organized and prepared almost entirely by the Holy See, CELAM II was defined by the Latin American clergys freedom to set the agenda, with the Holy Sees ultimate approval. Pope Paul VI inspired the CELAM bishops to take the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and, in celebration of a decade of CELAMs establishment, reflect on the potential for Vatican II to aid in Latin Americas troubles.During the CELAM II conference, over 15 documents were produced, focused on a variety of topics ranging from justice, peace, and education to poverty in the church and joint pastoral and social communications. Concerned with the well-being of Latin Americans and keen to approach its flock in a more intimate, sincere way, the CELAM II conference was pastoral in nature. A prime example of this was the establishment of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). These small groups, intended to reflect upon scripture and apply its lessons to their own lives and personal situations, proved consequential in the Catholic churchs approach to building a new model for being a church.The Preferential Option for the Poor: The Key to Liberation TheologyFifth Assembly of the Basic Ecclesial Communities of the Prelature of Tef, unknown photographer, 2019. Source: Congregazione della MissioneThe preferential option for the poor is the cornerstone of Liberation Theology. A Catholic social teaching at heart, the option for the poor is actively political and ideological, for it argues that the Bible prioritizes the well-being of the poor, the powerless, and the vulnerable. Peruvian Catholic priest Gustavo Gutirrez Merino, a leading figure in the articulation of Liberation Theology, argued that a relationship exists between the emancipation of man (in the political, economic, and social) and the kingdom of God.First proposed in the 1960s, the option for the poor was officially and explicitly articulated in church documents at the CELAM III conference, which took place in 1979 in Puebla, Mexico. For Latin American clergy, the option for the poor meant a broad acceptance and embracing of austerity and humility from members of the church, as well as active engagement in deprived communities and a commitment to act and pray in favor of the dispossessed, the disenfranchised, and the vulnerable.Together with Vatican II and the Basic Ecclesial Communities, the preferential option for the poor is one of the three main concepts necessary to understand Liberation Theology. As with any other theological current, a variety of perspectives exists regarding the minutiae of Liberation Theology. Some, for example, view the poor as strictly the economically vulnerable, while others include the politically and socially vulnerable as well. Others have argued for the poor in a broader sense, meaning the people, historically oppressed members of society. In recent decades, updated theology has taken the poor to mean the excluded.The Church Responds: The Holy Office, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVIPope John Paul II scolding Catholic priest Ernesto Cardenal in Nicaragua, 1983. Source: El EconomistaLiberation Theology began as a social teaching meant to provide the theological tools necessary for the Latin American clergy to aid their communities in their struggles. But the emancipation of man didnt simply translate to sermons critical of the wealthy, the greedy, and the powerful. Instead, Liberation Theology proved to be a consequential movement that rippled through much of Latin America and its challenging social struggles. Naturally, the emancipatory ideals of Liberation Theology were inspiring to many, including freedom fighters and other groups the church didnt feel so comfortable sharing the spotlight with. This was illustrated by Pope John Paul IIs visit to Nicaragua, for example, where he spoke against members of the Nicaraguan clergy who occupied positions of power and were known liberation theologians.The Holy See and the Curia felt uncomfortable with the trajectory of Liberation Theology. In the 1980s, Pope John Paul II instructed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), informally known as the Holy Office (and once the office responsible for the Inquisition), to issue an official pronouncement regarding Liberation Theology. In charge of the CDF was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI, a known critic of Liberation Theology.Misereor Hunger cloth from the humanitarian aid community, designed by artists from the Global South. Source: Universidad Alberto Hurtado, ITERThe documents published by the CDF were highly critical of Liberation Theology. Though they recognised its humble efforts, they opposed the notion of viewing structures (economic, political, social) as the origins of evil. Instead, the CDF insisted on a more theologically traditional perspectivemore individualistic and focused on mans freedom to act and thus freedom to choose the gracious life of Jesus as opposed to a life of excess, pain, and evil. The church largely opposed the teachings of Liberation Theology, some viewing it as closely related to Marxism or socialism, ideological stances that the church and Pope John Paul II publicly opposed.The Aftermath of Liberation Theology and Where it is TodayPope Francis alongside Catholic priest and Liberation Theology pioneer Gustavo Gutierrez, unknown photographer, 2013. Source: Vatican NewsLiberation Theology is seldom present at the center of theological debate today; much of the church seems to view it as a fleeting, inconsequential chapter. In reality, Liberation Theologys legacy is rather a quiet hope for change materialized in the continued struggle for justice and equality. The theological giant lives on inconspicuously as an inspiration for contemporary Catholic theology and practice.After the CDFs arguably frontal offensive against Liberation Theology, the controversial Christian school of thought gradually lost the relevance and traction it once held. It is surprising in some ways, but in others it is not. Latin America was changing: the once progressive sentiments held deeply in Latin American societies politically collapsed with the right-wing wave of the 2010s. At the same time, but in the opposite direction, the Catholic Church faced its own seismic shift: conservative Benedict XVI resigned, and in his place, liberal Francis I, notably of Argentina, was elected.The spotlight may have turned away from Liberation Theology in contemporary Christianity, but its impact is likewise undeniable. Within Catholicism, Liberation Theology lives on in many communities, not as a declared ideology or theological approach but as a spirit of justice and fairness. Pope Franciss election as head of the Catholic Church marked a stark difference in the churchs stance on Liberation Theology when compared to his predecessors position. Whereas Benedict XVI condemned Liberation Theology as Marxism, Pope Francis noted that without the option for the poor, the Gospel would be misunderstood. With his passing in April 2025, the question of Liberation Theologys place in contemporary Catholic doctrine falls to his successor: Pope Leo XIV.
0 Commentarios
0 Acciones
12 Views
English
Arabic
French
Portuguese
Deutsch
Turkish
Dutch
Italiano
Russian
Romaian
Portuguese (Brazil)
Greek