Theology of liberation

Abstract

Latin America's Christian world has been shaken in recent years and increasingly by statements, movements and even guerrilla actions by an appreciable number of its religious "best" in favor of national "liberation" movements and in favor of socialism. As a minority, more than a minority predisposed to action stead than theoretical elaboration, it has been possible to minimize its impact, pointing out deficiencies in its theoretical position or attributing its new commitment to a specific call to each of them as individuals. But the Church, both her hierarchy and the bulk of the laity, has remained relatively free from equal position on socialism, at least in her official character and in the forceful and unequivocal way that characterizes these "new Christians". Hence the vital importance of the already classic work of Father Gustavo Gutiérrez, (1) which I will comment here. For this is a theological argument, not to justify isolated cases of individuals fighting for socialism as a way of making their Christianity, but for the hierarchical Church as such with all laity to take a position, here and now, against the reigning underdevelopment and in favor of socialism, at the risk of being unfaithful to its Christian vocation.