Notes on Liberation Theology - Clarence

CENTRE FOR REFLEXIVE THEOLOGY (18.03.05)

LIBERATION THEOLOGY

Introduction

The CRT sessions are intended to help us interact with different theological perspectives to
determine how those perspectives may enrich our own faith journeys even if we do not agree with
all that is contained within those theological perspectives. Over time we will cover multiple
perspectives including Bultmanian, Barth, Feminist and perhaps even the perspectives of other
religions.

This month we consider how perspectives of Liberation Theology can be enriching to us. This
session does not purport to teach all that is in Liberation Theology or even agree with it- just a
willingness to explore. The notes here are based on the book: Introducing Liberation Theology by
Leonardo Boff and Clodovis Boff purchased from Borders bookshop at Orchard Road.
Remember as you read the following that we are just attempting a "kindergarten" version and are
not trying to be professional theologians.

Discussion Question

Read Matthew 5:39-43.
1. What does this passage mean to you
2. How do you know that what the passage means to you is what Jesus intended it to
mean?
3. Could it mean something else to someone in a different situation?

Context

• 1950s and 1960s in South America increasing middle class and rich. The result: Poorer
people became poorer.
• This resulted in uprisings and the formation of military dictatorships, which sought to
protect capitalism via repressive methods.
• Around this time the Christian church also developed a sense that there was a need to
have social action part of spirituality.
• Some sociologists and economists came to the conclusion that third world poverty was
the result of the exploitationion of the developed first world.
• South American Christian theologians particularly Catholic theologians led by Gustavo
Gutierrez started to think how faith and theology linked with poverty and exploitation.
• This led to a theology that focussed on a commitment towards creating a more just world.
• Over time liberation theology's focus on working with the poor in South America moved
also to cover black liberation, the feminist movement, gay liberation and North South
relationships.

What Is Liberation Theology?

It is a theology that starts with the state of our particular society first and argues that social justice
is at the heart of spirituality. It is not just one aspect of spirituality but is the core of Christian
spirituality.

"One day in the arid region of northeastern Brazil one of the most famine stricken parts of the
world, I met a bishop going into his house: he was shaking. 'Bishop what's the matter?' I asked.
He replied that he had just seen a terrible sight: in front of the cathedral was a woman with three
small children and a baby clinging to her neck. He saw that they were fainting from hunger. The
baby seemed dead. He said, 'Give the baby some milk, woman.' 'I can't my lord' she answered.
The bishop went on insisting that she should and she that she could not. Finally because of his
insistence she opened her blouse. Her breast was bleeding; the baby sucked violently at it.' And
sucked blood...The bishop knelt down in front of the woman placed his hand on the baby's head
and there vowed that as long as such hunger existed, he would feed at least one hungry child a
day." [p1-2].

1. Liberation theology's starting point is becoming sensitizedsed to the social and economic
injustices in our particular society.

• What social injustices do you perceive in Singapore?
• How does this compare with the situation of the woman described above?

2. The next step is empathizing with that suffering that arises from that injustice - a suffering
with. Not the suffering of one particular individual but the collective suffering of the class of
individuals.

• Pick a class of individuals in Singaporean society that you think is suffering socially.
In what ways are they suffering?

3. Then you spiritualize their sufferiing i.e. you meditate to see the suffering Jesus Christ in that
suffering person.

• Try to picture, the suffering person as Christ crucified on the cross - what images,
thoughts and emotions come to your mind? [Matt 25:31-46]
• What would it take to raise this crucified person to life?

4. There are three ways to try to help a class of people who are suffering socially.

• Giving aid
• Reformism
• Changing social conditions - the structures of oppression. The Strategy of Liberation.
5. Action First: The class that is oppressed comes together and work out a strategy that can
better their lot.
• First they come to understand the roots and situation of their oppression via
conscientization.
o The internalized oppressor
• Then they claim every benefit the system can give them
• They work towards a transformation of the present society in the direction of a new
society characterized by better justice.

6. Reflection Second: How does our action to help the socially suffering reflected in the Bible
and the life of Christ?

• A reflection on the Bible without action is useless. We only truly know when we are
involved in the action of liberation. There is no such thing as a theoretical theology
that is disconnected from the situation in the world.
• There are three levels of liberation theology - the professional theologian, the pastor,
the people, The theology develops at all three levels of society.
• So you don't study theology. You do theology.

How To Do Liberation Theology

Step 1 : Living Commitment

"Before we can do theology, we have to do liberation."

Step 2 : See The Situation As It Is

Examine the situation of suffering. What are its causes? "Understanding God is not a substitute
for or an alternative to knowledge of the real world. As Thomas Aquinas said: 'An error about the
world redounds in error about God"[p25].
Liberation Theology actually sees the struggle of the poor class as fundamental while the struggle
of other classes of people is derivative. But we will not focus on this here.

Various ways in which we can view those who are socially suffering:

1. The Socially Suffering as "Degraded and Deprived"
2. The Socially Suffering as the Disfigured Son of God

Step 3 : Biblical Evaluation

1. What does the Word of God say about this situation? The Bible's priority towards the poor
and the socially suffering.
• Liberation theology tends to read the Bible from the perspective of the struggle
between the powerful and the powerless, the haves and have-nots.
• The systems of injustice and social suffering that are created in societies e.g.
slavery.

2. How does the person who is socially suffering read the Bible from his/her context? Here the
question is not one of importance from the perspective of the Bible but the relevance from the
perspective of the socially suffering. This means that questions about grace, salvation etc
cannot be divorced from questions about injustice and social oppression.

3. Traditional theological reflection consists of a lot of discussion e.g. Bible studies. But in
liberation theology, study and action (individual and community) must go hand in hand. There
is a strong emphasis of applying the Bible in the context of working against social suffering.

4. Each branch of Christianity (whether they admit it or not) tend to favor particular books of the
Bible. Liberation theology traditionally emphasizes Exodus, the Prophets, the Gospels, the
Acts of the Apostles and Revelation.

Step 4 : Act
1. Faith is greater than action but without action there is no faith.
2. The action will come up with

• Viable action plans
• Strategy and tactics that promote the spirit of Scripture particularly peaceful
resistance.
• Proclaiming the acts of God in that society in relation to the social suffering.
• A blueprint for action and mobilizing people.
3. The knowledge/expertise gained from the ACT Stage is fedback into the theological thinking
and doing process.

Key Themes

1. Faith without action is dead faith. Action needs to include freeing people from social
suffering
2. God takes the side of the social suffering against pharaohs of this world. We are called to
live out the kingdom principles of justice and mercy in our present world.
3. Jesus took the side of the socially suffering and we are called to do the same

Potential Pitfalls

Potential weaknesses of liberation theology:
• Neglecting personal spiritual e.g. prayer, meditation.
• Overstressing the impact of political and forgetting the power of God to act independently
of history and human structures.
• An imbalance of social issues compared to faith issues in Christian action.

Questions

1. Do you think the perspectives of liberation theology has an application in a society like
Singapore which is developed, has a responsible government, does not seem to have the
gross injustices characterized the South American nations? Why or why not?

2. In what way can the perspective of liberation theology enrich your Christian journey as a
Christian:
• in your particular family environment
• in your own society
• in a globalized world?