Liberation theology

Question 1

Who are the main scholars mentioned in Liberation Theology?

Answer 1

Marx, Oscar Romero, Pope Francis II, Leonardo and clodovis boff, Gutierez

Question 2

What is Social sin?

Answer 2

Social sin, refers to injustices in our institutions and social structures, that lead to alienation and exploitation.

Question 3

What is Preferential treatment for the poor?

Answer 3

L.Ts belives that Christians have a duty to stand in Solidarity with the poor, this involves positive discrimination in favour of the poor in a bottom-up theology aproach

Question 4

What examples can we use to show Jesus as a liberator?

Answer 4

Parable of the sheep and the goat
Natural law and hierarchy
membership fo the disciples, fisherman and tax collector
beggar woman, man born blind

Question 5

what examples can we use to show that Jesus is not a liberator?

Answer 5

his emphasis on teh afterlife and kingdom of God “i have prepared a room for you in my fathers house”
potencially betrayed by Judas, due to lack of radicalism

Question 6

What are examples of Marxs alienation and exploitation?

Answer 6

production line- takes away creativity and depersonalises

Profit- proletariat exploited, due to low wages

Question 7

What is teh two-fold argument that Marx uses for a major cause of alienation and exploitation?

Answer 7

He rejects that God is the driving force of history, as teh belief that God controls history is false-consciousness and leads to false hopes and illusions

Religion gives power to the state or rulign group to control the population

Question 8

What are three examples Marx uses to argue against Religion?

Answer 8

1 Glorifies suffering, due ot need to “pick up their cross”
2 afterlife, whch encourages acceptance of earthly suffering
3 divine right to rule, which causes inequality and alienation in arguing that some are born to rule over others

Question 9

What are the key beliefs of Liberation Theology?

Answer 9

founded by Gustavo Gutierrez in 1960s
advocates for Social Justice
PUTTING RIGHT ACTIONS ( ORTHOPRAXIS), before right beleifs (orthodoxy)
prioritising the needs of the poor “preferential option for the poor”

Question 10

How does Liberation theology utilise Marxism?

Answer 10

L.T acknoledge that Christianity does not have the means ot analyse sources of injustice, Marxism is therefore used as a “methodological” pointer to analyse the exploitation of the poor and though there is disagreement over the level of influence that Marxism should have, all LTs agree that teh true teacher is Jesus and not Marx

Question 11

What is the hermeneutic of suspicion?

Answer 11

LT encourages teh application of the Hermeneutic of suspicion, as it involves questioning the official or common ways of understanding the Bible, this is used within LT to read the Bible with a Marxist lense to understand the prevalence of alienation and exploitation caused by class divisions

Question 12

How can the hermeneuitc of suspicion be applied with a Marxist reading to Luke 18:18-25?

Answer 12

the tradditional readingis that the ruch ruler was not wrong to be wealthy, but was critiscised for not using his wealth to help the poor e.g. camel and needle
however, when the hermeneutic of suspicion with a marxist reading is applied, the focus is placed on how the man has gained his riches in the first place and the rich mans role in contributing to structural/ social sin
BOFF brothers call him a companion along the way

Question 13

What were the five motivations taht the Boff Brothers set out to justfiy teh preferential option for the poor?

Answer 13

1 Eschatological motivation- parable of sheep and goats, focus on moral actions with poor

2 Apostolic motivation- DTER THE DEATH OF Jesus, the first apostles organised a general levy (tax) on all Christian groups to help the poor

3 Ecclesiological motivation- All Christian members of the Church, should as a matter of faith, seek the transformation of society

4 Christological motivation- Jesus sided with the poor and acted in solidarity with those marginalised by society

5 Theological motivation- the God of teh Bible is said to be a “living God” and in Exodus it is said that God could hear the “cry” of his people and seeks justice.

Question 14

What quote is synonymous with LT?

Answer 14

“Bread before theology”

Question 15

What is the difference between First act praxis and Second act praxis?

Answer 15

First step- living amongst the poor and experiencing poverty and identifying necessary change, although it is routed in orthopraxis, its roots are found in theological motivations.

Second act praxis- Involves judging what the word of God ( Bible) has to say about what has been observed, then actually acting on it.

Question 16

What are the three meditations?

Answer 16

1. Seeing- Socio-analytic meditation, analysing society using Marxs theory of alienation and exploitation.
2. Judging- Hermeneutic meditation- judging how best to change society, using the Bible as a moral guide, whilst applying Marxist Hermeneutic of suspicion to the Bible.
3. Acting- Practical meditation, acting, doing something practical to bring about change

Question 17

What are some arguments in favour of Christians prioritising one group over another?

Answer 17

differing focuses in the gospels, allow for Christians to focus on different groups based on local needs
Jesus said “ It is the not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick”(Mark 2:17), Which shows Christians have a duty to continue the work of Jesus in this way
The Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Woman with the Haemorrhage,, show the focus that Jesus placed on helping the poor

Question 18

What are some arguments against Christians prioritising one group over another?

Answer 18

whilst there can be credit given tot the work of Liberation Theology, it can be argued to place too vast an emphasis on the poor, which may disenfranchise other groups

In the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus teaches that teh Rich needs as much salvation as anyone else

The death of Jesus on the cross is the central work of Salvation as his sacrifice was done for all people

Question 19

What are the main issues the Catholic Church has with Liberation Theology?

Answer 19

1 Its use of Marxism (atheist ideology) Pope Benedict XVI argued it is impossible to break down Marxism, either accept it fully or not at all

its emphasis on material poverty, Pope John Paul II argued it risks neglecting spiritual poverty

It suggests that the Church as an institute contributes to Structural sin, which undermines the God-given authority of the church

Question 20

What is the stance of Pope Francis in relation to Liberation Theology?

Answer 20

insists that the “Church should be poor and for the poor”
has challenged Capitalism many times and lives a simple life has a close relationship with Gutierrez and met him at teh Vatican in 2013
named Oscar Romero as a Martyr in 2015 and then a Saint in 2018