liberation theology

Question 1

Capitalism

Answer 1

an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit, in contrast with communism where trade and industry and controlled by the state

Question 2

conscientisation

Answer 2

the process by which a person becomes conscious of the power structures in society

Question 3

structural sin

Answer 3

the idea that sin is not just a personal action by something that can be brought about through unjust organisations and social structures

Question 4

alienation

Answer 4

the process of becoming detached or isolated

Question 5

exploitation

Answer 5

treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work / resources

Question 6

preferential option for the poor

Answer 6

the idea that Jesus stood with the poor and oppressed, and that the church should focus on the poor and oppressed and stand in solidarity with them

Question 7

base Christian communities

Answer 7

Christian groups that gather together to try to directly resolve difficulties in their lives

Question 8

orthapraxy

Answer 8

right practice

Question 9

orthodoxy

Answer 9

right belief

followers of liberation theology hold that action must come first, rather than abstract theorising

Question 10

Gutierrez write that liberation happens in two ways and both must happen if there is to be true freedom. What are these two ways ?

Answer 10

• Liberation from social and economic depression

- Liberation from sin

Question 11

Jesus said …

Answer 11

‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’

Question 12

5 points to show that Marxism links in with Christianity

Answer 12

• Christianity has always had an emphasis on the poor- Marx argues that we need to help the power/ those of lower status etc
• Marxism serves to remind Christians of the important focus on the poor within their own faith
• Jesus - the leader of Christianity surrounded himself with the poor and those in needs - fits in with teaching of Marx
• the Catholic Church used the idea of the preferential option for the poor - used by John Paul 2nd (Pope)
• Pope Francis challenges Catholics to love more simply in solidarity with the poor

Question 13

explain why Marxism may not link in with Christianity

Answer 13

• Marx thought Christianity teaches that God chooses what sort of lives people have, encourages the poor to be meek, and makes false promises of rewards in heaven to compensate for injustice in this world

Question 14

define liberation theology

Answer 14

• liberation theology is a theological movement about action for the poor which began in Latin American during 1994

Question 15

what are the two main aims of liberation theology

Answer 15

• stresses that action is more important than academic theology
• aim of the movement was to find ways in which the truth of the Christian message could work in the poverty of Latin America

Question 16

5 problems that were seen in Latin America

Answer 16

• extreme poverty
• distinction between the rich and the poor
• drug dealers taking power
• corruption in government and police force
• the competing claims of capitalism and communism caused violence

Question 17

who were the two leading liberation theologians involved with the movement from the beginning

Answer 17

Jon sobrino and Gustavo Gutierrez

Question 18

liberation theology was inspired by Pavlo Freire. What were his views

Answer 18

• ‘conscientientisation’ describes the ways a person becomes aware of the power structures in society
• education was essential to enable people to ask the right questions about injustice, and so bring about change

Question 19

orthapraxy (right practice ) should come before orthodoxy (right belief ). True or false

Answer 19

true

Question 20

what did liberation theologians believe about the kingdom of God ?

Answer 20

it is not just some thing that Christians should hope for after they die but it is something we should bring up in this world

Question 21

explain Gutierrez’s idea on sin

Answer 21

• for liberation to happen there has to be liberation from social and economic oppression and liberation from sin
• sin is not just personal but institutional too. There can be whole methods of disobeying God and his commands so sin can be done by a society. ‘Structural sin’ can be seen in capitalist societies

Question 22

explain how the exodus story to support liberation theologians

Answer 22

God sends Moses to pharaoh with the demand that people are liberated from slavery ‘let me go ‘

Question 23

biblical text about Jesus that support liberation theology

Answer 23

• Jesus’ resurrection - seen as the ultimate expression of freedom. ‘I will raise them up at the last day ‘ . John

Question 24

liberation theology inspired who ?

Answer 24

Marx

Question 25

context on Marx

Answer 25

lived in the 19th century Great social change industrial revolution

Question 26

what did Marx argue ?

Answer 26

- argued that the development of technology means that people become less immediately connected to the results of their work - production becomes more mechanised so people's working lives focus on only one part of a process, so that people feel less pride in the finished outcome - people feel at the mercy of things they cannot control as individuals , such as governments or war

Question 27

explain why Marx argued that people become alienated

Answer 27

because they feel powerless. Forced to work for wages to survive but have no control over the goods they are producing

Question 28

Marx argued that in a capitalist society ...

Answer 28

private individuals own the means of production e.g. factories. Employees feels as if they are part of a machine - unable to love fulfilling loves because they are becoming exploited by private ownership of the means of production

Question 29

according to Marx, how does a capitalist society alienate workers ?

Answer 29

- division between those who own the means of production and those who work for the owners - this divide leads to conflict - eventually the people at the bottom will become violent in order to break the social structures that alienate them

Question 30

Marx was an atheist . Explain this

Answer 30

- the ruling classes used religion to keep social classes divided so they could stay in power. Christianity teaches that God chooses who sort of loves people have, and makes false promise of rewards in heaven to compensate for injustice in this world

Question 31

context on the Cold War

Answer 31

the Cold War between the USA and USSR offered competing ideologies USA beloved in capitalist system of government and the USSR followed communism socialist governments were overthrown with the support of the USA and rebel movements developed

Question 32

who supported Marx's belief that the poor were alienated from society and that they were exploited by capitalism

Answer 32

Gutierrez

Question 33

Gutierrez argued that Christians have a duty to...

Answer 33

themselves in politics, otherwise injustice stays as it is

Question 34

what was the responsibility of the church in Latin America

Answer 34

to speak out against injustice and exploitation as these are dehumanising church should take political action to promote justice with the aim of building a classless society

Question 35

Segundo on the preferential option for he poor

Answer 35

the crushing effects of poverty doesn't allow for the kind of peace, love that are central to the Christian message

Question 36

difference between segundo and Gutierrez's ideas on the preferential option for the poor

Answer 36

- Gutierrez thought that people needed to be freed from poverty and exploitation before they could be freed from sin - Segundo thought liberation from sin is first as freedom from poverty might be unachievable

Question 37

Christians of Latin America were mostly...

Answer 37

Catholics

Question 38

when liberation theology first began the leaders of the Catholic Church were concerned about Marxism . Why was this ?

Answer 38

because he was an atheist

Question 39

what were Cardinal ratzinger ( Pope benedict the 16th) concerns about liberation theology

Answer 39

- only God can remove human suffering - Christian liberation should primarily be seen as liberation from sin - violent revolution shouldn't be given more importance than Christian mission - dangers to adopt Marx theories emphasise class and community at the expense of the individuals

Question 40

explain how Bonaventure goes against liberation theology

Answer 40

- practical opposition to oppression shouldn't be emphasised more than the teachings of the gospels because it sidelines the spiritual message of Christianity - liberation theology emphasis structural sin but the bible emphasises personal sin - only God can deliver liberation

Question 41

explain how Richard McBrein goes against liberation theology

Answer 41

LT takes some biblical themes but ignores others completely - only sees oppression in economic terms