Liberation Theology

Waves of Liberation Theology: God non-science since Rubem Alves

by Iuri Andréas Reblin

http://periodicos.est.edu.br/index.php/nepp/article/view/277/301

The present text problematizes the debate about theology while scientific knowledge related to divine mysteries since... more The present text problematizes the debate about theology while scientific knowledge related to divine mysteries since Rubem Alves’ theological thought through a bibliographical exploratory approach. It redeems the possibilities Rubem Alves set to the problem of the scientificity of theology starting from two ideas of the author regarding the theological speech: 1) In order to know God we have to forget God and 2) Theology is a game which is played when life is at stake. The text concludes that Rubem Alves’ theological thought points out some directions: (Re-)thinking theology as a human science leaned on religious experience, its symbols, legacies and hopes; (Re-)thinking theology focused on the social daily life, the reality, a theology that is born from the bowels of people who can speak from them and for them; (Re-)thinking a theology that does not lose its fascination with the mystery, a theology that sustains its poetic freedom and its prophetic criticality, i.e., a theology that is, first of all, beautiful because it is from dreams of beauty that lovers are born of.

Feminism and the Emerging Church By Xochitl Alvizo

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project

What is emerging in the emerging church will not be faithful, liberative, or just if it continues to perpetuate the... more What is emerging in the emerging church will not be faithful, liberative, or just if it continues to perpetuate the erasure of women’s herstory.

There has been on ongoing conversation among Christian identified people for about 20-30 years now. It originally started in the U.K. and Australia before making its impact in the U.S.  It has its roots in evangelical Christianity but has since extended more broadly to Christians of all stripes including Catholic ones. This conversation is often referred to as the Emerging Church, the emerging church movement, or, as preferred by many, the Emerging Conversation. Phyllis Tickle has written a book, The Great Emergence, suggesting that this movement represents a much larger historical transformation of Christianity that occurs about every 500 years prompting a kind of house cleaning and rummage sale of the church.

Into the Light: the Liberation Theology of Steven Masood, a Christian ex-Muslim

by Duane Alexander Miller

in St Francis Magazine, Vol 6:4, August 2010, pp 630-637.

The author analyzes Masood's conversion narrative 'Into the Light' as a theological text. He proposes that Masood (and... more The author analyzes Masood's conversion narrative 'Into the Light' as a theological text. He proposes that Masood (and other ex-Muslim Christians) are engaged in the production of liberation texts.

'YOUR SWORDS DO NOT CONCERN ME AT ALL': THE LIBERATION THEOLOGY OF ISLAMIC CHRISTIANITY

by Duane Alexander Miller

Published in St Francis Magazine, Vol 7:2, April 2011, pp 228-260.

In this article the author argues that contextual theology is not created by outsiders, but by insiders. He finds in... more In this article the author argues that contextual theology is not created by outsiders, but by insiders. He finds in the conversion narratives and poems of ex-Muslim Christians theological texts, which he then analyzes.

The Moral and the Material

by Andrew Irvine

Published in 'Faith and Freedom' vol. 52, pt. 1 (1999), 51-58.

Liberation Theology in Late Modernity: An Argument for a Symbolic Approach

by Andrew Irvine

“Francis’s Role in the Apocalyptic Histories of the Spiritual Franciscans and Leonardo Boff”

by Christopher Denny

This video was posted online through the efforts of the Dayton, Ohio Catholic Worker House.

Even during his lifetime, the meaning of Francis of Assisi’s embrace of Lady Poverty was contested by his followers... more Even during his lifetime, the meaning of Francis of Assisi’s embrace of Lady Poverty was contested by his followers and within a decade after his death Francis’s original rule of poverty was changed.  During the next generation the Spiritual Franciscans’ literalist interpretation of poverty was bolstered by apocalyptic interpretations of Francis that saw him as the angel of the sixth seal portrayed in the Book of Revelation.  The Spirituals’ appropriation of Joachim of Fiore’s controversial periodization of church history provided further spiritual fuel for millennial dissension within the order.  Scholars such as Marjorie Reeves, Bernard McGinn, Robert Lerner, and David Burr have explicated how Spiritual Franciscan commentators believed that Francis had ushered in a new age in this struggle, defending poverty and justice both inside and outside the church.  Angelo of Clareno, Ubertino of Casale, and Peter Olivi provided detailed schematizations of history in their 13th century commentaries on the book of Revelation.  Despite sharing the Spirituals’ conviction that Francis had ushered in a sixth stage of church history, Bonaventure’s attempt at conciliation within the order failed, and only ecclesiastical punishments ordered by John XXII secured the eventual victory of a more moderate understanding of poverty. 

In the post-Vatican II generation, Latin American liberation theology also made the issue of poverty the sine qua non of its theological reflection and socio-political action.  With his books Jesus Christ Liberator and Salvation and Liberation, Leonardo Boff articulated a theological methodology that sought to correlate solidarity with the poor to an eschatological conviction that God’s judgment is based upon the fundamental orientation towards the poor on the part of persons and societies.  Like the Spiritual Franciscans, Boff also encountered resistance from the church’s hierarchy, resulting in his censure and departure from the Franciscan order.  At first glance, Boff’s social criticism and political activism to overcome poverty may appear far removed from the detailed biblical exegesis of Olivi and other medieval Franciscans who wrote in defense of poverty.  Yet Boff’s writings, especially his two books Saint Francis: A Model for Human Liberation and Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, have three methodological similarities with Spiritual understandings of Francis insofar as Boff also articulates a hermeneutics of discontinuity between past and present, with Francis’s poverty serving as a historical boundary.  First, Boff’s reading of contemporary history is one of economic, military, and ecological crises that threaten human civilization.  Despite these threats, Boff claims that Francis has demonstrated that the “age of the logos” is yielding to “the age of eros.”  Second, Boff holds that Francis, whom he calls “the purest gestalt of Western history,” inaugurated this historical transition through his care for the poor.  Finally, Boff claimed that Francis created a “popular church of the poor” by living a life opposed to feudalist, clericalist, and monastic power structures.  In conclusion, both the Spirituals and Boff promote a theological methodology centered upon the conviction that Francis’s life of poverty provides a hermeneutical key to interpreting history in an apocalyptic light.

Albert Nolan’s ‘Spirituality of Radical Freedom’

by Holger Szesnat

Szesnat, Holger. 2008. "Albert Nolan’s ‘Spirituality of Radical Freedom’: A Biblical Spirituality of Liberation in post-apartheid South Africa." ERMC June 2008 Weekend. Unpublished.

Reflections on Knowledge, Criticism, and the Intellectual

by Jason Craige Harris

Empowerment - a comparison of Pentecostal and Liberation theologies

by Paul Ede

Thinking through Jon Sobrino's Rethinking of martyrdom

by Tripp York

The Catholic University Student Movement in Brazil, 1956-1966

by Joseph Holbrook

Hagar: A Portrait of a Victim of Domestic Violence and Rape

by Michele Stopera Freyhauf

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion Project.

This week Twitter has been a flurry with information for victims of  domestic violence and rape.  This... more This week Twitter has been a flurry with information for victims of  domestic violence and rape.  This ranges from the U.S. redefinition of rape to include men to Nigeria’s first anti-rape toll free hotline for women.  There is even a male movement to stand against rape.  This problem is an ongoing issue, one that shows no sign of diminishing or going away.  According to Amnesty International, one in three women worldwide have been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused and their abuser is normally someone they know.  As I contemplate this very difficult issue, I am reminded of the Biblical Hagar in Genesis 16. The story of Hagar and Sarai is abundant

Men Can Stop Rape (http://www.mencanstoprape.org/)

in ethical situations that draw in the reader and presents complex issues that can be very troublesome.  If you take the text hermeneutically, through an ideological examination in its English translation, we have an Egyptian woman, who is also referred to as slave or concubine, forced to engage into sex with her owner’s husband for producing an heir.  Here the abuser is a woman with a docile and obedient husband portrayed by Abram.  What can we  glean from such a story for today’s battered women?  Hope or horrific defeat?

Admittedly there is a glimmer of hope appears, but then is crushed away.  Final victory or freedom does not appear  until Genesis 21, or the “couplet.”  If the couplet did not exist, what message does Genesis 16 send?  Unfortunately a story that can resonate with so many victims of abuse – victims who muster the courage to leave their abuser only to return for the sake of her children.  Hagar’s situation is even more damnable – her deity, her protector, the sanctuary that she managed to reach, sends her back.

Son of Man: An Updated Gospel Story of Jesus Set in South Africa by Michele Stopera Freyhauf

by Michele Stopera Freyhauf

published on the feminism and religion project

Son of Man is an updated story of the life of Jesus set in the fictional State of Judea that is modern day South... more Son of Man is an updated story of the life of Jesus set in the fictional State of Judea that is modern day South Africa – complete with warlords and child soldiers.    It could easily be mistaken for modern day Rwanda or Darfur with its modern issues and political overtones.  Roger Ebert stated, “The secret of the movie is that it doesn’t strain to draw parallels with current world events – because it doesn’t have to.”  The director draws parallels between the gospels and 21st century Africa.  According to Dartford-May, “we wanted to look at the Gospels as if they were written by spin doctors and to strip that away and look at the truth.”  The director “captures the rhythms of African life in both rural settings and sprawling townships.”  “Feather-clad young angels offer an eerie echo and reminder of Africa’s lost generations.”

The movie also sticks with what Eric Snider calls “Traditional African trial music, dance, and costumes” as a type of worship or or allusion to Jesus’ godhood.  Judea is in flux; warlords and corruption take center stage.  Poverty, violence, and oppression affect the all of the people.  The key idea is that Jesus is a freedom fighter – one that fights injustice and oppression.  The director does not emphasize “Jesus’ divinity so much as his leadership, good sense and compassion.”  Jesus is not violent and his followers, most of whom were former child soldiers, are encouraged to respond non-violently, which goes against their upbringing and training.

Son of Man: An Updated Gospel Story of Jesus Set in South Africa by Michele Stopera Freyhauf

by Feminism and Religion

Originally posted at the Feminism and Religion Project

Son of Man is an updated story of the life of Jesus set in the fictional State of Judea that is modern day South... more Son of Man is an updated story of the life of Jesus set in the fictional State of Judea that is modern day South Africa – complete with warlords and child soldiers. It could easily be mistaken for modern day Rwanda or Darfur with its modern issues and political overtones. Roger Ebert stated, “The secret of the movie is that it doesn’t strain to draw parallels with current world events – because it doesn’t have to.” The director draws parallels between the gospels and 21st century Africa. According to Dartford-May, “we wanted to look at the Gospels as if they were written by spin doctors and to strip that away and look at the truth.” The director “captures the rhythms of African life in both rural settings and sprawling townships.” “Feather-clad young angels offer an eerie echo and reminder of Africa’s lost generations.”

The movie also sticks with what Eric Snider calls “Traditional African trial music, dance, and costumes” as a type of worship or or allusion to Jesus’ godhood. Judea is in flux; warlords and corruption take center stage. Poverty, violence, and oppression affect the all of the people. The key idea is that Jesus is a freedom fighter – one that fights injustice and oppression. The director does not emphasize “Jesus’ divinity so much as his leadership, good sense and compassion.” Jesus is not violent and his followers, most of whom were former child soldiers, are encouraged to respond non-violently, which goes against their upbringing and training.


According to Roger Moore, Jesus “speaks Xhosa and teaches his followers not just the basics – tolerance, forgiveness – - but also fairness, as well as decrying drug companies that price their wares out of the reach of those they could save.” The one particular scene that really emulates the character of Jesus effectively is when Jesus is talking to his followers. He is using language that brings the beatitudes to mind, however this version is updated to address present day issues, which include the aforementioned drug companies as well as the oppression of people by other nations. It calls evil by its rightful label. In fact his statements that “address political violence and ‘protectionism’” are relevant today. In fact, you could assume that he stands with the current Occupy movement and the 99% who are affected by corporate greed as well as hegemonic control and corruption.

Continue reading: http://feminismandreligion.com/2012/01/12/son-of-man-an-updated-gospel-story-of-jesus-set-in-south-africa-by-michele-stopera-freyhauf/

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The Spirituality of Liberation in Clare's Process of Canonization

by Gilberto Cavazos-González, OFM

in the Cord: A Franciscan Spiritual Review Vol. 52.4 (2002) 142-152.

"Clare also presented herself as an instrument of the care that God had for the sisters and for those in need.... more "Clare also presented herself as an instrument of the care that God had for the sisters and for those in need. ... A Christian Spirituality of liberation is one that leads the Christian to identify with Christ as the Poor and Crucified Lord found in the poor and oppressed peoples of this world. In this identification s/he will be carried forward to the Reign of God by five currents that blend into his/her life of faith: fraternity/sorority, contemplation, the Cross, poverty and the Eucharist."

The Inevitability of Religious Politics: Juan Luis Segundo and religion as faith and ideology

by Remy Low

Paper for Challenging Politics: New Critical Voices conference, University of Queensland, 10-11 May, 2010

In this paper, I resurrect the work of Jesuit theologian Juan Luis Segundo’s theological method that rejects “the... more In this paper, I resurrect the work of Jesuit theologian Juan Luis Segundo’s theological method that rejects “the naïve belief that faith discourse is applied to human realities inside some antiseptic laboratory that is totally immune to the ideological tendencies and struggle[s] of the present day” (1976: 7). Drawing from his approach, I argue that in contrast to political and religious commentaries that construe ‘faith’ and ‘politics’ as separate domains, all ‘faith’ discourse is inevitably political insofar as theformer seeks the “means of expressing and realising the values which faith chooses as worthwhile” (McMaster, 2005). I suggest that the analysis of politico-religious movements should move from the staid debates over the ‘intrusion’ of religion into politics (or vice-versa) toward an examination of: (i) religious ‘faith’ as an existential commitment to a scale of values at the level of ontology, (ii) how this commitment is necessary articulated as ‘ideologies’ understood as the manifold ontic means to attain to those values. To illustrate this schema, I briefly consider the political theology of Ali Shariati – the ideological architect of Iran's ‘Islamic Revolution’ and translator of the works of Jean-Paul Sartre and Frantz Fanon into Farsi (Burgess, 1988: 5, foreward in Shariati, 1989) – as an example. In doing so, I suggest that political analysis moves beyond the ambiguous categorizations of ‘Islamism’ or ‘religious fundamentalism’ toward an engagement with the complex and varied discourses of political theology (Sayyid, 2003). I conclude with some reflections on how the nexus of ‘faith’ and ‘ideology’ might relate to the broader field of politics.

What Eternal Life Could Be: Accounting for a Divergent Argument

by Trapper Garrett

churches still free to discriminate

by Karl Hand

in The Road to Rainbow Liberation, Farida Iqbal et al (Sydney: Resistance Books, 2011): 9-11

within the movement for marriage equality, there is an argument that churches should be granted an exemption from... more within the movement for marriage equality, there is an argument that churches should be granted an exemption from anti-discrimination law.

This raises an interesting question... does being religious give you the right to discriminate?

in this paper, I argue a view that will be unpopular with some... that churches should be required to follow anti-discrimination law, just like any other organisation.

Marriage Equality: a question of human dignity

by Karl Hand

A response to a report by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which you can read here:

http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/lgbt/marriage-equality.pdf

The ban on marriage between persons of the same sex is an assault on the basic human dignity of same-sex attracted... more The ban on marriage between persons of the same sex is an assault on the basic human dignity of same-sex attracted people. It subjects them to a damaging social stigma, a new report by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has now recognised.