Hello everyone,

Can anyone provide a concise explanation of Liberation Theology, its relationship to Marxism (or the elements of Marxism that it contains) and the Catholic Church's current opinion about Liberation Theology, please?

Many thanks and blessings to you all,

James

-- James West (jwest1_uk@yahoo.com), October 04, 2003

Answers

James, are those questions the gist of an assignment for a course you are taking?

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 04, 2003.

Hello again!

No, not for a course. I have a friend who is very anti-Catholic who has just visited Brazil for a holiday. He has come back saying that he found that the Church there had been 'on the side of the poor and the oppressed' but that the Holy Father had started replacing existing bishops in Brazil with ultra-conservatives who had stopped the progress that was being made with liberation theology.

I am quite ignorant on the subject although I have been searching the Internet for more information recently. I would like to present my associate with a considered response in defense of the Church and our hierachy.

Any help from members on this messageboard would be gratefully received.

With good wishes,

James

-- James West (jwest1_uk@yahoo.com), October 05, 2003.

Jmj
Verrrry interesting, James!

The subject of "Liberation Theology" (or "Theology of Liberation") has been out of the forefront of religious news for more than a decade -- possibly because of the collapse of Communism in several parts of the world.

But I remember that Lib-Theo was the center of attention in the mid-1980s. And I remember several other related things, including ...
1. the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect) disciplined (silenced?) a dangerous Brazilian Franciscan theologian, Father Leonardo Boff.
2. the CDF published an instruction about Lib-Theo.

That's why I was very pleased to be able to find the text of the document at the Vatican's Internet site. Here it is. I hope that it is very helpful to you. If you need more information, post again. I may be able to help you.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 05, 2003.

Many thanks for your reply. The link that you gave me has been a huge help.

Thanks again, John.

God bless,

James

-- James West (jwest1_uk@yahoo.com), October 09, 2003.