This will not be one of the five essays that I will be writing on Liberation Theology. However, the focus of it will have relevance for Liberation Theology. The issues that I will be raising apply to Liberation Theology as they do to all other streams of theological thought. I admit that the issues raised in this intermediate essay stem from the challenges of Liberation Theology. Nevertheless, these challenges carry over into all theologies, and for that matter, into all aspects of the theological enterprise. One cannot engage in theological discourse relative to the validity of any theological current without taking into consideration the following questions:
1. At what point in history did a particular theology come into existence?
2. Who were the key players in the development of that theology?
3. What was the impact of the cultural-social milieu on the contents of that theology and vice-versa?
4. What type of economic, political, and social structures does that particular theology legitimize and lend its support to?
5. Does that particular theology claim and pretend to be universally valid or does it recognize its own particular application and limitations?
I take the opportunity to challenge you, the reader, to ponder on these questions, and, if possible to get a "head start" by reading any literature in the field of Liberation Theology in preparation for the next four essays.
Grace and peace,
Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona
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