Liberation Theology: The Latin American Context

In order for us to begin to tackle the field of Liberation Theology, we first need to define what it is and what are the major assumptions and presuppositions.  I will begin by saying that Liberation Theology is not merely another school of theological thought, nor merely a mindset.  It goes much further that, and subsequently, is something that will never be irrelevant or "out of style."

In a very general sense, Liberation Theology begins with the doctrine of Creation, the Fall, and Redemption.  Liberation Theology takes seriously the divine initiative in all of these events.  It affirms God as the Creator of all things, and the Liberator of humankind from the consequences of the Fall, i.e. slavery to sin, both individual and structural.

In that same vein, Liberation Theology focuses on God's act of the liberation from the physical slavery of the Hebrew people in Egypt.  Yahweh God speaks to Moses and says to him, "I have heard the cry of my people."  God identifies with the affiliction, misery, and suffering of the Hebrews.  God conveys to Moses that he is being called to initiate, from a human standpoint, the process of dismantling the structures of slavery, and leading the people out of what at one time was the house of abundance, and then became the house of bondage.

The failure to acknowledge and recognize the biblical roots of Liberation Theology will result in a gross misunderstanding as to what it is, and cause many to demonize and even distort not only its contents, but also its thrust. In addition, if one fails to recognize the roots of Liberation Theology, then the tendency will be to either think of it as one school of theological thought among others, and also to equate it with ideologies and movements such as Marxixm and political and social revolution. It will also result in placing Liberation Theology within the framework of extreme humanism, which tends to "write off" divine initiative and overemphasize human achievement. The task of defining Liberation Theology is a difficult and complex one. There is no one "theology of liberation." Rosino Gibelleni says that "Liberation Theology is a variegated affair, both in its motifs and the personalies involved (Rosino Gibellellni, ed. Frontiers of Theology in Latin America. Maryknoll:Orbis Books, 1979, p.x.).  One will find diversity of thinking and methodology in Liberation Theology.  It is not one particular way of thinking.  There is as much diversity in Liberation Theology there is in European and other theologies. Nevertheless, there is an underlying unity in Liberation Theology's trend of thinking.  (To be continued).