Liberation Theology

The term ‘theology’ originally comes from the Greek word, theos for God and logos for meanings. It was used by pagans to explain the ultimate mysteries of the world and by Plato, it was used to signify the Greek poets that announce deity (Rep. 379a.5-6). This word was used by Aristotle as a synonym for what he calls ‘metaphysics’ (Meta 1026 a 19-22) and to describe the cosmos in terms of the unmoved mover. This word was also common among the Greek and Roman pagans to refer their gods and it was Origen who used the word theology to explain the Christian understanding of God and to distinguish it from Christian faith. St Thomas Aquinas (ca. 1225-74) then claimed that the universe was an indication which pointed to God as the final end of all things. In Christian understanding, theology is seen as faith seeking understanding (Fides Quaerens Intelectum). It means that Christians understand the mysteries of God revealed in and through history by using their reason enlightened by divine faith.

One branch of theology is Liberation Theology which refers to the recent theological movement started in Latin America. One of the contributors to this theology is John Sobrino, a Salvadorian Jesuit. Instead of focusing on faith and unbelief as European theology does, he argues that theology should be a practical tool by focusing on the political, economic and ideological problem. Therefore, learning from Jesus who preached the good news by bringing real changes to the poor, oppressed, marginalised and sinners in his society, liberation theology urges the Church with its theology to take a radical movement by identifying with the poor and the oppressed. In other words, the socio-politico-economy context within a society is a substantial element for the reflection of the liberation theology.

As a new movement of theology, liberation theology offers several basic methodologies. Firstly, as a starting point, liberation theology proposes that the task of theology is not only to provide an explanation but furthermore to analyze, examine and to find the roots of the socio-political problems. In other words, theology is supposed to be more practical and develop and embrace the role of social scientific analysis. Secondly, after examining and discovering the leading factors of the social problem, it studies the religious tradition related to the first analysis which provides a new way of the understanding of traditions. In other words, it tries to reanalyze traditions, to see whether they support inequality or stand against it. Thirdly, liberation theology suggests that theology has a task to reconstructs and reinterpret the traditions and the forgotten religious symbols which can bring new understandings and perspectives about theology. Lastly, after reinterpreting and reconstructing traditions, liberation theology establishes not only a target behaviour but creates a practical criteria based theology where the value of a tradition or action can be judged.

Bibliography

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Komonchak, Joseph A., Mary Collins and Dermot A. Lane. eds. The New Dictionary of Theology. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1987.

Mueller, J.J. What are they saying about theological method? New York: Paulist Press, 1984.

O’Collins, Gerald and Edward G. Farrugia. A Concise Dictionary of Theology. New York: Paulist Press, 1991.

Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology Vol 1. London & New York: T&T Clark International, 2004.