Liberation Theology in Latin America Notes

Background

1. Liberation theology emerged in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s, when many countries were facing poverty, inequality, and political repression.
2. It represented a new approach within the Catholic Church, linking Christian faith with social justice and activism.
3. The movement encouraged priests and laypeople to stand with the poor and challenge oppressive systems.
4. It was influenced by Marxist social analysis, the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), and the Medellín Conference (1968), where Latin American bishops called for a “preferential option for the poor.”

Origins

1. Widespread poverty and inequality in Latin America motivated clergy to question the Church’s traditional role as aligned with elites.
2. The Cuban Revolution (1959) inspired a generation of activists to believe in change through social reform.
3. The Second Vatican Council modernized Catholic teachings, urging engagement with real-world issues.
4. The Medellín Conference (1968) in Colombia officially recognized the need for the Church to address poverty and injustice.
5. Priests like Gustavo Gutiérrez (Peru) and Leonardo Boff (Brazil) developed theological ideas combining Christianity with community-based activism.

Growth

1. Liberation theology spread through Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBs), small groups of peasants and workers who read the Bible and discussed social change.
2. Clergy began working alongside labor unions, peasant movements, and human rights groups.
3. Countries like Brazil, Nicaragua, and El Salvador became centers of liberationist activity.
4. Many priests and nuns became involved in protests, strikes, and education programs to empower the poor.
5. The movement gained momentum during military dictatorships, offering moral resistance against state violence.
6. The Vatican, under Pope John Paul II, later criticized the movement for its Marxist leanings but did not end it completely.

Impact

1. Social
   1. Empowered the poor through education, literacy campaigns, and community organization.
2. Political
   1. Inspired movements for democracy and human rights; supported revolutions such as the Sandinistas in Nicaragua (1979).
3. Religious
   1. Shifted the Church’s focus from charity to structural reform and advocacy for equality.
4. International
   1. Attracted global attention and debate within the Catholic Church about the link between faith and politics.
5. Long-Term
   1. Although suppressed in the 1980s, its ideas remain influential in modern Latin American politics and the Church’s outreach to marginalized groups.