Liberation Theology

Since its emergence nearly two decades ago, liberation theology has become a unique and permanent political movement throughout Latin America . From Mexico to Chile , from Nicaragua to Brazil , this movement has been politically effective in merging together traditional, religious values with a commitment to social activism on behalf of "the poor and oppressed." Thinkers in this movement analyze social problems associated with chronic maldistribution of wealth and restrictive and repressive governmental policies. Then they combine these analyses with moral commitments to alleviating the plight of the poor to justify their engagement in a variety of reformist and revolutionary political activities.

Indeed, liberation theology has had frequent successes in influencing the direction of social change as well as on specific policy making in various parts of Latin America . For example, it played a significant role in the Nicaraguan revolution in 1979 and continues to provide a major source of legitimacy for the Sandinista regime. In fact, an informed awareness of the role of liberation theology is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of social change today in Central America . And the impact of liberation theology has been felt throughout South America as well. Influenced by the writings of liberation theologians, the existence of over one hundred thousand "Christian base communities" in Brazil alone continues to play an important part in that country's return to democratic politics.

But what is the appeal of this movement? Why has it been so successful? And what are the implications of liberation theology for future politics in Latin America , for theological development generally, and for political and moral philosophy?

Liberation theology is both a sociological and philosophical movement. Sociologically, it is a religious movement that deals with social problems generally found in the Third World . Individuals in this movement use their religious convictions as a standard to gauge and critique the effectiveness of economic and other social policies in meeting the basic needs of the citizenry. Furthermore, these individuals generally participate in politics to change perceived conditions of injustice as an ethical act of conscience, given their religious commitments to the poor and suffering. Consequently, this movement involves the clergy, including priests, nuns, and bishops, as well as lay members of the Church, both Protestant and Catholic.

While liberation theology does have a contextual orientation that explains both its origins and its subsequent development, it also has a philosophical dimension that provides a justification for political action and motivation for adherents to engage in politics and thus to change its context. It is in this sense that liberation theology may also be referred to as a "philosophical movement." This phrase captures the broad sweep of liberation theology's concerns - religious values and traditions, theology, social theory, political ethics, economics, technology, and science.

A comprehensive philosophical framework - regardless of its origins - is necessary to combine these concerns into one meaningful whole. Philosophically, then, liberation theology provides a novel development in contemporary theology for the emergence of serious scholarly as well as popular reflection upon the meaning of traditional religious themes within the context of industrializing economies and authoritarian political systems. The movement provides serious reflection upon the relationship between God and humanity, salvation history, the Incarnation, morality, and society. It is at once a theological response to contemporary social problems, as well as a result of those problems in the face of religious traditions and values. But as a philosophical movement, liberation theology offers far more than innovative reflection upon religious traditions.