A rough treatment of liberation theology

I have long been fascinated by liberation theology. In a recent post, I made a passing reference to it. This caused one of my readers to ask exactly what liberation theology is. Since then I have done a little research, and I think that I can shed some light on the subject.

Firstly, liberation theology is actually a family of related theologies. These include, feminist, womanist, muheristaist, gay and lesbian, and black theologies, just to name a few. It can be used by any group which feels a need for liberation.

Liberation theology was born in Latin America in the 60s and 70s. In this time and place there were many populist governments which treated their citizens very poorly. As pastors and theologians searched for an appropriate Christian response, they began to formulate liberation theology. Freed by the second Vatican council to work with protestants, catholic theologians began centering their attention on the Christian's responsibility to the poor and the oppressed.

At its most basic level, liberation theology states that Christians are to be the advocates for the poor and the oppressed. This is based in a belief that the kingdom of God is (at least partially) already realized. It is also based in Jesus' teachings concerning responsibilities to the poor (whatever you have done for the least of these . . .)

The place in which liberation theology encounters the most difficulty is in "doing" it. Many people have taken an "ends justify the means" approach to liberating the oppressed. Much blood has been spilled in the name of helping the poor for Jesus. It doesn't have to be this way, and it isn't always, but most of what people know of liberation theology pertains to its violent history.

On a personal level, the thing that I find most interesting about liberation theology is the way in which it approaches eschatology ( a view of the end times). Liberation theology asserts that the kingdom of God is already here (realized eschatology.) I have not been able to find what justification they use for that claim. The Lutheran Church (ELCA) teaches that we are living in the midst of the coming of the kingdom, that God's kingdom on Earth is both "already" and "not yet." Sounds a little like the postmodern understanding of creation, doesn't it? Ongoing creation will have to wait for another posting.

Until then my friends,
Shalom