medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Tom Izbicki wrote:
> Another approach is disavowing
> certain elements of a theology without condemning it outright. This seems
> to be the present pope's approach to Liberation Theology:
I think that in the case of so-called Liberation Theology, it might be more accurate to say that the present pope, while Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote two instructions on Liberation Theology (which should be considered as Part One and Part Two, on the topic), and in them he explicated the wrong use of the concept, and then the right use of the concept.
Consequently, that which generally comes to mind when the topic of
"liberation theology" is brought up is of the wrong use:
"17. In this full presentation of Christianity, it is proper to emphasize
Those essential aspects which the "theologies of liberation" especially tend to misunderstand or to eliminate, namely: God and true man; the sovereignty of grace; and the true nature of the means of salvation, especially of the Church and the sacraments. One should also keep in mind the true meaning of ethics in which the distinction between good and evil is not relativized, the real meaning of sin, the necessity for conversion, and the universality of the law of fraternal love. One needs to be on guard against the politicization of existence which, misunderstanding the entire meaning of the Kingdom of God and the transcendence of the person, begins to sacralize politics and betray the religion of the people in favor of the projects of the revolution." [Libertatis nuntius (Instructio de quibusdam rationibus «Theologiae Liberationis»), August 6, 1984 AAS 76 (1984)]
So, it seems apparent that the church has shown that that which goes under the expression "Theology (or Theologies) of Liberation" and those various books by certain authors, primarily from Hispano-America are not to be considered as sound doctrine, but rather a perversion of the church's understanding of redemption and liberation. Since the understanding of "Liberation Theology" from that term (qua "term") is shown to be in error, it seems that to say that "disavowing certain elements of a theology without condemning it outright" is a bit misleading, in that the whole understanding from the "liberation theologians" has been debunked, and the proper understanding of what it rather should be has been explicated.
The two Intructions which Ratzinger wrote, and which John-Paul II signed
are:
Instruction on Christian freedom and liberation – Libertatis conscientia
(Instructio de libertate christiana et liberatione), March 22, 1986
AAS 79 (1987) 554-599 OR 6.4.1986, 1.4; CivCat 137 (1986) 2, 146-185; Communicationes 18 (1986) 48-53 [n. 71 usque ad n. 80]; DocCath 83 (1986) 393-411; EV 10, 118-239;LE 5184; Dokumenty, II, 15.
Instruction on certain aspects of the "Theology of Liberation" – Libertatis nuntius (Instructio de quibusdam rationibus «Theologiae Liberationis»), August 6, 1984 AAS 76 (1984) 876-909; DOCUMENTA 57 OR 3/4.91984, 1-2.4; CivCat 135 (1984) 4, 47-68; DocCath 81 (1984) 890-900; EV 9, 866-927; LE 5072; Dokumenty, II, 12.
Terrill Heaps
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