Liberation theology is a movement that seeks to involve the Roman Catholic Church in struggles for social reform and human rights. The movement began within the church in Latin America and has had its greatest influence there. The movement’s followers believe poverty is against the will of God. Liberation theologians in Latin America charge that wealthy, industrialized nations treat Latin Americans unfairly. They also claim that Latin American governments have not done enough to eliminate poverty in their own countries. In addition, they claim that some Latin American governments have systematically violated their citizens’ human rights.
Liberation theology began in the 1960’s when Latin American bishops and priests established groups called base communities for Bible study, prayer, and social action. Millions of Christians throughout Latin America have gathered in base communities. They have helped the poor through efforts such as digging wells, building clinics, and petitioning the government for schools.
A Peruvian priest, Gustavo Gutierrez, is widely considered the founder of liberation theology. The movement takes its name from his 1971 book, A Theology of Liberation, first published in English in 1973. In his book, Gutierrez calls for the church to liberate people from unjust and degrading conditions and sees poverty as such a condition.
Liberation theology has many opponents, especially among Roman Catholic leaders and Latin American governments. Since the 1980’s, the Vatican has replaced liberation theologians with traditionalist priests throughout Latin America. Some Catholic leaders believe the movement jeopardizes the church’s stability and wrongly stresses worldly concerns instead of spiritual matters. Most liberation theologians oppose the use of violence. But some of the movement’s supporters have taken part in violence against Latin American governments.
Some people regard liberation theology as supporting Communism. Liberation theologians, however, say that they reject Communism in general, though they sometimes use Marxist ideas to analyze social problems.
