Throughout recorded history, the cooperation of humanity with its perception of divinity, that age-old phenomenon known as religion, has functioned as a means whereby societies and cultures seek to answer not only the deeper and broader existential questions of the nature and origin of the universe, but perhaps even more often to respond to the imminent and critical issues which impact the more practical human present.
Religion is thus often characterized as the multitudinous sampling of human ritual and moral systems which endeavor to answer, “What shall be believed?” However, any system of thought which does not invoke more concrete and immediate imperatives would be one with which those who are most preoccupied with survival and coexistence would indeed find little usefulness. One might argue that the implicit substance in the aforementioned question of belief is, in fact, another question entirely; rather, “What shall be done?”
Oftentimes, as is plainly evident in contemporary contexts, people fail to evaluate the most essential tenets of religion and instead ponder issues of arbitrary legal mandates or esoteric spiritualities. Theology, the discussions in which people engage on topics pertaining to God, is therefore a system of thought which not only engages such issues (issues of a rather theoretical and speculative nature), but must also purposefully labor to respond to actual problems faced by real people. This distinction illuminates theology in ways which transcend philosophy. Christian theology, to be more specific, animates a whole host of thoughtful ideological expressions, including but not limited to its inherent consideration for all things spiritual, historical, scriptural, and cultic. In his book, The Apostolic Gospel, Rev. Dr. Theodore Stylianopoulos affirms this role of the Christian gospel in real life events: “The nature of the gospel... is not that of a celestial communication apart from historical facts, events and actual people. The gospel is the public voice of the new community of faith, whereby the community announces to the world the saving events that defined its birth, nature, and mission.” This further reinforces the concept that the narrative of the worshipping community is one which impacts the course of human life. In the pursuit of one such expression, the following essay will not merely ponder things above, but will endeavor to articulate the foundational framework of Christian theology in the New Testament scriptures and how such a theology teaches the more practical applications of the Faith of the people of God—namely, the liberation of the oppressed. Precisely asserted by Rev. Dr. James H. Cone, “Christian theology is language about the liberating character of God’s presence in Jesus Christ as he calls his people into being for freedom in the world.
Among the many resonant teachings of the Church preserved by its scriptural tradition, chief among which is the corpus of New Testament texts, it ought not to be forgotten that the zeitgeist is one of the chambers which throughout time has echoed the annunciation of revelation. The voice and spirit of the present age is a powerful and organizing element of the practical application of theological work. Just as in any other historical stage of the growth and development of the human family of God, the 21st-century American context in which this essay is born necessitates a biblical theology of practicality and relevance in order to meet the people where they are. The spirit of the times can and indeed should inform the theological discourse of the Church and the message conveyed by it.
Intrinsic to the study of the New Testament is the theological implication that its meanings are not void of living truth; the work of biblical scholarship cannot be authentically undertaken in a proverbial vacuum. Therefore, in this essay, the examination of the New Testament will not be rendered as an archaeological audit of the extant textual artifacts of a bygone age, but as an engaging call to action promulgated by the meaningful ramifications of a chiefly religious text, one which not only teaches its reader about the past, but just as importantly clarifies the present and elucidates the future. Christian theology, which deals with the doctrinal impact of the New Testament, has been shaped throughout time within the context of the worshipping community of the Church. The long-standing concept of the “tragedy of dogma” intimates the idea that the Church in her pastoral and theological capacity interprets revelation as it relates to the necessity of edifying humankind and guiding its narrative into the illumination of a more complete picture of truth. The precedent laid out by the historical activities of the Church which produce dogmatic understanding requires that revelation be progressively interpreted in order to fill gaps where they occur and meet needs where they are found. As theological constructs are generally born out of the conflicts imposed by harmful or heretical teachings, it is essential to not only discuss and observe the development of past theological discourse, but also to actively engage more pressing contemporary issues. One of the most prolific names in the field of liberation theology, Gustavo Gutierrez outlines “theological reflection,” as a function which, “would then necessarily be a criticism of society and the Church insofar as they are called and addressed by the Word of God; it would be a critical theory, worked out in the light of the Word accepted in faith and inspired by a practical purpose—and therefore indissolubly linked to historical praxis.” This essay will highlight the functionality of the New Testament message of good news as an actively liberating force in the human story and defend the theology of liberation as a timely and essential tenet of the Christian gospel and the theology which is responsible for its portrayal to the broader worshipping community.
In establishing the claim that “we cannot afford to do theology unrelated to human existence,” Cone teaches that “truth cannot be separated from the people's struggle and the hopes and dreams that arise from that struggle. Truth is that transcendent reality, disclosed in the people’s historical struggle for liberation, which enables them to know that their fight for freedom is not futile. The affirmation of truth means that the freedom hoped for will be realized.” Insofar as the undertakings of theology are principally concerned with truth, they must likewise engage the imperative proposed by the Christian message itself: the victory over the bondage and oppression of death by the ultimate source of liberating and justifying life—Jesus Christ. If one pragmatic theme resounds consistently throughout the volumes of the religious texts which make up the Holy Scriptures, from the Passover and Exodus of the people of Israel to the Passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is liberation. The people of God have always faced the principalities of oppression and injustice, whether under the bondage of Pharaoh in Egypt or persecution by Caesar in the Roman Empire, and the message of God has always been one of the overwhelming, equalizing power of liberation. In the recollection of his own words, documented by St. Luke, Jesus of Nazareth, at the dawn of his earthly ministry proclaims the following: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18- 19). This essay contends that such a statement is not only the foundational thematic precept of the earthly ministry of Jesus, but must also be maintained as the thesis of His Church, guided and sustained by the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit. The theology of liberation constitutes both the thematic foundation and the practical function of the gospel message. In doing the work of biblical theology, the kerygma of the Church must necessarily emphasize the salvific work of Christ’s liberating activity for all humankind. All scriptural references in this text are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated.
SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT
To embark upon the journey of a theological discourse on the topic of God’s liberating activity amidst the assembly of his people, a most prudent starting point is the foundational text of the recorded religious history of Israel and the Church. While the New Testament, and specifically the gospels, provides the clarity with which the worshipping community is now so fortunate to operate theologically and spiritually, the context of liberation is not one which is unique to first-century Palestine or the subsequent early Christian context. In fact, the Pentateuch establishes the earliest characterization of the relationship of God with his people as one consisting of the power of freedom from under the yoke of bondage. The following section will outline the biblical precedent for liberation theology within the narrative context of the Holy Scriptures. From the earliest recorded history of the Hebrew faith, which would ultimately unfold in the incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord himself, it has been made clear that, in the words of Cone, “The God of the Bible is involved in history, and God’s revelation is inseparable from the social and political affairs of Israel.” It can be observed therefore that the practical application of religion and theology has always extended beyond the theoretical and provided causation for the active work of setting captives free, not simply from principalities of an otherworldly nature, but also from tangible political forces in this world. The marvelously poetic and spiritual appeal of the religious culture surrounding the worship of YHWH [God] is that it is not so much dictated in treatises of moral law, but nestled into the narrative of an ongoing community of people. Cone draws the connection between this principle and the eventual coming of the Christ, saying, “God was the God of history, the Liberator of the oppressed from bondage. Jesus was not an abstract Word of God, but God's Word made flesh who came to set the prisoner free. He was the ‘Lamb of God’ that was born in Bethlehem and was slain on Golgotha's hill. He was also ‘the Risen Lord’ and ‘the King of Kings.’ He was their Alpha and Omega, the One who had come to make the first last and the last first.” The Christ of the New Testament, the Lord proclaimed by the gospel annunciation, is indeed the same God who freed his people from their enslavement in Egypt, and continues by the power of his Holy Spirit to guide the bearers of his image through the baptismal waters of the Red Sea and across the tumultuous terrain of the vast deserts of this life into the Promised land which is found in the encounter with the Kingdom.
Passover and Exodus
“It is clear that the truth of the Bible is the story of the call of God's people from slavery to freedom. There is no understanding of this truth except through the historical consciousness of an oppressed people struggling for liberation. For divine truth is not an idea but an event breaking into the brokenness of history, bestowing wholeness in wretched places. Only one who has experienced and is experiencing the truth of divine liberation can tell the story of how God's people shall overcome.” With this statement, Cone accurately and rather concisely summarizes with deep authenticity the thematic message of the Bible itself, and how it is to be interpreted in the light of a sound theology of liberation. Indeed, this is the sacramental reality of the Passover which occurred in the history of the people of YHWH, and continues to intervene in the life of the believing community by means of the Paschal lamb encountered in the Eucharistic mystery. This concept establishes the covenant of the promised wholeness found in the liberation of God’s beloved children. The link, therefore, between the Creation and the Exodus accounts is one which clearly has its climax in the Passover event and the subsequent flight of the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, guided by the Spirit of God.
The God of Genesis is indeed the very same God of Exodus. While such a statement may strike the reader as redundant, it is an important point to keep in mind so as not to forget that the One who creates order and life is the One who sought the emancipation of his people from worldly servitude. In the words of Gutierrez, “The Creator of the world is the Creator and Liberator of Israel, to whom is entrusted the mission of establishing justice.” Therefore, just as Christianity observes the narrative revealed by the Hebrew scriptures in light of the advent of the Christ, the Old Testament itself is rightly seen in light of the Exodus event. This historical yet divine reality does not only foreshadow the gospel; it is the very message of the gospel, the continuing work of humanity’s creation and salvific ascent. Gutierrez remarks further, “Creation...is regarded in terms of the Exodus, a historical-salvific fact which structures the faith of Israel. And this fact is a political liberation through which Yahweh expresses love for the people and the gift of total liberation is received.” Again asserting that there is but one common thread of salvation throughout the narrative of human history—indeed one which covers a great deal of the historical and anthropological plane—there are not, it seems, two separate covenants divided by the different religious traditions of Judaism and Christianity, so much as there is but one unifying history of salvation. Just as “creation and liberation from Egypt are but one salvific act,” so too are the Exodus and Passion two essential realities of the one God’s plan for the salvation of his people. The Church must be as much a people of the Exodus as it is a people of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A biblical view of salvation history is not one which emphasizes the personal aspect of grace, but rather the communal nature of the story of humanity’s redemption. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the 20th-century German pastor and theologian, in his work, Creation and Fall, states that, “In the language of the Bible, freedom is not something man has for himself but something he has for others... It is not a possession, a presence, an object, but a relationship and nothing else. In truth, freedom is a relationship between two persons. Being free means ‘being free for the other,’ because the other has bound me to him. Only in relationship with the other am I free.” To strive for salvation as humans is to strive for salvation together; that is to say, as the assembly of the faithful people of God, the Church continues to shoulder the collective work of extending the liberation from sin and death to the world by means of the grace of God.
An essential aspect of the promulgation of the message of the liberty of humanity by the hand of God is the increased awareness of the actual state of the worldly reality in which it finds itself. The aim of the theology of liberation is to start with the information that articulates the oppression of peoples and the solution of opposing it for the sake of liberation. Gutierrez responsibly describes the ongoing struggle of the worshipping community as an awakening process. “A gradual pedagogy of successes and failures would be necessary for the Jewish people to become aware of the roots of their oppression, to struggle against it, and to perceive the profound sense of the liberation to which they were called.” It is only when people become aware of their oppression and the nature of their oppressors that they may begin to equip themselves and their communities with the ideologies which speak of living in freedom. The paradoxical tension here is that the work of liberation is both completed and continually striving in hope. The message is that humanity has been called to liberation; the work is to engage and secure that for the whole of the human family. In light of the narrative of the people of Exodus, Dr. Cone says that “the covenant means that Yahweh's liberating presence continues to sustain the people through the wilderness to the Promised Land.” The hope of the liberation made possible in covenant with YHWH therefore fuels the continual hope that this work is achievable and being actualized in the midst of human events. Such an expectation of hope is what makes the biblical narrative both historical and eschatological. From the first days of human communion with God, the “already, not yet” of existence has shown the faithful that just as in history liberation has been achieved, so too in the fullness of time will liberation be fully realized. Gutierrez articulates this principle, reminding the reader that, “The Covenant and the liberation from Egypt were different aspects of the same movement, a movement which led to encounter with God. The eschatological horizon is present in the heart of the Exodus... The heart of the Old Testament is the Exodus from the servitude of Egypt and the journey towards the promised land…”
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Contrary to establishing a liberating and equitable society in which the human family may thrive together, it is the objective of forces which work against the causes of righteousness to continue, albeit perhaps more surreptitiously, to craft means of injustice and inequity. The God of the Bible makes clear that he is opposed to such subjugation. “The other reasons for the Biblical rejection of poverty have their roots here: to oppress the poor is to offend God; to know God is to work justice among human beings. We meet God in our encounter with other persons; what is done for others is done for the Lord,” says Gutierrez. If there is any singular moral imperative common to the summary of the Biblical worldview, it is that God demands that his people oppose injustice and serve each other in love and humility.
Transgression in this context is not a matter of meager human failings regarding dietary restrictions or sexual ethics, though such parameters make their place in the midst of the Mosaic Law. The distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness when it comes to the treatment of individuals and communities is actually a matter of life and death, a matter of liberty or the severest kinds of indignity. To phrase it rather staunchly, Cone clearly articulates, “There is no divine grace in the Old Testament (or in the New Testament) that is bestowed on oppressors at the expense of the suffering of the poor. The theme of justice and Yahweh's special concern for the poor and the widows have a central place in Israelite prophecy,” adding, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, the later commitment of divine teaching to, “Cease to do evil and learn to do right, pursue justice and champion the oppressed; give the orphan his rights, plead the widow's cause (Isaiah 1: 16–17 NEB)."
Such moral guidelines are not only relevant to the Israelite context, but are essential to be maintained by the Church, which may be described as the continuation of the people of Israel. Christian theology is not so disconnected from its origins in the Israelite understanding of humanity’s role in God’s plan. Gutierrez reminds the reader of the importance of the Exodus in the life of the Church by remarking that “Christian life is a Passover, a transition from sin to grace, from death to life, from injustice to justice, from the subhuman to the human.” Both the historical and thematic realities of the Passover, the Exodus, and the Israelite expectation for an ultimate Promised Land are as critical to the contemporary understanding of Christian theology as ever, and their reality must be lived and taught. “The Christian Passover takes on and reveals the full meaning of the Jewish Passover. Liberation from sin is at the very root of political liberation. The former reveals what is really involved in the latter.” On the basis of this biblical foundation articulated in the narrative of the Old Covenant, the following section will begin to describe liberation theology as the thesis of the gospel message found in the New Testament.
Incarnation and Gospel
In The Making of the New Testament, Rev. Dr. Theodore Stylianopoulos describes the heart of the New Testament as it pertains to salvation history: “The gospel, by its contents, blessings, and requirements, summed up and expressed the interpreted Christian experience of salvation that arose from the decisive events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit. The meaning and power of the gospel both revealed and enhanced the generative force of the new eschatological consciousness of the early Church…” He proceeds by articulating the gospel’s impact as a unifying basis for the continuation of the essential elements of Judaism in Christianity, that is, the saving message of the community of faith. The following section will observe the gospel as a chorus of truths which comprise the basic meaning of the theology of liberation, by both the example of the earthly ministry of Jesus of Nazareth and his cosmic accomplishment of redemption and liberation from sin and death.
The Church, as the Body of Christ, is structured on the premise that its function is the continuation of the history of the salvation of humankind carried out with integrity in the name of Jesus Christ, his saving conquest over the bondage of hell, and the ministry of his followers as they endeavor to emulate him in all things, including the tradition of liberty and justice which is rooted in the Hebrew narrative and summarized by his Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection. Regarding the central figure of the Christian story, Stylianopoulos says of the Church, “His followers placed Jesus explicitly and securely at the center of their own message and worshipful devotion. They made Jesus central to their beliefs and practices because his own words and deeds had already made him central to the project of his public ministry.” It is necessary that the example of Jesus retain its place as the centrally motivating exemplar of the work which the Church must continue to do in his name. Christ is the liberator and the source of the continued liberation of humanity.
To actively participate in the world as the Church of the New Testament is not only to hold appropriate dogmatic assertions and teach proper theology, it is to live out the theology of a faith which has established itself on the liberation of the human family from oppression achieved by Jesus Christ. Archbishop Oscar Romero, a martyr, hierarch, and Latin American liberation theologian, in his remarks on the teachings affirmed by the bishops in attendance at the Second Vatican Council, preached in one homily that, “The church, affirmed the bishops, must serve society. To do so, it must understand how power is used and abused—how people are subject to systematic economic and political exploitation. And the church must bring the gospel of Jesus into these concrete realities. This Gospel is not only a message of personal salvation from sin and entrance into the eternal kingdom of God, but also the transformation of injustice in the present. The kingdom, the bishops believed, could come on earth as it is in heaven, and it was part of the proper work of the church to help bring it to reality.” It is with this in mind that the Church endeavors to actively and tangible proclaim its gospel teachings, to make the Kingdom known on earth. As all things begin and end with Christ Jesus, this section will point to the incarnational reality of liberation theology, as well as the spirit of its teaching within the New Testament.
As previously mentioned, the same God which delivered his people out of the land of Egypt is the God who, in the midst of his people, became incarnate. To recognize the incarnational reality of Jesus Christ as fully God and fully human is to also recognize that human flesh is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, and that the actions carried out by Jesus in the flesh are those of perfect humanity, which are to be embraced by his followers. Gutierrez relates the incarnation to the application of love and equity in this world commented on by Barth: “The God of Christian revelation is a God incarnate, hence the famous comment of Karl Barth regarding Christian anthropocentrism, ‘Man is the measure of all things, since God became man.’” It is thus by the love that Christians have for one another, expressed by the charitable activity promoted by the Church, that the legacy of the gospel is rightly honored and carried out.
The New Testament does not depart from the liberating reality of the Exodus narrative, further enforcing that the salvation of humankind is a collective and inclusive enterprise. “Jesus turned to the great prophetic tradition and taught that worship is authentic only when it is based on profound personal dispositions, on the creation of true fellowship, and on real commitment to others, especially the most needy,” in the words of Gutierrez. Most commonly, when liberation is discussed in light of the saving work of Christ, it is applied to the condition of sin as the oppressive burden from which the Lord frees his beloved creation. Indeed, this is a primary proclamation of the theology of liberation, particularly as this vein of thought equates sin and death with the oppressive and abusive systems of this world. Deliberating the great discourses held by the Latin American Council of Medellin, Gutierrez indicates that the liberation from earthly oppression is “a manifestation of liberation from sin made possible by Christ,” adding that “it is the same God who, in the fullness of time, sends his Son in the flesh so that he might come to liberate all persons from the slavery to which sin has subjected them: hunger, misery, oppression and ignorance—in a word, that injustice and hatred which have their origin in human selfishness.” Liberation theology teaches that the mark of sin on humanity is most notably exhibited in the human failings which have preserved systemic oppression, social injustice, and marginalization, and that it is the salvation brought by Christ which transforms our sinfulness into compassion and life-giving charity. “In Christ the all-comprehensiveness of the liberating process reaches its fullest sense.” Another revolutionary and transformative objective of the gospel is the fact that this liberation in Christ is not exclusively reserved for a select few, but for the whole world, and it is the continual effort of his disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to see to it that his good works are carried on.
The descent of the God of the Exodus into human flesh in the incarnation of the Son of God radically transforms the nature of our humanity, shining the light of his liberating presence where darkness would otherwise reign. Gutierrez would go so far as to express the idea that the sacred has been poured out into the entire world: “Since the Incarnation, humanity, every human being, history, is the living temple of God. The ‘pro-fane,’ that which is located outside the temple, no longer exists.” This is the sanctification of the flesh won by the victory of Christ over the powers of sin and death, his saving grace which destroyed the confines of the Temple and broke down the barriers between various segments of the human population. “The liberation which Jesus offers is universal and integral; it transcends national boundaries, attacks the foundation of injustice and exploitation, and eliminates politico-religious confusions, without therefore being limited to a purely ‘spiritual’ plane.” Humanity meets divinity in the person of Jesus Christ, and by his grace humankind is faced with the divine in a very real and liberating way. The Church must therefore teach the collective dignity of the human race and speak out against earthly systems of oppression and marginalization; even more so, it is the sacred duty of the Church as the active, living, breathing, Body of Christ to fight injustice and bring the good news of liberation to the poor.
Exhorting his community on the topic of the Last Judgment recorded by St. Matthew, Romero ardently preaches a rebuke of sorts to those whom Jesus himself would rebuke: “You were more concerned about the purity of your orthodoxy; you were more concerned about quiet time for your prayer; you were more concerned about your congregation or your school. You didn’t want to contaminate yourself with derelicts. You were worried about your social and economic and political prestige, and that’s why you despised those who were asking you for help—and there I was!’ This is the norm by which Christ will judge us. His kingdom is love, a love that builds us up.” This rhetorical example depicts a Christ who concerns morality primarily with the real and tangible matters of assisting the destitute and showing compassion to the less fortunate. Romero encourages the Church to be less involved with appearances than with the motivation of equity and justice. It is by this life-saving activity that the Church will show the love and compassion of the Lord and carry out the great commission mandated by Christ. It is imperative to not merely preach of good news, but for the presence of the Christian community to participate in the gospel activity of alleviating the worldly pressures which degrade and reduce members of the human family to subhuman conditions. The Church must engage in the cooperative work of liberation alongside Jesus Christ; in the words of Romero, “We have a message to communicate to the world, and we are the ones responsible for this message. When Christ chose twelve men to receive his divine wisdom, he told them finally, ‘I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now (John 16:12-13). The deposit of divine revelation that I offer you is so great that my divine Spirit will be with you. You are chosen from the people and will have God’s special assistance so that in every moment throughout history you will preach my word according to the needs of the times. You must incarnate my word in the needs and the sins and the virtues of the people you have in your charge.’ This is the great ministry of the word.”
Despite the very natural human effort emphasized in the good works of social justice and charity, it must never be forgotten that such works are only brought to their fullness by the empowering gift of God’s grace. He chose to take on flesh in order to redeem all flesh. Romero reminds his flock that this is not only a spiritual reality, but a human one: “Something began to change on earth when Christ appeared in those lands curing the sick, raising the dead, preaching to the poor, bringing hope to the people. It was like when a stone is cast into a quiet lake—ripples appear, and they spread until they reach the shores. Christ appeared in Zebulun and Naphtali with the same signs of liberation: he broke the oppressive yokes, he brought joy to the hearts of people, and he sowed hope in their hearts. This is what God is doing now in history.” This gospel effort is to be continued by the Church in real time, not simply reflected on in piety, but enacted in the tangible ways with Christ himself enumerated in Matthew 25.
For many, it may be necessary to reiterate that the salvation which Christ offers to the world is for all, and that in his liberation from oppression, he actively liberates the various identities of the human family from the hierarchical strata of society. Romero goes on to invoke the teachings of St. Paul on the dignity of all persons, quoting, “There is no longer distinction between Jew and Gentile (Gal. 3:28). There is no longer a privileged people and a marginalized people. All of us are coheirs in the mystery of Christ. The inheritance of God our Father is for all of us... [Christ] makes us ‘coheirs,’ a word invented by Saint Paul. That ‘co-‘ indicates an equality that can be expressed only in terms of two equal siblings who receive the same inheritance, becoming coheirs of all that God has promised. In Christ all human beings are called to this wealth of God’s kingdom. We are members of the same body. In all his theology, Saint Paul develops the meaning of this equality which makes all of us members of one body. God did not make us to live dispersed and separated. We need one another. The head can never tell the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ The hands cannot tell the heart it’s unnecessary, nor can the heart say that to the other members. All the members, each in its proper function, are members of the living body (I Cor. 12:12-26).” The will of God, being the liberation of humanity, instills in people the vocation of charitable activity. No one is saved for the sake of being saved, but rather for the sake of saving those with which they are in community. Thus, the gospel of liberation is something to be shared with all by all. Gutierrez reminds the reader of this important precept, stating that “St. Paul asserts not only that Christ liberated us; he also tells us that he did it in order that we might be free. Free for what? Free to love.” The boundaries of love are therefore nonexistent, and the qualifications for acceptance into the family of God have been eliminated.
Among the most important messages preached by liberation theologians is that discrimination has no place in the Christian narrative. The gospel of Jesus Christ welcomes all into the fold; there is no flesh for which Christ was not crucified and resurrected. The New Testament is revolutionary in its destruction of the barriers which would otherwise enable society to prohibit certain segments of humanity as unworthy of God’s life-saving community. “Because of faith in Jesus Christ, all are children of God’ (Gal. 3:26). This is the work of Jesus: calling all people without discrimination. Saint Paul has stated that there is no place for discrimination in Christianity: ‘There does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal. 3:28). There are no longer social classes for Christianity. There is no more racial discrimination. That is why Christianity is shocking: because it must preach this liberating work of declaring all men and women equal in Christ Jesus.” Romero clearly articulates the inherent inclusivity which is characteristic of the Christian message. This message, however, is often contrary to the world’s structures. It will always be an endeavor of other-worldliness to teach this world that the dignity of every human person is absolute and to equip society with a new system of understanding and operating in community. This peculiarity makes Christian liberation an endeavor of great difficulty in a world which would prefer the oppression and marginalization of people groups for the sake of selfish gain. Jesus has promised of the tribulation which his followers will face in this world, and it should come as no surprise that the God-man who was chastised and crucified by the powerful, dominating class of society would lead his followers by example, advocating in favor of the lowliest and poorest of the world. Indeed, the dominions and powers which act in contrast with the gospel will be threatened by the humility of a Church which truly emulates Christ. Encouraging those who would choose to fight for the cause of liberation, however, Archbishop Romero reminds, “When human authority contravenes God’s law and violates the rights, the freedom, and the dignity of human beings, then it is time to cry out as Saint Peter did in the Bible, ‘We must obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29)."
LIBERATION THEOLOGY
This essay, approaching the issue of liberation from the perspective of a privileged white American context, can in no way justly convey the fullness of empathy with the struggles which have for ages painted the contexts of powerful theological voices such as Cone, Miranda, Gutierrez and others in order to fuel the vibrant flames of their perspectives on liberation theology. To a great extent, many people groups experience an array of differing marginalizing factors; some of which are less visible than others, but none of which entirely overlap. No adequate appropriation of such a depth of rich theological resources is at all possible; in fact, for one to even glean any edification from the voice of such a person, one must relent to the knowledge that no true comparison can be made to the long suffering of the lineage of African American people, women, Latin American civilizations, people with differing physical, mental, and emotional abilities, or people of varying sexual orientations and gender identities. These experiences are truly unique, but these are the voices whose light can illuminate the problems which theology of any merit at all must endeavor to solve. It would be hazardous and harmful for a white American student not to remark on the stark contrast witnessed by the groundbreaking texts of liberation theology which arise from the voices of those immeasurably more oppressed and further marginalized. Solidarity is an essential virtue to be held genuinely by any marginalized community; however, it finds its limits in the reality of experience. A wide variety of marginalized groups exists, and an understanding between such groups is necessary for those in the margins to stand against the oppressors which ruthlessly uphold the status quo. With that in mind, no two groups have suffered carbon copies of oppression; anti-Semitism is not the same as racism, which is not the same as homophobia, which is not the same as class warfare. Nonetheless, victims of each must learn from each other. With this in mind, the work of liberation theology must approach its topics pastorally and practically.
The field of liberation theology has been comprised of voices from the margins for its history of almost a century, having been established in its early days by those serving the faithful in Latin and South America and working for the pastoral improvement of the Church’s actions in the world, fighting for justice on behalf of the victims of injustice. The essay asserts that the gospel of liberation is the gospel itself, and that the work of going out into the world to express the power of such a gospel is central to the mission of the Church. Since its nascent season, liberation theology has expanded the world over, leading to black theology, womanist theology, and even queer theology in North America and abroad, advocating for the security of civil rights, social justice, and revolutionary ways of being in community. Naturally, such a source of freedom for the oppressed has often been seen as theologically dubious by the systems in power. Archbishop Romero addresses such concerns, saying, “The word ‘liberation’ bothers many people, but it is the reality of Christ’s redemption. Liberation does not mean only redemption after death...liberation is redemption that is already beginning on this earth. Liberation means that the exploitation of one human being by another no longer exists in this world. Liberation means redemption that seeks to free people from every form of slavery…” Romero continues by describing that what Christ wants is for his followers is to love one another, to liberate those in need from all different forms of slavery—it is imperative that the Church continue the work of acting to liberate the human family from economic and systemic oppression.
A Church of Hope
The Church, as both an ancient and living presence in the world, is comprised of many expressions of its salvation narrative. While liberation theology as a specific undertaking within the Christian context tends to indicate the writings of 20th-century theologians and preachers from backgrounds of racial, social, and gender diversity, the founding principles of such a system of morality are far more ancient. St. Basil the Great, in his classic work, On Social Justice, instructs the body of believers on the necessity of rebuking injustice, saying, “If you plan to make an offering to God out of the fruits of injustice and exploitation, you should know that it would be better for you neither to possess such things nor to make any offering from them.” Contextually, it would appear that St. Basil is establishing a teaching on the very practical matters of the liturgical and sacramental activities of the Church, reminding those who would hear his words that offerings to the house of the Lord are not to be made out of the coffers of those who would exploit the labors and debts of others for their own gain. Likewise, advising the privileged in their conduct, as well as perhaps in approaching the holy sacraments, he adds: “It follows that every person should make a thorough self-examination. The rich should carefully consider their means, from which they intend to make offerings, in order to make certain that they have not wielded power over the poor, or used force against the weak, or committed extortion against those in a subordinate position. We are commanded to maintain justice and equity.” It is therefore not only a sound teaching of the Church that we work for the civil rights of those around us, but a practical and actionable imperative that the people of God do so for the continuation of the work of Jesus Christ. The Church, being the Body of Christ, must act as his hands and feet, going into the places disturbed by ill-treatment and sharing compassion in the forms of tangible charity. God assists the Church in this work and empowers her to accomplish it. St. Basil also takes care to remind the faithful that, “It is not because God is powerless to feed the poor that he has left them for us to care for, but rather because he desires that we should be fruitful in justice and kindness through our own good works.”
It is among the central duties of the Christian Church to serve the world as a beacon of hope and an upstanding example of a more just and equitable future. Eschatology speaks of the coming of the Kingdom of God, and it is in the opinion of liberation theologians that such a coming is beckoned by the active participation of the human family. Idleness has no place in Christian spirituality, as it is an endeavor which must be shared with all. Archbishop Romero preached that, “If we are reasonable in our hopes for a world where we will love one another as children of God and where there will be no enmity or violence or rancor, then we must work to make these qualities a part of our history here and now on earth. Everyone must contribute, especially those who have in their hands the ability to transform a nation: the government officials, the wealthy, and the powerful.” Gutierrez establishes the link between such a collective moral imperative and the eschatological realization of the coming age as the chief work of the gospel, adding that, “If human history is above all else an opening to the future, then it is a task, a political occupation, through which we orient and open ourselves to the gift which gives history its transcendent meaning: the full and definitive encounter with the Lord and with other humans. ‘To do the truth,’ as the Gospel says, thus acquires a precise and concrete meaning in terms of the importance of action in Christian life.” If the Church is to preach the good news to all the world, there must be good news to be shared; the followers of the Lord are to herald the glory of his Kingdom, a realm which not only establishes some form of spiritual purity, but in fact distributes the life-giving essentials of health, growth, and development to all those made in God’s own image.
Another Latin American liberation theologian, Jose Porfirio Miranda, writes with a depth and profundity that can only be described as revolutionary in his vastly philosophical approach to the theology of liberation, Being and the Messiah: The Message of St. John. In the chapter entitled, “Parousia or Presence?” Miranda invokes the imperative of the Church to be filled with and guided by the power of the Holy Spirit in its endeavors for the establishment of the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, writing that, “The parousian, definitive presence of Christ consists in the Paraclete, which in turn consists in the ‘greater works’ that the believers will do and that will eventually suffuse the world and give it life.” Thus, it is the role of the Church to not only believe rightly but to do justice on behalf of all humanity, actively participating in the liberation of the oppressed. Miranda remarks that “the messianic eschaton signifies definitive justice,” adding that the collective virtue of embarking on the path toward justice communally further enhances the power of empathy and compassion and participates in the creation of a more just world: “Once I have heeded the moral imperative, I am no longer ever alone, and its demand increases to the degree that I obey it. The deepening of interpersonal understanding has no limits.” The theology of the Church which affirms Christ’s coming again in glory must be one which actively participates in the glory which he has already begun to share with the world—the hope of a more righteous society, one in which all people have a place at the table in the house of the Lord and none are excluded because they have been trampled on by the principalities and powers of this world which work so consistently against the causes of equity and social justice. The gospel of Jesus Christ which must be declared to humankind by both word and example is one which tells of the God of the Exodus who, becoming incarnate and enduring humanity’s struggles even to the point of death, has broken the chains of death and the gates of Hell and declares that all have been set free.
Theological scholarship asks many questions of the Holy Scriptures, but few are as tactile or as pertinent to human survival as that which is posited by the abiding work of liberation theology: What does the Gospel do? What teaching is to be held to as actively as the sacred investiture of the Church for the sake of service to the poor? The heart of the gospel is the Christ who liberates, and the heart of the Church is necessarily the promotion and continuation of that liberation. Paraphrasing Pascal, Gutierrez wastes no words on the topic of liberation: “...All the political theologies, the theologies of hope, of revolution, and of liberation, are not worth one act of genuine solidarity with exploited social classes. They are not worth one act of faith, love, and hope, committed—in one way or another—in active participation to liberate humankind from everything that dehumanizes it and prevents it from living according to the will of the Father.” The liberation of the oppressed is a timely and essential tenet of the Christian gospel and the theology which conveys that good news to the broader community of humanity. Undertaking the work of serving and preaching the gospel is a social enterprise, and if the New Testament is seen as anything other than good news to all who hear it, then the Church has neglected her commission. If there is any foundational treatise or textual collection which most wholly and adequately summarizes the thesis of liberation theology, it is none other than the Bible itself. If theology is not liberating, then it is not theology.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Basil the Great. On Social Justice. Translated by C. Paul Schroeder. Crestwood, New York: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2009.
Cone, James H. God of the Oppressed. New York: Seabury Press, Inc., 1997.
Gaines-Cirelli, Ginger. Sacred Resistance: A Practical Guide to Christian Witness and Dissent. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2018.
Gutierrez, Gustavo. A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation. Edited by John Eagleson. Translated by Sister Caridad Inda. Revised ed. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2019.
Miranda, Jose Porfirio. Being and the Messiah: The Message of St. John. Translated by John Eagleson. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1977.
Romero, Oscar. The Scandal of Redemption: When God Liberates the Poor, Saves Sinners, and Heals Nations. New York: Plough Publishing House, 2018.
Stylianopoulos, Theodore G. The Apostolic Gospel. Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2015.
Stylianopoulos, Theodore G. The Making of the New Testament: Church, Gospel, and Canon. Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2014.