Read through the Wikipedia article on Liberation Theology and do some additional searching if you feel like it.What do you think Liberation Theology means today? What lessons can you take from it? What questions does it make you ask? Write a response to your thoughts and ideas about the significance of Liberation Theology.
The moral concept of Liberation Theology has become a major movement in working towards developing a system of equality and justice for all. It provides support and guidance through the knowledge of Christianity and its principles. Ever since it was popularized in Latin America it has had a positive impact on people and society’s mentality. For many of the less fortunate, this theology might have become close to their hearts. As it has played a vital role in motivating them to visualize their freedom. This concept portrays a sense of how a culture of equality should be cultivated in various places and walks of life.
Going deeper into the origin of how this application of theology originated proves that taking such a stance would have definitely had its fair share of consequences and repercussions. That seems to be a cost that would have been inevitable to avoid but one that’s worth it. When the saying liberation is used for many people, it resonates with the Bible and Christianity. One such example the Bible emphasizes is how Jesus interacted with social outcasts like lepers, prostitutes and many other people who were considered outcasts by society. Jesus seemed to have a connection with them and he accepted them. His practice became a concept based on the foundation of Christian principles and which led to this larger movement to liberate people.
Liberation Theology can apply to how we think about helping the poor and people who do not have a voice, who are fighting for their rights, and those who have to overcome barriers to social injustice. One of the most crucial takeaways from Liberation Theology is that whatever ways and means are accessible to us we should use thoseresources to help those in need.
One aspect of Liberation Theology and its principles was interspersed in a movement for equality and non-segregation of caste, initiated by Sree Narayana Guru in Kerala, around a 100 years ago. He pushed the poor locals of Kerala who weren’t educated to become literate. He worked to end caste discrimination. He believed in Jesus and his teachings, even though, ironically, he was a Hindu. He had an image of how everyone and everything was made in a universal likeness of God. As he spread his message throughout Kerala, he laid the foundation for Liberation Theology to emerge later in many pockets of the fishing communities.
One example of how Liberation Theology exists in India is found in these fishing communities of Kerala. The fisher folk lived in very disheartening conditions of poverty. The origin of Liberation Theology in the slums of Latin American countries enabled people to liberate themselves. Poor fishing communities in India resembled those conditions of Latin American slums. The Christian fishermen have been identified as the poorest of all fishermen.The Catholic priests at that time were well aware of the concept and teachings of Liberation Theology. They played a major role in sharing this idea among the fishing communities in order to oppose the capitalists who were trying to take over the craft of fishing to support their political and economic ambitions.
Today these fishing communities have come a long way in liberating themselves and economically boosting themselves through the principles of Liberation Theology. They were inspired to go against the un-justness the government enforced on them by fighting for their rights, such as safety assurances when they go out to the sea and sell their fish at higher prices. Sree Narayana Guru is a figure who set the stage for this theology to be accepted by the people of Kerala in today’s times.
Taking Liberation Theology and its principles into consideration and how it is supposed to be beneficial in strengthening those who are often victims of social injustice and harsh exploitation prompted me to ask these questions:
Why is it that we are accustomed to being oblivious to the negligence towards the poor that permeates our society?
How can we implement the teachings of the fundamentals of Liberation Theology in today’s world to fight off inequality?
