Evaluating Liberation Theology
Evaluating Liberation Theology:
Agree Disagree
● Jesus’ Teachings - Liberation ● Render unto Caesar - In all three
theology is founded on the teachings synoptic gospels, the Pharisees
and example of Jesus, who made a attempted to trap Jesus by asking him
number of anti-wealth statements, whether Jews should pay an unjust
particularly in the Gospel of Matthew. tax enforced by the Romans. Jesus’
For example, Jesus said to, “Sell your answer was to point out that the coins
possessions and give to the poor”, used to pay the tax have Caesar’s
and that “it is easier for a camel to go face on them, saying “render unto
through the eye of a needle than for Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto
someone who is rich to enter the God what is Gods’, suggesting a
kingdom of God”. disconnect between religion and
politics
Counter : Charity is Sufficient
(Kloppenburg), this at most shows Counter : Mass Mobilisation, arguably,
that Jesus thought rich people should if enough individuals followed Jesus’
give to charity and that living for teachings, the consequences would
money is bad, but it doesn’t suggest be structural. If all rich people gave up
that he wanted to overturn the unjust their wealth, it would liberate the poor
social structures that cause economic by destroying the structural causes of
inequality. economic injustice and inequality.
Counter : Individual Liberation Counter Counter : Profit Incentive,
(Kloppenburg), fusing theology and capitalism is set up in such a way that
political action diminishes the spiritual it incentivises certain activities via the
message of Christianity. Jesus spoke profit motive, but individuals choosing
about the sin and forgiveness of to act against this incentive does not
individual people, he didn’t speak constitute structural change. Real
about society in general. structural change requires changing
the structure of society, not simply
Counter Counter : Book of Exodus, choosing to ignore it
the Exodus involved the liberation of
Jews from the oppression of the ● Anthropocentric Theology (John
Pharaoh, showing that God is not only Paul II) - Overly focusing on earthly
concerned about liberation for the socio-economic progress is
individual. Christianity sees itself as “anthropocentric” and leads to
an expansion of the Jewish covenant secularization and a lack of genuine
to all humanity, which would make this spirituality. At his trial, Jesus stated
story relevant to all oppressed people. that ‘my Kingdom is not of this world’,
however Liberation Theologians claim
● Preferential Option (Gutierrez) - the inverse. Such a notion
Evaluating Liberation Theology:
Agree Disagree
● Jesus’ Teachings - Liberation ● Render unto Caesar - In all three
theology is founded on the teachings synoptic gospels, the Pharisees
and example of Jesus, who made a attempted to trap Jesus by asking him
number of anti-wealth statements, whether Jews should pay an unjust
particularly in the Gospel of Matthew. tax enforced by the Romans. Jesus’
For example, Jesus said to, “Sell your answer was to point out that the coins
possessions and give to the poor”, used to pay the tax have Caesar’s
and that “it is easier for a camel to go face on them, saying “render unto
through the eye of a needle than for Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto
someone who is rich to enter the God what is Gods’, suggesting a
kingdom of God”. disconnect between religion and
politics
Counter : Charity is Sufficient
(Kloppenburg), this at most shows Counter : Mass Mobilisation, arguably,
that Jesus thought rich people should if enough individuals followed Jesus’
give to charity and that living for teachings, the consequences would
money is bad, but it doesn’t suggest be structural. If all rich people gave up
that he wanted to overturn the unjust their wealth, it would liberate the poor
social structures that cause economic by destroying the structural causes of
inequality. economic injustice and inequality.
Counter : Individual Liberation Counter Counter : Profit Incentive,
(Kloppenburg), fusing theology and capitalism is set up in such a way that
political action diminishes the spiritual it incentivises certain activities via the
message of Christianity. Jesus spoke profit motive, but individuals choosing
about the sin and forgiveness of to act against this incentive does not
individual people, he didn’t speak constitute structural change. Real
about society in general. structural change requires changing
the structure of society, not simply
Counter Counter : Book of Exodus, choosing to ignore it
the Exodus involved the liberation of
Jews from the oppression of the ● Anthropocentric Theology (John
Pharaoh, showing that God is not only Paul II) - Overly focusing on earthly
concerned about liberation for the socio-economic progress is
individual. Christianity sees itself as “anthropocentric” and leads to
an expansion of the Jewish covenant secularization and a lack of genuine
to all humanity, which would make this spirituality. At his trial, Jesus stated
story relevant to all oppressed people. that ‘my Kingdom is not of this world’,
however Liberation Theologians claim
● Preferential Option (Gutierrez) - the inverse. Such a notion
