Whatever happened to liberation theology? New directions for theological reflection in latin America

Anglican Theological Review, Fall 2001 by Kater, John L Jr

Addressing the "impasses and new directions" of liberation theology in a context of globalization, a team of Brazilian theologians argue that it is not a question of "abandoning or replacing its originating perceptions," but the "lengthening and deepening of its conceptual, methodological and thematic horizon." Far from being a time of decline, the situation is promising for the development of liberation theology. As it opens itself to new movements, "it is confirmed precisely in its capacity to move. Its methodology is not sacrificed; it is exercised and confirmed."39

Perhaps the accuracy of their comments can best be seen in the appearance of new voices from the ranks of those previously excluded not only in Latin American society but from the ranks of its theologians as well: most especially the voices of Blacks and Native peoples and those of women.

Elsa Tamez observes that this process represents the emergence of new historical agents from among the excluded, one of the primary intentions of liberation theology since its earliest appearance. But she notes that privileging previously excluded voices also implies new categories of analysis. Earlier theologians relied almost entirely on the social sciences; the new voices depend upon other tools. Hence theology is now incorporating ecology (which theologians like Leonardo Boff have used to provide new analytical paradigms) as well as anthropology and symbolism to reflect upon experiences of otherness.40

For Adriana Mendez-Pen ate, an Ursuline religious working in Mexico, participating as a woman in the theological enterprise affects not only the nature of the base-communities and their style of ministry, but also how the Bible is read, how Christians see the earth, and ultimately the very nature of spirituality.

Mendez-Penate comments that Christian base-communities and other popular organizations are important concrete ways of seeking to resist the powerful forces of oppression that are part of everyday life.

We must recognize that in base-communities all over Latin America, women are the majority presence. Although our brother priests resist it and lament the absence of men, the reality is that they depend almost solely on women for the majority of the church's activities. The male not only does not attend but is sometimes the greatest obstacle to the woman's making her contribution.... In the base-communities, women are feeling ourselves as persons" but are still a long way from discovering ourselves as "persons of the female sex." Perhaps this is due to the fact that we are still very subject to what the padrecito41 says or commands; or perhaps, that the padrecito likes "to have the frying pan by the handle" and does not encourage feminine initiatives out of fear, ignorance, the kind of training he received, or for some other "very good reason."42

But the process of reflection on experience and Scripture ("seeing-thinking-acting") on which the life of the base-communities depends calls for a mode of reflection which takes seriously women's perspective: