Liberation Theology

1. Introduction

Christian Definitions
1. “Liberation expresses the aspirations of oppressed people and classes, emphasizing the economic, social, and political process which puts them at odds with wealthy nations and oppressive classes.” –
David W. Belsiger, Family Protection Scoreboard, Liberation Theology Edition
2. “Liberation Theology is a movement…that seeks radical change along Marxist lines in politics and economics.” -- Ronald Nash, Christian author
3. Liberation theology is a combination of Marxism and Christianity, with the emphases upon the former. It does not liberation from sin but attempts to liberate from poverty and oppression. LW

Liberationists Own Definitions
1. “Liberation theology is an excellent new theology which reinterprets, in the light of the revolution, (Marxist Revolution) all terms of traditional theology: God, Christ, the priesthood, marriage, labor, everything. (Ernesto Cardenal, Nicaraguan priest and Minister of Cultural Affairs in the Sandinista Regime)
2. “Liberation Theology is an attempt to blend Marxism with Christianity by substituting political liberation for liberation from sin. When political and social transformation have occurred, the Kingdom of God will be established on earth…The mission of the church these days…is, above everything else, to preach communism. Communism, according to Marx, is a society in which there is no selfishness and injustice. It is the same as what Christians understand as the Kingdom of God.”(Ernesto Cardenal, a Marxist priest)
3. “Liberation theology is a strategic alliance with Marxism in the process of liberating the continent.” (Christians for Socialism, a Liberation Theology Publication)
4. “Liberation theology is revolutionary socialism…militant Christianity.” (Dorothy Soelle, A leading European Marxist and former professor at Union Theological Seminary)

Notes:
1. Socialism should have no part in a democratic government, nor should liberation theology have a part in Christian theology.
2. Liberation Theology is an umbrella, under which a great number of separate liberation movements shelter, such as feminist theology, black theology and contextual theology.
3. You may learn more about this “religious Marxism” and how it has affected Barak Obama and his friends, particularly Pastor Jeremiah Wright, by typing “Obama and Liberation Theology” or “Obama politics and religion” in a Google search. Type “James Cone” in a Google search for the founder of Black Power and Black Theology, the titles of two books written by Cone in 1959-60. Pastor Wright claims Cone as his mentor. Cone claims to have developed his theology by combining the teachings of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

Is Liberation Theology dated?

Someone is sure to ask, “Why would anyone be interested in liberation theology now? That was the going theology 25 years ago but you don’t hear much about it any more.” Yes, it was a popular theology of the past but do you know why there is less said about it now? There are several reasons. (1) During the Communist Revolution in Latin American, the cry for liberation was in the air. The revolutionaries were promising freedom, but when it came it proved to be even greater bondage; it was Marxist Liberation Theology (LT in most instances hereafter). The people flocked to it as it infiltrated the governments, schools and churches. And when it came to be the dominant theology, opposition waned and it was not talked about as much as before. (2) As LT was being established in the struggling nations, missionaries accepted it and brought it home to their churches, seminaries and divinity schools, which also accepted it and got all excited about it. They teach it now as progressive theology without even mentioning it by name. (3) LT was inspired by and grew up with Marxism, and is supposed to have died out with the fall of the Soviet Union. (4) A generation later, many who have been taught LT have seldom heard it called by name; they just came to believe it because it was being taught in these institutions. (5) While Marxism was changing society, religious Marxism, LT, was changing the church. But most Christians have not yet come to understand its Marxist origin and nature. (6) Lenin taught that deception and stealth are characteristics of Marxism – the end justifies the means.
Liberation theology didn’t die; nor did it fade away, it became the established belief system of thousands of churches and millions of Christians instead. No dead subject will ever be so widely disseminated after its demise. If you happen to see Will Rogers anywhere, tell him there are now three things that will always be with us: death, taxes and liberation theology. No, LT is not dated. My concluding essay on this theme will make it abundantly clear that this mindset is both the philosophy and theology of our time, but I need to give you one example of this fact at the outset. You will readily recall how Obama’s Pastor Wright invoked God’s name as he cursed America. Do you understand how he got this way? He has been a long-time adherent to the radical black liberation theology of James Cone, its founder, which affects people this way. Intolerance, anger and rage have always been a part of the Marx /Lenin heritage. After twenty years in Pastor Wright’s church, you can also see where president Obama got his socialist philosophy that he brought into the government with him. Liberation theology is not dated; it is alive and well, and a present part of our government and society.

Liberation Theology, the “Preferred Option.”

Bishops in Latin America wove popular modernism and Marx’s dialectic materialism into a LT umbrella, under which a variety of liberation movements shelter. Marxist socialism had been around for years, and churches had drawn on it, but it had never been turned into a theology until the Latin American bishops declared it to be such. Catholics had been studying in Europe and accepting Marxist views, while priests at home were infiltrating the governments and leading the people into the Marxist camp. The Second General Council of Bishops convened at a seminary in Medellin, Colombia in 1968 and declared LT to be the “preferred option for the poor.” This is significant for two reasons: It was the first public declaration that LT is the preferred theology and it was declared to be the option for the poor not by the poor.
In addition to the bishops’ declaration there were other factors at work. The Soviets were supporting the Revolution, revolutionaries were violently opposing democracy, liberal priests had joined the Revolution and were spreading rebellion among the poor, the Student Christian Movement became strongly committed to the cause, the World Council of Churches—which had adopted LT in Bangkok in 1972—gave their support to the Revolution, many LT books were being published, cells that served for the training of Marxist revolutionaries suddenly incorporated LT into their programs because they realized its power, missionaries became propagandists, supported by their churches in the United States, the Marxist regimes violently opposed the citizens who were trying to establish democratic governments, the Gospel became a message of revolution and liberation rather than salvation, causing many to lose sight of their mission of evangelization and to become Marxist sympathizers and liberators, and the Church and Society of Latin America becoming a leading force in the liberation movement.

“The Liberationist starts with a Marxist commitment and draws from the Bible whatever suits his allegiance to Marxism.”(Rev. James Colbert, Christian Anti-Communism Crusade Newsletter, 3-1-89.

“For Karl Marx, socialism would be the socioeconomic system that arises after the proletarian revolution, in which the means of production are owned collectively. This society would then progress into communism.” Arthur Schlesinger Jr. Can’t you see how our progressive president and congress are leading us according to this Marxist plan?

A serious challenge

One cannot understand the present unless he has knowledge of past events, which have led up to the present. It seems incredible that so many people have no concern about how we got to where we are, what we’re doing here or where we are going. These essays on Liberation Theology will give you valuable information on these maters. Some may be displeased that they are longer and more difficult than my usual essays, but I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to know about the theology that has invaded, not only our churches but our society, our families and our lives. I spent years researching and writing my book, and a lot of time drawing these essays from it. Please don’t be like the lazy schoolboy who never studied his History lessons. His teacher kept reminding, even threatening him, because he was so lazy. One day she said plainly, “I’ve had enough of your stalling, tell me why you are unwilling to study history.” The boy replied, “I’m willing to let bygones be bygones.”