The Church — Born of the People: Good News in Latin America

1979 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-324
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Good News ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Church

This document was first published in Venezuela not only for the use of the Christian communities in Latin America, but also to be given to all the bishops attending the Puebla conference. It analyzes the historical roots of liberation theology and as a declaration of what this theology means concretely, it is an example of how theology is contextualized in Latin America, and thus an important model for cross-cultural communicators.

Catholic Laity in the Latin American Church

2020 ◽  
pp. 505-521
Author(s):  
Robert S. Pelton
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Vatican Ii ◽  
Pastoral Theology ◽  
Contextual Theology ◽  
People Of God ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Church

Before Vatican II, pastoral theology reflected a clear distinction between the ordained and non-ordained members of the Church, but a gradual nuancing of this issue was taking place in Latin America as early as the 1950s. In those areas, there had been rather intensive study of “modern” European theologians. Through their writings and pastoral visits to the region of America, these progressive European theologians began to strongly influence Latin American theology —especially in Chile and Brazil. This influence was shown through the beginnings of small Christian communities, and through an emphasis on doing “contextual” theology. This is a theology that emphasizes the experiential in the light of tradition, which eventually led to Latin American liberation theology. The Church of Latin America has long been a leader in innovations that incorporate the role of Scripture in everyday life: the preferential and evangelizing option for the poor, small Christian communities (also known as CEBs or BECs), lay apostolates and lay missionaries, and other endeavors to put the Church at service to the People of God. “Laying boots on the ground” has become truly essential to carrying out the Church’s mission in the world and pastoral ambience contributes strongly to this growing appreciation of the Catholic laity. Combined with the importance of theologically reflecting within the context of regional realities, this approach can provide hope for a challenged but youthful and vibrant Catholic Church of Latin America.

scholarly journals Teologia kapłaństwa i urzędu kapłańskiego w I wieku chrześcijaństwa

2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Dariusz Kasprzak
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Good News ◽  
New Covenant ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Church

Neither the Apostles nor any Christian minister is admitted to use the priest’s title in the text of the New Testament. Nevertheless, in the New Testament we can perceive the development of the doctrine of the priest ministry in the early Church. Albert Vanhoye maintains that the lack of the term “priest” in the New Testament suggests the way of understanding of the Christian ministry, different from this in the Old Testament. It can’t be considered as a continuation of Jewish priesthood, which was concentrated mainly on ritual action and ceremonies. In the first century the Church developed the Christology of priesthood (Hbr) and ecclesiology of priesthood (1 P). Early Christians focused first on the redemptive event of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant. Only then the religious communities adopted the priest’s title for their ministry.In the early years of the Church, all the ministries were regarded as a charismatic service among the Christian communities. In their services the early Christians followed Jesus Christ sent by God to serve. The Holy Spirit sent by God in the name of Jesus bestowed the spiritual gifts upon the Church (1 Kor 12–13). Consequently the disciples of Jesus and their successors could continue his mission. The Twelve Apostles’ ministry was the very first and most important Christian ministry. It was closely connected to the service of Jesus Christ himself. The Apostles were sent by the authority of Jesus Christ to continue his mission upon earth and they preached the Good News of the risen Christ. The Apostolicity was the fundamental base for every Church ministry established in different Christian communities. Successive ministries were established in order to transmit the teaching of Jesus Christ and to lead the community. For the early Christians the priesthood was not an individual privilege. It had rather the community character.

scholarly journals IDENTIDAD DE LA TEOLOGÍA LATINOAMERICA Y LA TEOLOGÍA DE LA LIBERACIÓN

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Jorge Costadoat Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Theological Method ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Age Of Maturity ◽  
The Status ◽  
Original Speech ◽  
America Latina ◽  
The Church

RESUMEN: El objetivo de esta investigación es suministrar argumentos para identificar la Teología latinoamericana con la Teología de la liberación, y viceversa. Entre estos argumentos se debe considerar la conciencia de alcanzar la “mayoría de edad” de la Iglesia en América Latina en el postconcilio; la convicción de los teólogos de la liberación de estar elaborando una “nueva manera” de hacer teo­logía; una toma de distancia del carácter ilustrado de la teología; y la posibilidad de reconocer en los acontecimientos regionales, particularmente en los pobres, un habla original de Dios. Este artículo pretende hacer una contribución al status quaestionis del método teológico.ABSTRACT: The objective of this paper is to provide arguments to identify Latin American Theology with Liberation Theology, and vice versa. Among these arguments, one should consider the awareness of the Church in Latin America reaching its “age of maturity” in the post-conciliar period. Other arguments are the conviction of liberation theologians to be elaborating a “new way” of doing theology; a distance from the illustrated characteristic of theology; and, the possibility of recognizing in regional events, particularly in the poor, God’s original speech. This article aims to contribute to the status quaestionis of the theological method.

Singleness and the Church

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Marguerite Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
Never Married ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Ways Of Being ◽  
The Church

Christians ought to be the people who most support singleness, given what scripture and tradition suggests—but they do not. Despite the fact that almost half of all Americans are single, singleness remains an often-overlooked oddity in American culture and in Christian communities. This book examines a variety of forgotten ways of being single: never-married, casual uncommitted relationships, committed unmarried relationships, same-sex attracted singleness, widowhood, divorce, and single parenting. Each chapter focuses on a different way of being single that draws together cultural commentary and Christian debate. Each chapter also features a holy guide—a person who lived that way of being single—who offers a new perspective on singleness, the church, and what it means to be a single Christian disciple. By considering all these states of single life, perhaps the contemporary church can learn how to be more appreciative and responsive to Christian singleness. A good theology of singleness is crucial for the well-being of Christian community. I argue that, in fact, for much of Christian tradition, Christians have been thinking about singleness in far more diverse ways than contemporary Christians think about singleness. This book therefore provides a starting point for restoring singleness, in all its amazing varieties, to its rightful place in Christian tradition.

Liberation Theology in Latin America

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Shadle
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Historical Reality ◽  
Gustavo Gutierrez ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Preferential Option ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Political Turmoil ◽  
The Church

This chapter examines the emergence of liberation theology in Latin America. It offers three cases studies illustrating the economic and political turmoil in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s: Chile, Brazil, and El Salvador. The chapter then turns to the theology of two prominent liberation theologians, Gustavo Gutiérrez and Ignacio Ellacuría. Gutiérrez proposes that God calls us to make a preferential option for the poor, and to work for integral liberation in history. Similarly, Ellacuría explains that God offers his salvation in history, and the church is called to realize the Reign of God in the midst of historical reality, siding with the “crucified people” with whom Jesus identifies.

Notes for a South-North Dialogue in Mission from a Latin-American Perspective

1987 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-75
Author(s):  
Otto Maduro
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Good News ◽  
Double Difference ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Open Inquiry ◽  
American Perspective ◽  
The Church

A new way of doing mission—good news for the oppressed—is demanded by the changed context of our current situation. Some of the characteristics needed by missioners in Latin America, as well as in other areas, are a humble spirit, an attitude of open inquiry, a sense of history, vulnerability, the quality of a “double difference,” a more liberating leadership style, a capacity for joyful celebration, a focus upon the church, and an identification with the oppressed in their community life and structures.

Liberation Theology: the Option for the Poor

1987 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 407-421
Author(s):  
Peter Hebblethwaite
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Latin American ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Second Vatican Council ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The People ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Church Structures

One fairly obvious difference between this paper and those you have heard so far is that liberation theology, whatever it means, is still being discussed, attacked, caricatured, and defended with great vehemence and passion. The theme does not possess the completeness and neatness that historians prefer. It sprawls and proliferates. The bibliography is immense. We have already reached the stage of the overarching survey. D. W. Ferm has provided a 150-page summary with a helpful ‘reader’ for the use of college students. Ferm’s survey includes African and Asian theologians as well as Latin Americans. I can understand his desire to include Archbishop-elect Desmond Tutu in South Africa and to provide some hints as to why President Marcos could be deposed in the Philippines. And there is indeed a body called the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians—its unfortunate acronym is EATWOT—which gives some substance to this universalizing claim. But I am going to confine myself to Latin America because it was there that the ‘option for the poor’ was first spoken about. The date was 1968. CELAM, the regional association of Latin American Bishops, met at Medellin in Colombia in August. Pope Paul VI was present, and was the first Pope to kiss the soil of Latin America. There was a feeling abroad that at the Second Vatican Council, which had ended three years before, an essentially European agenda concerned typically with ecumenism and Church structures (collegiality) had prevailed; the Council had yet to be ‘applied’ to the Latin American situation. One phrase, however, provided a stimulus and a starting-point. Gaudium etSpes, the pastoral constitution on the Church in the World of Today, begins with the ringing assertion that ‘the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this time, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these too are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties, of the followers of Christ’.

scholarly journals Miskin dan Kaya Dalam Injil Lukas dan Teologi Pembebasan

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Vasika Hananti ◽  
Bambang Subandrijo
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Good News ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract: Harvey J. Sindima observed Liberation Theology as it flourished in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States. The social situation in that society has some similarities in Luke's community. According to Philip Francis Esler's research, Luke's theology seeks to answer the social situation in Luke's community, especially regarding the relationship between the rich and the poor. This study aims to review Sindima's review of Liberation Theology based on Philip Francis Esler's thoughts on the relationship between rich and poor in Luke's Gospel. In Sindima's writings, the involvement of the rich has not been found as an effort to minimize the suffering of the poor. In this study, the author uses an analytical method. The result is that the good news for the poor in Liberation Theology is in line with the good news in Luke's Gospel. Moreover, in Luke's Gospel the liberation of the poor is not only the responsibility of the poor themselves as in the Theology of Liberation in Sindima's description, but also the responsibility of the rich as part of a sharing community.  Abstrak: Harvey J. Sindima mengamati Teologi Pembebasan yang berkembang di Amerika Latin, Afrika, Asia, dan Amerika Serikat. Situasi sosial dalam masyarakat tersebut memiliki beberapa kesamaan dalam komunitas Lukas. Menurut penelitian Philip Francis Esler, teologi Lukas berupaya menjawab situasi sosial dalam komunitas Lukas, terutama menyangkut hubungan orang kaya dan orang miskin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meninjau uraian Sindima tentang Teologi Pembebasan berdasarkan pemikiran Philip Francis Esler berkenaan dengan hubungan orang miskin dan kaya dalam Injil Lukas. Dalam tulisan Sindima masih belum ditemukan keterlibatan orang kaya sebagai upaya meminimalisir penderitaan orang miskin. Dalam penelitian ini, penulis menggunakan metode analitis. Hasil tinjauan ini adalah bahwa kabar baik bagi orang miskin dalam Teologi Pembebasan sejalan dengan pemberitaan kabar baik dalam Injil Lukas. Lebih dari itu, dalam Injil Lukas pembebasan terhadap orang miskin bukan hanya menjadi tanggung jawab orang miskin itu sendiri sebagaimana dalam Teologi Pembebasan dalam uraian Sindima, tetapi juga merupakan tanggung jawab orang kaya sebagai bagian dari komunitas yang saling berbagi.

Liberation Theology’s Spiritual Legacy for the Latin American Church

2020 ◽  
pp. 376-392
Author(s):  
Harold Segura
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Christian Spirituality ◽  
Pastoral Work ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
Evangelical Churches ◽  
Spiritual Legacy ◽  
The Catholic Church

Spirituality has increasingly become an important interpretive key to understand the develop of theologies in Latin America over the last 50 years, particularly Latin America Liberation Theology. This chapter presents some of the most important background of Liberation Theology by describing its theological emphasis and its implications for the pastoral work. This theological work has been consequential not only for the Catholic Church, but also for evangelical churches and other Christian communities. The argument is that the Liberation Theology is not new, but is rather a new way of doing theology, and therefore, a new way of understanding Christian spirituality and following Jesus.

scholarly journals Anselm Prior OFM and the shift to the Lumko Model for the Church after Vatican II

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Fuellenbach
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Vatican Ii ◽  
Skill Training ◽  
Second Vatican Council ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
The People ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Basic Ecclesial Communities ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Church

In the creative turmoil after the Second Vatican Council, the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) set up a five-month renewal course at Nemi for their members. Noting that one key issue was the changing concept and practice of the Catholic Church from a universal, clerical pyramid to a communion of local communities, and that this conciliar theological vision demanded particular pastoral skills and training, the then director of the Nemi Renewal Course invited Anselm Prior to conduct a workshop presenting the Lumko training method of building Small Christian Communities. In this paper the author contrasts the Basic Ecclesial Communities that were birthed in Latin America over against the hierarchical church, with the Small Christian Communities that originated in Africa that were planned by the bishops themselves to bring the church closer to the people and their culture. This African model was promoted globally by the Lumko Pastoral Institute, and so became a vital part of the pastoral skill training conducted by Anselm Prior during some 15 annual courses at Nemi.

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