Theology of the family in the final documents of the General Latin American Episcopal Conferences

The final documents from the General Conferences of the Latin American Bishops (CELAM) held in Medellín (1968), Pueblo (1979), Santo Domingo (1992) and in Aparecida (2007) present the fruits of reflecting on the situation of the family in South America, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as its role in the Church and its importance in shaping social life. Consequently, one can speak of a Latin American theology of the family, which draws its impetus from the teaching of the universal Church, and at the same time has specific features. It is distinguished by the emphasis placed on the subjectivity of families in the saving mission of the Church and treating them as a “theological key”, opening the way to getting to know God's mysteries. It is a practice-oriented theology that gives concrete guidelines to families and their pastors. The character of Latin American theology of the family is influenced by the pastoral context and theological trends, born in South and Central America (liberation theology, indigenous theology and theology of the people). Latin American theology of the family is therefore not a repetition of the contents of the Magisterium of the universal Church, but their original interpretation, taking into account the social situation and the needs of people living in it.

Theology in Latin American Context: A Look at Soteriology

The purpose of this article is to describe a contextual theology in Latin America in dialogue with its cultures, histories, and peoples. This contextual theology must build from a Latin American context. For this reason, dialogue begins with mestizaje to begin to describe some of the cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious experiences giving shape to Latin America. The article specifically looks at the intersection and confluence of African, Amerindian, and European origins of Latin American peoples and explores how his could inform theological thought. The essay also considers Liberation Theology as an important theological stream. Throughout this essay, Pentecostalism becomes a case study by which an emerging theology from this tradition can be faithful to both its tradition and the cultures in context. It becomes evident that an emerging Latin American theology is profoundly intersectional, containing issues of race, culture, ethnicity, and popular religions. Theologians must walk through contested spaces. This dialogue requires patience, listening, compassion, and understanding.

A construção simbólica do “mártir da caminhada latino-americana”

O presente artigo visa identificar na Ata de martírio do padre João Bosco Penido Burnier, produzida pelo bispo Pedro Casaldáliga, os elementos simbólicos que configuram um assassinado como Mártir da Caminhada Latino-Americana. Diferentemente dos mártires por causa da fé, estes – chamados mártires da justiça, ou jesuânicos – são identificados a Jesus e morrem como ele, em defesa das causas d’Ele: a vida, a justiça, a liberdade, os direitos humanos e etc. Por meio da análise de registros literários e plásticos acerca do martírio na teologia latino-americana, especialmente naquela ligada à Prelazia de São Félix do Araguaia, confrontados com teorias acerca do simbólico, pudemos apontar algumas conclusões. A saber: os elementos simbólicos empregados na caracterização do mártir da caminhada por Casaldáliga na ata de martírio de Burnier parecem ser intencionais. Mas, quais são suas intenções? Entre outras possibilidades, pode-se responder: animar as lutas pelas quais muitos morreram, manter viva a memória dos mortos, transpor as lutas do campo material para o campo religioso e condensar coletivos em torno da memória de uma liderança assassinada. Do ponto de vista religioso, a doação da vida é a expressão máxima da configuração de uma vida a Jesus em anúncio do Reino de Deus e em denúncia do antirreino. Abstract: This article aims to identify in the minutes of martyrdom of Father João Bosco Penido Burnier, produced by Bishop Pedro Casaldáliga, the symbolic elements that make up a murderer as a Martyr of the Latin American Walk. Unlike martyrs because of faith, these – called martyrs of justice, or jesuanic – are identified with Jesus and die like him, in defense of His causes: life, justice, freedom, human rights and so on. Through the analysis of literary and plastic records about martyrdom in Latin American theology, especially that related to the Prelature of São Félix do Araguaia, confronted with theories about the symbolic, we were able to point out some conclusions. Namely: the symbolic elements used in the characterization of the martyr of the walk by Casaldáliga in the minutes of Burnier’s martyrdom seem to be intentional. But what are your intentions? Among other possibilities, it can be answered: animate the struggles for which many died, keep the memory of the dead alive, transpose the struggles from the material field to the religious field and condense collectives around the memory of a murdered leadership. From the religious point of view, the giving of life is the maximum expression of the configuration of a life to Jesus in announcing the Kingdom of God and in denouncing the anti-kingdom.

DISENCHANTING THE THEOLOGY OF CHRISTIANITY: THINKING GOD OTHERWISE AND ENDING THE MAGIC OF GREEK WISDON

The research aims to reconstruct the expressive contribution of the philosophy of otherness to (re) thinking the status of Christian theology in Latin American lands, as well as the disenchantment of that kind of philosophy. First, it is about evoking the contribution of the wisdom of Love to think Christian theology otherwise in light of a broader background that re-establish the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. Secondly, we intend to explain the impact of the Levinasian approach on the problem of God and its developments in our continent from a theological point of view. Without denying that theology has a discursive character, it is a matter of retaking what the Lithuanian-Frenchman philosopher evokes about the service to the love of the wisdom of love. And by way of conclusion, it is intended to propose some brief notes about the urgency of a poststructuralist turn of Latin American theology in function of the centrality of ethics and their respective languages in the manner of a Canticle of the Canticles.

Francis and the Pastoral Geopolitics of Peoples and Their Cultures: A Structural Option for the Poor

In response to the phenomenon of globalization, which has resulted in the exclusion of entire peoples and their cultures, Pope Francis has proposed a pastoral geopolitics that is in keeping with the spirit of Vatican II and Latin American theology. Today’s poor are not only the individually poor, but also “poor-peoples” ( pueblos-pobres). Francis’s pastoral geopolitics seeks to identify the new historical processes being formed on the peripheries, such as social movements for democratic and inclusive societies, processes that the Church should encourage by valuing and incarnating itself in poor-peoples’ “cultures.” His structural option for the poor brings together ecclesiology, geopolitics, and evangelization.

LATIN AMERICAN THEOLOGY: ROOTS AND BRANCHES

Acessível ao público leigo, altamente informativa e inspiradora de boas reflexões. Apresentar o nascedouro, desenvolvimento e apontamentos para o futuro da Teologia Latino Americana, de maneira clara, sucinta e sólida é o resumo mais eficaz da referida obra

MEDELLÍN E A LITURGIA FUNDAMENTOS PARA TRADUZIR EM BELEZA O ESPAÇO CELEBRATIVO

Este artigo objetiva entrelaçar duas temáticas de enorme relevância para a teologia latino-americana: Medellín e a liturgia. O texto apresenta o capítulo 9 da II Conferência do Episcopado Latino-americano, tendo presente as grandes linhas do mesmo documento. Através da Liturgia se busca encontrar os fundamentos para que a “casa da Igreja” seja ícone da Beleza. Para tanto, se quer reler de forma sinótica o Concílio Vaticano II e a II Conferência no que diz respeito à liturgia e, de consequência, para a arte litúrgica.Palavras-chaves: Medellín; liturgia; arte; beleza; Vaticano IIAbstractThis article aims to interweave two themes of great relevance to Latin American theology: Medellín and the liturgy. The text presents chapter 9 of the II Conference of Latin American Bishops, bearing in mind the broad lines of the same document. Through the Liturgy one seeks to find the foundations for the "house of the Church" to be the icon of Beauty. To that end, the synoptic re-reading of the Second Vatican Council and the Second Conference regarding the liturgy and, consequently, liturgical art.Keywords: Medellin; liturgy; art; beauty; Vatican II

Desafios para o ensino da teologia latino-americana em nossos dias

O tema central de uma Semana de Atualização Teológica em um Seminário Evangélico no ano de 2002 perguntava pelas atuais perspectivas do ensino de teologia latino-americana em seminários evangélicos. O presente texto tenta responder a essa preocupação, avaliando como se dão o desenvolvimento dessa disciplina, a suposta “crise da Teologia da Libertação” e as possibilidades de renovação para a mesma em diversos âmbitos, com destaque para o mundo ecumênico; apresentando, outrossim, pistas e conselhos pastorais para jovens seminaristas. O autor defende que a Teologia da Libertação não se extinguiu, mas se ramificou, amadureceu e ainda tem muito a oferecer para as novas gerações de teólogos/as brasileiros/as.Abstract: Abstract: The central theme of a Week of Theological Updating in a 2002 Evangelical Seminar examined the perspectives for the teaching of Latin American theology in evangelical seminars. The present text attempts to respond to this concern, by critically examining the development of this discipline, the so-called “crisis of the Theology of Liberation” and the possibilities for its renovation in various ambits, and, in particular, in the ecumenical world. Moreover, the work presents some pastoral suggestions and advice for young seminarists. The author argues that, rather than coming to an end, the Theology of Liberation simply matured and branched out and still has much to offer to the new generations of Brazilian theologists.

Aparecida e o legado de Medellín. Trajetórias e perspectivas

Atrama do presente texto se evolve em duas etapas: traça-se a trajetória percorrida pela teologia latino-americana desde Medellín até Aparecida, para, em seguida, estabelecer um confronto crítico entre a teologia de uma e de outra Conferência, com o intuito de propiciar a emergência de eventuais perspectivas para a teologia da América Latina e do Caribe.Abstract: The thread of the present text is developed in two stages: we outline the trajectory followed by Latin American theology from Medellín to Aparecida and then critically compare the theology of each of these Conferences, aiming at contributing to the emergence of eventual perspectives for the Latin American and Caribbean theologies.

A desventura e a opção pelos pobres. Simone Weil e a Teologia da Libertação latino-americana

Sob muitos aspectos, a vida de Simone Weil e seu pensamento precederam a Teologia da Libertação. Dez anos antes de os padres operários descerem ao submundo da fábrica moderna para proclamar o evangelho da justiça, e trinta anos antes da TdL proclamar que o mais profundo encontro com Deus devia dar-se no rosto do pobre, SW voltou sua atenção para os oprimidos, caminhou com eles nas fábricas, educou-os, trabalhou nos campos, e falou contra a injustiça. Viveu e fez tudo isso sobre a base de uma filosofia que vê a justiça como existente simultaneamente nas esferas política e religiosa, resultando em pontes de diálogo e demandas radicais. A intersecção entre compromisso político e experiência mística constitui a primeira originalidade de SW assim como seu legado para as gerações que a seguiram. Este artigo pretende refletir comparativamente sobre as convergências entre a vida e o pensamento de SW e as propostas da TdL latino-americana, que ganharam o espaço público nos anos 70 e mudaram a face da Igreja e da sociedade latino-americanas. No século XXI, quando o desencantamento com a política ameaça alienar os seres humanos, transformando-os de seres pensantes em sujeitos consumidores, parece-nos que o legado de SW pode ajudar a reviver e reeditar a inevitável e fecunda tensão entre fé e vida, mística e prática, que sempre acompanhou a civilização judeu-cristã em seu itinerário e sua configuração.Abstract: In many aspects the life and thought of Simone Weil preceded the Theology of Liberation. Ten years before the priest-workers went down to the underworld of the modern factory to proclaim the Gospel of justice and thirty years before the Theology of Liberation proclaimed that the encounter with God should happen in the poor’s face, SW turned her attention to the oppressed, walked with them in the factories, instructed them, worked in the fields and spoke against injustice. She experienced and carried out all this on the basis of a philosophy that sees justice as existing simultaneously in the political and religious spheres leading to bridges of dialogue and radical demands. The intersection between political commitment and mystical experience is the most important original trait in SW’s work and her legacy for the generations that followed. This article intends to reflect comparatively about the convergence between SW’s life and thought and the proposals of the Latin American Theology of Liberation. In the 21st century, when the disenchantment with politics threatens to alienate the human beings, turning them from thinking beings to consumerist subjects, we feel that SW’s legacy can help to revive and to restore the inevitable and fecund tension between faith and life, mysticism and practice that always accompanied the Jewish-Christian civilization in its itinerary and in its configuration.