Liberation Theology

[p0lar_bear]

More documents to read:

Populorum Progressio

Sollicitudo Rei Socialis

[M.SIGGA]

Although the Prince of Peace, Jesus also said, "I come NOT to bring peace, but a sword." and the peace which he DOES bring is  "not the kind that we think"... i'm totally paraphrasing but you get my point.

Do you think it is just as dangerous to totally oppose fighting and war and soley regard Jesus as the Prince of Peace?

[God Conquers]

I think we have to be careful when describing Christ in this way. We can't be completely against war of any kind, because the Church is not. In Revelations, the Return of Jesus is heralded by the armies of heaven going into battle. We fight spiritual battle every day of our lives.

[Ellenita]

We can't be against war of any kind because the church is not

There has been also very obvious examples of 'just war' too - WW2 for example.

I would think that it was the apparent link to marxism that caused most concern - firstly because of the underlying atheism which might feasibly impact on the doctrine, but also because of the negative influence marxism would have had on JPII in his early life. As attractive as the philosophy might be to some, (and there are elements of it which are very attractive such as the concept of social justice), living under the reality of it as it was applied in the soviet bloc must have left a powerful impression in terms of how empty the philosophy is spiritually and how the system ultimately destroyed people's lives.

[BLAZEr]

It was said that the main reason Archbishop Romero was not given much recognition by JPII was because he sympathized with priests who taught liberation theology and his preaching had an underlying tone of liberation theology too.

When JP2 went to El Salvador, he prayed for 30 minutes at the Tomb of Oscar Romero. Archbishop Romero is much more heroic in "loving memory" than he ever was in real life. He is revered by the left because his support shifted from the "upper class" to the poor who were being killed by the army for organizing unions and opposing the dictatorship. He also fought very hard for his priests who were abducted, even though they were Marxists. He opposed Liberation Theology when its expression was marxist.

[M.SIGGA]

The film I saw said JPII lost his chance to connect with Latin America when he didn't make Archbishop Romero a martyr or protomarytr. It's good to know JPII really did recognize him. Thanks Blazer.