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In Latin America, Social Justice Central to Faith
Was Jesus a revolutionary?
Well … obviously not in the conventional sense. Yet, with the pope in Brazil last week to open a meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean, the question has surfaced again. Why? Because this region, which has the most Catholics, is also the most unequal in the world. While Catholic leaders worry about growing secularization and the hemorrhaging of the faithful to Pentecostal churches, pervasive poverty is impossible to ignore. So is the familiar question, What would Jesus do?, and another, What should his followers do?
Most agree they should feed the hungry and clothe the naked. But what about the policies and institutions that generate death-dealing poverty? Not all agree on a response. Bishop Hélder Câmara of Brazil used to say, “When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.”
Some, including some bishops, see the church’s mission as the salvation of souls –of rich and poor alike. For these Christians, promoting justice, although important, is not strictly “religious.” It ranks low on the church’s agenda.
For others, social justice is central to the faith. The poor –meaning all oppressed and vulnerable people-- are the crucified vicars of Christ today. Unless the church walks with them, it fails to walk with him.
Take Guatemala, where half the children under five are chronically undernourished and wealth and income are extremely concentrated. How can the church announce a credible good news (“gospel”) there, if it fails to denounce that situation? Fortunately, the church in Guatemala does protest --and suffers for its trouble.
Christians with this justice-oriented faith place the poor at the center of their worldview and at the top of the church’s agenda. For them, the same Jesus who said, “My kingdom is not of this world” also said, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth.” His kingdom (or reign) does not “proceed from” this world, with its lies and violence. (If it did, Jesus said, his followers would have fought to rescue him.) Jesus was telling Pilate, “My politics are very different from yours and Caesar’s.”
His are the divine politics of truth and service, of a “reign” that transforms social relations as well as souls. This implies that the clergy do well not to run for Congress. Their job is different from Caesar’s. On the other hand, we dare not privatize religion, isolating it from politics. Rather, let church leaders stay free enough to remind Caesar that he will have to render to God an account for the fate of the poor and weak.
Countless Christians --like bishops Oscar Romero in El Salvador and Juan Gerardi in Guatemala and Sister Dorothy Stange in Brazil—have suffered death in recent years in defense of the poor in Latin America.
Their examples will help keep the social question on the Church's agenda.
J. Dean Brackley has taught theology at the Universidad Centroamericana in El Salvador, Central America since 1990, where he also serves as pastor in an urban community. Brackley was born in the U.S. in 1946, entered the Jesuit order in 1964 and was ordained in 1976. He received his doctorate in theological ethics at the University of Chicago in 1980. In the 1970s and 1980s, he worked in social ministry and popular education in New York City, before teaching briefly at Fordham University (1989-90). His most recent book is "The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times."
By Dean Brackley |
May 12, 2007; 1:08 PM ET
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Posted by: uryjri | June 29, 2007 10:58 PM
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Yes he sure did.....Jesus therefore said father forgive them because they don't know what they are doing.
This the greatest testimony in history which shows the dual nature of human beings...they are both capable of great good and very wicked evil...for some it doesn't take much to take the most extreme position at the snap of a finger.
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for everything"
Posted by: Freevoice | May 27, 2007 7:52 PM
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Jesus was also telling Pilate, his views were very different from the Pharisee's and sadducee's as well.
For it was the Pharisee's and Saducee's who delievered Jesus to Pilate. Did Pilate not try to disuade the mad jews to allow Jesus to live?
Did they not choose barabas? Did he not wash his hands of the evil to be committed against the man Jesus?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 14, 2007 2:18 PM
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I m looking for the religion that have not sick,not old,not died but no any answerbut some promise after died ,looking for peace in the bibles middle east got fire and fight thousand years til now ..in the zoo, sea world people easy comunicated with animal why 3 religions hard deal or meet have to kiss hand ,foot what else ..funy rules ..no equal no peace? we hope our country have good lesson to learn
Posted by: mayo vue | May 13, 2007 6:58 PM
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I wonder how much of the trouble in South America was caused by the church in the first place?
Posted by: Godfrey | May 13, 2007 5:13 PM
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Jesus also gave his life for his friends but it was about a pretty big issue not some fine point of theology.
The Christians of today who give their lives for others are amazing people. They deserve to be highlighted, thanked, and pushed out front of the theological arguments. Anyone who will die for the poor has my utmost respect. I talk the talk and those who take kind, peaceful actions in the name of Christ and die for the poor, well, they make us all look like hypocrites.
No one is perfect but just think about this: Mathew 23:23-25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 13, 2007 6:17 AM
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This is a response to Norrie Hoyt.
Dear Norrie,
There can be exceptions to the general rule. Maybe Robert Drinan was one.
Dean Brackley
Posted by: Dean Brackley | May 12, 2007 11:41 PM
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att: N.O.R.R.I.E Hoya et al Amigo's et al;
I.m a little too a tipsyrinoos so huggsa bubba anda allis! luv n da kissas rino.. Ya yaa mona cybr bro n Sistra et al.
Posted by: Jpzevz et al | May 12, 2007 11:40 PM
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Anonymous --Jesus discussed fine points of theology. Liberation theologians dwell on fine points. Fine points can change the world.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 12, 2007 10:18 PM
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Those countless Christians who give their lives in the defense of the poor are amazing people. They lead by example while smug people in air-conditioned homes sitting at computers make silly comments or discuss the fine points of theology. These people put us all to shame. John 15:12,13 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 12, 2007 9:52 PM
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a south america countries are poorest caused family more children even people have aids ,diease still have baby made more walfare social gorverment by religions ,god will ....the leader of churchs want mrore follower but don t care who were suffer ,only good way go to US GOD better than VATICAN
Posted by: mayo vue | May 12, 2007 8:21 PM
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I would say that what liberation theology says about structural sin is relevant not just to Latin America but more so to the United States. Yet so many US Americans so often seem to think the problem is not in the US, but 'out there'.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 12, 2007 6:21 PM
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Jacob Jozevz,
"May more Photons shine upon the poor & Rich alike in Equal amounts for UNITY in Eclati!"
Does Eclati, like French law, in its majestic impartiality, forbid the rich and poor alike to sleep under
the bridges of Paris?
(Anatole France)
Regards.
Posted by: Norrie Hoyt | May 12, 2007 4:59 PM
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Father Brackley,
You wrote: "...the clergy do well not to run for Congress. Their job is different from Caesar’s."
I disagree. Your late fellow Jesuit and lawyer, Robert Drinan, was a wonderful addition to Congress, doing Christ's work there until the Vatican forced him out.
It was a sad loss, spiritually and politically.
Why did the Vatican do that? Was he too liberal for Roman tastes? Was he too much a prototypical Liberation Theologist?
Posted by: Norrie Hoyt | May 12, 2007 4:44 PM
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