Liberation Theology
Definition- A school of thought coming from Latin American
Catholics in the 1970’s which posits that the church should concentrate its
efforts on liberating the poor and oppressed of the world. There are various contemporary
expressions of this liberation theology that are distinct from the catholic origin.
Apply- Religion is a strong organizing force in many
communities. A community developer could work with religious leaders in a
community to foster a strong sense of liberation theology, and in turn those religious
leaders could act as gatekeepers to the community in social change efforts to
challenge oppression.
Adapt- Given the political context in the USA that utilizes religion
as a key platform an issue, liberation theology could be useful. While I prefer
the separation of church and state, we know that religion currently plays a
role in political discourse. Liberation theology would be a way to reframe
religion and use it as a tool to dismantle oppression.
Berryman, P. (1987).
Liberation theology.
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