Liberation theology is leading Christians into “a new consciousness and maturity of faith” , where praxis meets proxy in a complementary cycle that is reshaping theology. It is in reclaiming this reciprocal relationship that grounds theology into the immediate present and returns to the original message and intention of Jesus. Gutierrez points out that theology is currently “’limp(ing) after’ reality” and he calls for new reflection through the use of “forward-directed action” that provides better understanding of present circumstances which then provides deeper reflection with “a view to action which transforms the present.” Gutierrez thus takes a linear process and transforms it into a cyclical process that is more conducive to the liberation of individuals – thus, movement towards the potentiality of salvation.
Within Paul’s original letters, the presence of this immediacy of action and theological construction is found and is slowly degenerated as the ‘Kingdom of God’ did not arrive within the historical time frame that was hoped for. After almost 2000 years of historical time, Liberation Theology is calling for Christians to return to the original theology that intricately ties liberating actions and theology to the immediacy of Jesus’ example of life and teachings. This will allow us to apply our reclaimed interpretation of Jesus’ own liberation theology and return to the proper perspective – that theology is a tool that directs us towards the action that transform our lives. This will result in a deepening of faith that infiltrates historical time with the theocentric time frame of God’s Kingdom, allowing the transformation of suffering in daily life to turn into a freedom experienced both within ourselves and in our everyday life.
Notes
The use of praxis in this essay incorporates the Marxist use of three elements of action, reflection, and purpose that supports and directs proxy as seen in the example of both Jesus and Paul, with Jesus supplying the original teachings and actions, and Paul being the first to document the process of theology coming out of interpreting Jesus’ examples within the context of his Christian communities. Bisson, Peter. (February 9, 2005). Lecture Notes . Unpublished.
Hennelly, Alfred. T. (1995). Liberation Theologies: The Global Pursuit of Justice. Conneticut: Twenty-Third Publications, p2.
Gutierrez, Gustavo. (1988). A Theology of Liberation: 15th Anniversary Edition. New York: Orbis, p11.
Ibid.
Ibid, p12.
1 Thess 2:12, using the Oxford New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible, Family ed.
The above passage is the first reference to the kingdom, even if these words quoted are not formulated here. This is a later formulated title.
Paul’s last authentic letters, Philemon and Philippians do not have the immediacy attached to the arrival of God’s kingdom, thus showing already the degeneration process that turned the immediacy of theology into the standardization of doctrine.
This follows a return to Paul’s recommendation to the Christian communities to exemplify Christ (1Thess 4:9-12), thus entering into the “quest to satisfy the most fundamental human aspirations – liberty, dignity, the possibility of personal fulfillment for all” (Gutierrez, 13). This possibility for fulfillment can be likened to the salvation found in the concept of God’s kingdom that both Jesus and Paul spoke of with immediacy.
1Thess 3:7-8.
References
Bisson, Peter. (February 9, 2005). Lecture Notes . Unpublished.
Gutierrez, Gustavo. (1988). A Theology of Liberation: 15th Anniversary Edition. New York: Orbis.
Hennelly, Alfred. T. (1995). Liberation Theologies: The Global Pursuit of Justice. Conneticut: Twenty-Third Publications.
Oxford. (1989). New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible, Family ed. New York: Oxford University.
