12 Liberation Theology & Marx

An assessment of whether liberation theology successfully integrates Marx' ideas into Christian thinking
12 in 'religion' video series...and the last in the 'Philosophy According To Eddie' series too. Thank you to all of you for your commitment and support - I wish you all the very best.
© 2019 E.C. Adams

[@nikob381]

Thank you for this video! It was a helpful look at liberation theology, and you asked all the right questions

[@EddieEducation]

You're very welcome! Glad that you enjoyed it

[@annamyerscough2214]

Thank you for making these videos I find them very helpful and useful, particulary when there is not very much free online resources for the new christian theology side of the A Level online. ;)

[@EddieEducation]

A pleasure to be of service, Anna!

[@kilianf-r9242]

Thank you so much mate

[@EddieEducation]

You are very welcome - glad it helps!

[@leischutte9179]

Liberation theology was created by Catholic priests who saw that the teaching of the church was glorifying suffering- because to suffer was to emulate Christ for the improvised people they were serving in South America. So they did draw from the works of Karl Marx to develop their theory but they also kind of included the best aspects of capitalism (the belief that everyone has the right to work for a better economic situation for themselves and their family). I don’t ever remember reading that the pope or other high level Catholic officials were upset with the writing and ideas of the South American liberation theologians. Of course, it could be that I didn’t focus on Rome’s reaction to the development of liberation theology and was instead focused on the concepts included in South American theology

[@leischutte9179]

I think this issue also relates to a papal encyclical that came out probably about 7 or 8 years ago

[@higuro9947]

本当に勉強になりました、ありがとうございます！！

[@leischutte9179]

Is sin not a human thing? Wouldn’t it be perfectly theologically compatible to equate sin with human structures such as some economic or political structures?

[@dione403]

When referring to Christianity don't you think one should make a distinction between Israelite Christianity and Western Christianity?

[@EddieEducation]

Hi, thanks for the comment. In all these videos, I am always using Catholicism and Catholic-derived Protestantism as the example, and you are certainly right to recognise other aspects of Christianity. There is indeed a difference that should be noted. However, the nature of Christianity is that it has had so many different variations (and still does) that you could end up spending hours discussing but one idea according to the different branches!

[@nicodemosanchez9112]

@@EddieEducation That's why you cant see how Marx uses the hebrew prophets as the basis of his thinking. Marxism was not an atheist religion at its conception, Engels used the communities of "Acts of the Apostles" as example of protocommunism.

[@mikolajochocki5047]

Notification squad

[@PorscheAbraham]

Also, Dr. James Cone

[@EddieEducation]

Yes, Dr Cone is a prominent thinker in Liberation Theology, and whilst this video is focussed on the OCR A-Level spec (and thus the South American context), his contributions have indeed been very influential, and should be noted.

[@vincentfer9780]

igualitario

[@liveoak144]

People don't go to church to hear political rhetoric. Liberation theology might be subversive plot.

[@EddieEducation]

The Catholic Church (from which this is derived) has always been political, from its roots in the Holy Roman Empire. It is important to recognise this in order to fully understand the nature - and significance - of Liberation Theology

[@liveoak144]

@@EddieEducation yes, I understand that, but in the U.S., one would only see something like this in a few of the Catholic churches, and those would be in a big city that has a liberal population mixed into the general population. they could not do this in my small town Catholic church. they had a day of peace one time with some folk singers doing anti-war songs, and most of the congregation got their feathers all ruffled. The priest did not try that again. They concentrate on helping the poor, and that's the most they do. But, I am speaking of the U.S. In S. America and C. America, it is very different. Liberation theology caught on there due to the oppressive history of many of their governments and the discrimination by the ruling classes.

[@EddieEducation]

@@liveoak144 Thanks for the insight, it's interesting to hear. Every town on every country has its own context, and ideas are only as relevant as their context. What works in one place may not work in another location. But being aware of the nature of the context - including your own - is vital

[@liveoak144]

@@EddieEducation very true. thank you for also being an aware and educated person.