The South American liberation theologian's view on the nature of Jesus Christ - an excerpt from an Essay on Christological Concepts (s a human rights day (?) part 6)

According to Guiterez’s belief, Jesus did what he came to do. Through his acts, miracles, healing, preaching, Jesus empowered humankind with a new, ethical approach towards men, and new ways of doing things. Guiterrez’s views and theory of liberation had practical, rather than theoretical, implications to lived realties (p 179).

The economic theory of dependencia alludes to the Latin American situation. In support of this theory, Guiterrez argues that the weakness of modern theology is too little concerned with the theory of salvation, and the focus is on receptance to God.

Guiterrez introduces a doctrine of confession, where confession leads to salvation, and to liberation, not merely to God, but brings about change in human nature through politics, art, trade, law and family (p 3).

Recently, disagreement was expressed in the newly elected Pope Francis’s distancing from radical expressions of liberation theology and the adoption of a new version of this theory.  The official retort is that the radical clergy colluded with armed revolutionaries to bring about political change, and renounced the use of violence in its entirety as a means to bring about this change. There are haunting similarities to this desperate stance in reflecting on the history of South Africa, both theological and political, in the last seventy years or so.

In contrast, the American Christian minister, Martin Luther King Jr, the Hindu philosopher and lawyer, Ghandi, and the Burmese political leader, Dawn Aung San Suu Kyi, advocated non-violence to achieve freedom from oppression, both material and political. Again, in South Africa, Nelson Mandela reluctantly adopted an armed struggle against the National Party after the Sharpeville Massacre and the banning of the ANC, PAC and other organisations representing the majority of black South Africans at the time.

Returning to the Vatican’s stance on the use of violence, it is important to note the contradiction in this when the recent collusion with Hitler’s Nazi Party, and the atrocities committed by them since Constantine founded the Christian church, all in the name of Christinity.

Guiterrez focused on Jesus, not as a man, but on His actions, emphasising the view that salvation is not obtained through divine intervention alone, but through man’s own actions, inspired by God and through Jesus’ own teachings and actions. Jesus teaches man how to live and react to adversarial circumstances. Humanity is reminded not to judge. Only God judges. In Matthew 6 (verses 38 to 41) Jesus gave humanity the controversial teaching;

“ You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. ”

This great teaching of love towards a fellow man was controversial in light of the oppression suffered by Jews and Gentiles alike at the hands of the Roman authorities. In twenty-first century society today, it remains controversial. And yet through persistent acts of retaliatory violence, no peace or freedom has yet been attained.