Flashcards
Marxism and Liberation Theology
Cards in this deck (49)
- 1Marx Quote about Philosophy"Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it." - Karl Marx, Theses on Feuerbach
- 2Which liberation theologians have explicitly used Marx?Leonardo and Clodovis Boff, José Miguez Bonino, Juan Luis Segunda and José Miranda.
- 3Who are more guarded about Marx?Jon Sobrino and Gutiérrez. Gutiérrez made it clear over time that christianity and marxism should not be combined. He didn't want 'synthesis.'
- 4Where do Marxism and Christianity agree and disagree?Agree - Human life is intrinsically good, human nature the source of human misery.
Disagree - C explains paradox through sin, M focuses on material and historical conditions. - 5Why is this not a problem for many Liberation theologians?The two are not mutually exclusive. Many thinks that Marx forces Christianity back to the material world of human which is where theology should always begin.
- 6Why would no theologian say that Marx is essential to Christianity?It would suggest that Christianity was defective pre-Marx.
- 7How do the Boffs describe Marx's role?A useful "companion" along the way, but there is only one true teacher: Jesus Christ.
- 8What did Marx argue about infrastructures?Once we see how it's created we can see how human superstructures are formed and formed and then finally we are in a position to understand how to distinguish reality from projected human ideas.
- 9How does historical materialism translate into reversal?Supports bottom up theology, starting with the experience of the poor (suffering, alienation, hope and joy to show the kingdom of God) as underside of history instead of abstract God doctrines.
- 10Seen in this way, Christian historical materialism points to many unexpected reversals, what are they?The last will be first, the kingdom of God as a transformation of the material society not heaven, the meek not the powerful will inherit the earth.
- 11When is Marxism most noticeable?Base communities: first mediation in practice, theologian is able to discern who the oppressors are, who owns means of production, ideologies which have enforced exploitation. Basically all criticisms can be traced back to the inherent unfairness of capitalism.
- 12How do Liberation Theologians present Marx similarly to Jesus?They present him in the same prophetic tradition (stretching back from 8th century BC prophets to Jesus) which attacked the social and economic conditions that exploited the poor.
- 13What does Marx site as a source of alienation which is supported by the bible?Both believe that humans are designed to work and be productive (Genesis 1:28) so failing to own the means of production is a major cause of alienation and exploitation.
- 14How does José Miranda begin his biblical hermeneutics?By using Marx's suspicion of private ownership of the means of production.
- 15For Marx, what is the root cause of injustice?The private ownership of land, because it creates the idea in the mind of the owner that they control the lives because they too are objects. In 'Theses on Feuerbach": alienation and oppression are caused when humans falsely objectify the world then treat it as their own possession.
- 16What biblical idea does this echo?Constant refrain of the prophets: be wary objectifying the material world by creating God in our own image.
- 17How does the Bible's idea differ?It is older, richer and more radical than Marx.
- 18(Miranda) Human NatureMarx underestimates biblical insight into capitalism being due to the subjective human condition, not just external causes. In describing the fallen aspect of human nature in the bible a much fuller reason is given as to why humans oppress and exploit others.
- 19IdolatrySecond of 10Cs warns against. Abandonment of this commandment is why capitalism and materialism are worshiped especially in industrialised Europe. To counter: theology must recover negative theological view that God is wholly different from the material world, cannot be known, mustn't be objectified.
- 20Knowledge of GodBible offers middle way between materialism and idealism. Marx pointed in direction Bible writers know better. God can't be known in self, but where good is done. Constant call of prophets is that God comes through establishing justice which is always out of love for ones neighbour. St Paul argued that God's judgement is known through conscience when there is injustice.
- 21Why have Liberation Theologians found Marx to be a useful tool when criticising the Church as an institution?Because Marx is critical of all ideologies as a source of false consciousness, especially institutions, for they objectify ideas, subordinate and alienate humans from the real process of production. Church: traditionally given means of religious production to priests and bishops and kept poor+oppressed at arm's length.
- 22Why did the vatican condemn Leonardo Boff?Using Marxism as a critique of the church, silenced him from writing for a year (1984)
- 23What does he argue in "Church: Charism and Power?'- Hierarchy of church not how it was first envisaged, one created when it became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
- If church took the prophets seriously it would not have created ruling class model of hierarchy. - 24Where is the closest place to a church where praxis is free of hierarchy?Base Communities
- 25Why does Marx see revolution as necessary?because there will always be reactionary forces who impede change and therefore progress. Only way of destroying deep-seated exploitation through 'despotic inroads'(violence) the Hegel says the master slave relationship can be reversed and a news stage in history achieved.
- 26How does revolution begin with MarxNot the oppressed, but the prophets/philosophers who can interpret the world and by acting in solidarity with the poor, affect change.
- 27How then is the preferential option for the poor a Marxist idea?The rich have the opportunity to side with the poor to create change.
- 28What is this an example of?Reversal.
- 29How do most theologians interpret revolution?They know that capitalist status quo will not change by merely tinkering with the system, but are reluctant to use "despotic inroads."
- 30Who is a notable exception to this?Camilo Torres (1929-66) "I took off my cassock to be more truly a priest." Joined guerrilla group because without action words are empty, if this meant revolution, violence it was a sign of faith to be involved. As a priest this was shocking, daring and inspirational.
- 31What proportion of priests were radicalised?Berryman "By no means did all, or even a majority, of priests and sisters become radicalised."
Argentina: 5000 priests 800 might've been considered radical. - 32What was "instruction on certain aspects of the 'theology of liberation'" 1984, congregation of the doctrine of faith chaired by cardinal Joseph Ratzinger about?Critique of marxism and liberation theology by extension. Sympathetic to those who use 'liberation' to mean that justice should prevail in defence of weak. Highly anti liberation which makes 'insufficiently critical' use of Marx.
- 33Who did Ratzinger directly reprimand for this?Gutiérrez and Leonardo Boff.
- 34It was critical of the fact that liberation had limited its use of christian theology in the following ways:- Liberation at the heart of Christian Theology, but it is liberation from 'the radical slaver of sin.'
- Many types of freedom, LT tend to only focus on the political kind.
- Too much focus on political or temporal sin, not enough on human sin.
- Reductionist: focus on sin in terms of social structures, it equates salvation with praxis and revolution, not God's Grace.
- Liberation theology makes truth exclusive only to those who practice a certain kind of praxis.
- The kingdom of God is mistakenly taken to mean human struggle, whereas redemption is only through God's grace. - 35How does "Institutes of Certain Aspects of the 'The Theology of Liberation'" describe how Marx's language is being used?It is "wrongly presented as though it were scientific language."
- 36Alistair Kee quote about use of Marx"My criticism has been that it is not Marxist enough [...] in fact resistance to Marx is the cause of its failure."
- 37Which part of Marxism specifically does Kee think Liberation Theologians have neglected?They ignore his critique of religion as a false objectification when it is equally a critique of all ideologies. i.e. words, beliefs or ideologies are really no more than a human projection produced under a particular historical circumstance.
- 38What is Kee's point?He's saying that Liberation Theologians can't just pick the parts that they find useful and then ignore the basis upon which they are built.
- 39Why is it not a contradiction that Kee wants theologians to follow this aspect of Marx's atheism?Despite his atheism, Marx's historical materialism relies on a spiritual sense in which each historical stage gives way to the next driven by an idea of a better world.
- 40Why are Marxism and Christianity not that different?Marx's historical materialism is ultimately an ideology.
- 41How do they differ?Christianity accepts that it is an ideology and thinks that history is not just determined by material forces but also by God.
- 42What is the value of Marx's historical materialism?Every historical stage needs to radically reassess its beliefs and ideas. Christianity needs to tackle the mind set of the present age of secular capitalism.
- 43Why does Kee think that Liberation Theology failed to do this?Far too traditional and conservative.
- 44How did Liberation Theology not follow historical materialism?historical materialism: logical sequence of historical stages which cannot be skipped. Socialism therefore can only be achieved after a secure capitalist base. Liberation Theology went straight from feudalism to socialism. Although capitalism might come at moral/spiritual cost, they are denying the poor the means of economic growth which capitalism offers and from which socialism will emerge.
- 45What is the heart of Kee's argument?Liberation Theologians didn't allow the poor to read Marx because he is an atheist - thus the idea that the experts know best best prohibits reversal. In reality then whilst theologians may write radical thought they are still perpetuating superstitious false-consciousness.
- 46Failure to tackle secularismRejected Marx's principle of the reversal of religion. Thus LT lost it opportunity to tackle secularism. Marx's atheism doesn't necessarily mean that reversal rules out human spirituality. Historical progress capitalism to socialism, secular to spiritual.
- 47Karl MarxKarl Marx was a philosopher, economist, sociologist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. Born in Prussia to a middle-class family, he later studied political economy and the philosophy of the Young Hegelians. 19th century
- 48Joseph RatzingerPope Benedict XVI served as Pope of the Catholic Church from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Benedict was elected on 19 April 2005 in a papal conclave following the death of Pope John Paul II and was inaugurated on 24 April 2005.
- 49Leonardo BoffLeonardo Boff is a Brazilian theologian and writer, known for his active support for the rights of the poor and excluded.
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- AS - Level Theology Flashcards on Marxism and Liberation Theology, created by dotty.h on 09/04/2016.
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