Introducing Liberation Theology [Paperback]

Leonardo Boff (Author), Clodovis Boff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1987

This work deals with the basic questions that are tackled by liberation theology--oppression, violence, domination and marginalization. It then goes on to show how the Christian faith can be used as an agent in promoting social and individual liberation, and how faith and politics relate.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Portugese (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 99 pages
• Publisher: Orbis Books (June 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883445506
• ISBN-13: 978-0883445501
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,435 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Intro to Liberation Theology by Liberation Theologians, June 12, 2000

By 

"guy-72" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introducing Liberation Theology (Paperback)

So often, when studying theology, readers are prone to seek the opinion of either (1) an author from within their own theological tradition who represents their own theological bias, or (2) an author from entirely outside of the Christian tradition who just so happens to be a specialist in that area of study. Though we should definitely not neglect such sources, it is important to study the first-hand sources written by the trailblazers from within the particular area of study. With Introducing Liberation Theology, by the Boff brothers, the reader is able to do just that.

This book offers a very good, easy-to-understand explanation of the key themes of Liberation Theology in a way that any lay person can understand. Leonardo Boff is a Brazilian theologian and his brother, Clodovis, is a Servite priest in Brazil. The fact that the authors experienced the "grassroots" development of Liberation Theology as the movement itself emerged lends much credibility to their insights for any reader interested in an "insider's" knowledge of the Liberation movement.

The reader is led to understand how Liberation Theology, as opposed to other strands of theology, is truly something that emerged from the oppressed peoples of society, not from the academic ivory towers of the universities or the Catholic Church hierarchy. Accordingly, Liberation Theology has truly become a form of Christian expression and involvement in Church and society, rather than an exercise between scholars. The authors differentiate three levels of Liberation Theology: (1) Professional, (2) Pastoral, and (3) Popular. These distinctions become important through the book as they help guide the reader's understanding of Liberation methodology, key themes, and history. Perhaps most impressive to me, a reader who comes from outside of the Liberation tradition, is the section where the authors discuss the temptations, tendencies, and biases of Liberation Theology. Such intellectual honesty helps me to take more seriously the descriptions and arguments found in other places of this book. Accordingly, I recommend this book as an important companion to anyone interested in learning about Liberation Theology.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Liberating points of view..., January 11, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Introducing Liberation Theology (Paperback)

Leonardo and Clodovis Boff are liberation theologians, priests, and brothers who have devoted much of their careers to the pursuit and practice of liberation theology in the church and in the world. Leonardo Boff is a professor in Petropolis, Brazil; Clodovis Boff is a professor in Sao Paulo, Brazil - both have used their educational platforms to spread the knowledge of liberation theology from a Latin American base-community perspective throughout the world; however, as liberation theology is a praxis-oriented theology, the Boff brothers continue to work among the poor people (of which there are many in Brazil) to bring about the realisation as best possible the liberating message of the gospel.

In fewer than 100 pages, the Boffs give a succinct and clear overview of liberation theology - this is a theology of the poor, in which the gospel message and the character of Christ are seen as being in solidarity with the poor. Liberation theology is complex, but the Boffs reduce it to simple, understandable tenets.

There are three levels of liberation theology, according to the authors: professional, pastoral, and popular. The professional level involves academic theorists and clergy administrator types; the pastoral level involves the teaching and compassionate action of clergy and lay ministers; however, it is the popular level that is most important here, where the action is most involved in the world. Liberation theology sometimes involves confrontation - when Oscar Romero stood up to the oppressors in Central America, he was engaging in all three levels of liberation theology.

In succeeding chapters, the authors look at the primary themes of liberation theology, a brief history of the development of liberation ideas from political, social, ecclesial and theological roots, and the spread of liberation ideas worldwide. Liberation theology is sometimes seen in purely political terms, particularly in Western seminaries and churches, because those of us in the West have lost the ability to think in theological terms as a matter of course; to be fair, however, liberation theology does intend to challenge the status quo of political and economic relationships, much to the discomfort of those in the West. Liberation theologians from inside the Roman Catholic church have had to endure periods of officially-sanctioned 'silence' and have often been branded 'Marxists' as a denigration of their theological standing.

Churches of all sorts have a love/hate relationship with liberation theology. Large and small, catholic and protestant, liberation theology has a tendency to challenge existing relationships between rich and poor, powerful and powerless, gender roles, and more. Liberation theology from the beginnings in Latin America have spread to encompass more communities - feminist theologians, African-American theologians, Hispanic theologians, and more have drawn inspiration from the idea that God has a preferential care for the powerless and oppressed, and that many stories in scripture, particularly in the gospel messages, show God's care in this direction. Jesus was always more concerned for the poor than the rich, for the common people than the kings and ruling class, and liberation theologians pick up on this fact.

The Boffs set out their hope for a truly free society, a dream of liberation for all people from the various forces that oppress. This book is a wonderful introduction to this very influential and occasionally controversial theology, from two of the leading lights in the field professionally, pastorally, and among the people they love.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Missing the personal experience, August 26, 2003

By 

Tony Theil (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Introducing Liberation Theology (Paperback)

The Boff brothers, Leonardo and Clodovis, have written a scholarly text suitable for the theology student. Their compendium outlines liberation theology by clearly defining the function, structure, themes, and history with adequate explanations of theological terms that would otherwise baffle the non-indoctrinated. This book is written for the reader who has an interest in knowing the socio-analytical, hermeneutical, and practical mediations. Get the message?

If the purpose of the book is to inform, then it is adequate. But it will not win any advocates for the liberation theology movement. With the exception of the opening pages which describe the desperation of the poor with two heart rending experiences, this book is dry tinder in search of burning embers of the human element. The Boffs have many experiences with the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized that could have brought to life the conceptual and the abstract.