Why is Liberation Theology so Controversial? 

Argentine here. I think it is important to mention concerning historical context that those brutal military dictatoriship that appeared during the 60's and 70's were not merely because of political unrest and economic crisis. It is widely known that it was all sponsored by the US in an effort to prevent the spread of communism from Cuba to the rest of the continent. Generals and admirals of latinamerican armies were taught on how to fight communism in the "School of Americas". During the cold war, just as the USSR was trying to install communist governments in other countries, the US was installing dictators and puppet governments that were deeply anticommunist and many times ruthless.

Why would there be a problem if "the poor took over the church to fix the church"?

As a Colombian, I can say a couple of things: First, that the military regimes and armed movements that emerged during those times were directly and indirectly sponsored by the global powers engaged in the Cold War, plunging our countries into misery and poverty. Secondly, the spirit of liberation theology has been adopted by not a few priests and leaders who sadly have not remained faithful to the Catholic Church causing great divisions and pain in our Latin American communities, but at the same time the Catholic sentiment is resurging strongly in our countries which makes uncomfortable not a few people and institutions that have taken advantage in the past of these circumstances and the division they have generated. I trust then that the Holy Spirit will enlighten our leaders and bishops so that from all of this a new vision of the Church's mission may effectively emerge that will bring about justice and salvation for our poor communities and the individuals who make up our communities. Thank you very much for this video.

Hi, I just wanted you to know that this channel was one of the main things that converted me from atheism to Catholicism, so keep up the good work - you're changing lives!

Hi Father, because of you and other Catholic youtubers, I’m receiving my sacraments this year and finishing my second year of ccd

I am a new adult convert to Catholicism. I love learning more and more about the faith, having spent almost 49 years as an active Protestant. Thank you, Father, for these videos! Liberation Theology is controversial in Protestant circles, as well. As my Christian philosophy major friend has pointed out to me in many a conversation, Liberation Theology is the Gospel filtered through Marxism, while Prosperity Theology popularized in the U.S. is the Gospel filtered through Capitalism. One is fueled by need, the other by greed...neither is entirely correct, while containing some truth. The beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is it's simplicity. Through Him, we can relate to God as our Father...our provider. Jesus taught His disciples (most of them poor) to stop worrying about their material needs (which does them no good), and trust in their heavenly Father "who knows you have need of such things". He also said, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteous, and all of these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33) The Church teaches us to first eat of the heavenly Eucharist, and then to pray for our daily bread. My favorite prayer from Scripture is found in the book of Proverbs. It helps me to never worry about money or material things. I pray it often, and it guards my heart against both fear of lack, and greed. Proverbs 30:7 Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lying far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but simply provide me with the food that I need. 9 For if I have too much, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am destitute, I may begin to steal and profane the name of my God.

The American government created a lot of the misery, that happened in Latin America trying to fight communism

Kerry Walters' book 'Saint Oscar Romero, Pastor, Prophet, Martyr' can provide much insight into what Father Óscar went through in the last few years of his life. Father Óscar was brutally gunned down while celebrating Mass in 1980.

Thank you for bringing this topic.. I personally, despite not from Latin America, could see the line between liberation theology and the Catholic Church. I don't identify liberation theology with marxism or communism, but more towards "care towards justice and the poor". But then, I disagree with the use of force... I still believe that " Liberation" should be achieved through the way Jesus taught.. Love, and justice.

If you empower and educate the poor of the world you challenge as well as change the power structure. Those at the top of the pyramid like things the way they are....They like the power and authority. If anything is "heresy" it is the current fad of prosperity based Christianity that runs rampant through many denominations....Christ did not teach these things and yet they are taught in our churches. It is wrong. Thank you again Fr Casey for another insightful video.

I'm not Catholic (yet? been struggling with conversion since this past December) and I will say that liberation theology is a major area that is maintaining my interest and deepening my motivation to continue. Thank you for taking the time to talk about it.

As a brazilian, I can say that while in theory it's not marxism, the reality is that it's 100% used that way. The implementation of these ideas in our churches transformed the high clergy in basically a political movement for left-wing parties, with the conference of bishops always showing affection to certain politicians. The materialistic view also appeared in full force, a expressive number of adepts to this theology treat the Church as a "community", Holy Mass as a "reunion of the assembly", and The Eucharist as a "sharing of the bread", undermining the spiritual meaning of all these concepts. This has led to a substantial increase in protestants in Brasil, the laity ran from this to non-ironically join a more Christ centered church.

I wasn't introduced to liberation theology until college, where it was presented uncritically by my professor. I think videos like this are necessary & can inspire people to dig deeper into the theology itself & criticisms against it.

I think sometimes what is missed in these explanations is the dynamic that these communities who we’re experiencing extreme poverty and violent oppression from their governments developed a theological system of understanding based on that experience. Then they were being criticized by Catholic leadership that was largely centred in areas of the world who were experiencing prosperity and privilege. It’s easier to say that we shouldn’t spiritualized the need for material things when all of our material needs are already being met. There is a difference between a criticizing a prosperity gospel which emphasizes wealth and a liberation theology which is fighting for people to have their basic needs met. There is a reason so many Marxist movements were popping up in Latin America at the time. It’s because the wealthy were crushing the average person. Why would they buy in to the benefits of that kind of economic system? I will agree that Marxist likely did try and take advantage of the situation. But it’s no different than the way capitalist try to attach them selves to evangelicals in North America. Faith based movements always need to guard themselves from being manipulated by politicians. But I don’t think this in any way discredits the truth of liberation theology.

Benedict did a great job in the service of JP2 diving into liberation theology and sifting the necessity of the preferential option for the poor and oppressed from the secular Marxists. Also love St. Oscar Romero as a model for the ideal liberation theology. Confronting the ruling class of El Salvador that was abusing the poorest while at the same time condemning the communist revolutionaries that sought to use the poor as a means to seize material power.

Way too many Catholics turn the blind eye to St. Pauls words on love: Whatever great quality you may have, without love you're only an empty vessel. When you consider the silent and lasting cry for God's help by the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, you know that so many Catholics prefer juntas above the love of Christ, having no clue whatsoever about love as was brought and shown and taught by Jesus.

What’s happened to your other channel, Upon Friar Review? Can you please inform the viewers about what’s going on? As a regular viewers of both channels, I’m missing the reaction videos and Fr. Patrick.

Now that you've done a video on Liberation Theology will you do one on Distributism?

Father Casey, Jesus grew up with the similar oppressive Roman culture. They wanted Him to be a revolutionary leader. He lived and taught and died for the Kingdom of Heaven instead. Am I to understand you are okay with and encourage world/lived experiences to Word? If I misunderstand your meaning, please clarify. Because based on actual Brazilian faithfuls' lived experiences shared here of what happened to our Church and liturgy - well our battles here in the USA are different BUT still the same spiritual warfare... WORD to world is the ONLY way to go, yes?

I’ve had firsthand experience with Liberation Theology from Mexico and this podcast is an excellent and well-balanced assessment.

Thank you for the video, father. The way some Christians stand opposed to social reform makes me wonder if they've read the Letter of St James. You make a good point that our main focus should be on Heaven, but scripture makes it clear we are supposed to also promote the physical wellbeing of people on Earth.

I needed something like this. I've had a lot of questions on how Liberation Theology has been handled currently, and this video basically speaks out my sentiments. While I appreciate the essential message of Liberation Theology, I am particularly concerned with the way it is used to focus more on the flourishing of the material world to the point of disregarding the spiritual needs of the human race, even getting towards the danger of politicising Christ as some form of revolutionary against the political structures of his time when all He did was to initiate the Kingdom of God. Its concerning how at times Liberation Theologans label Christ's sacrifice at Calvary as a "political tragedy" rather than more of an act of love for our salvation. Your video has helped to conscientise us on the limits established whenever making theological opinions that need not be ignored.

I don't know how easy it is for you to get access to these essays, but there are two good essays from Clodovis Boff (Leonardo's brother) regarding the Liberation Theology method and its deficiencies. What is most strking is that Clodovis is one of the main theologians behind the method's conception. His criticisms against Liberation Theology are reasonable, afirming what he regards are its strong and weak points, not that cultural marxism moontalk we hear so much nowadays. My personal experience with liberation theology's pastoral concerns is not good. More often than not, it makes remarks that disturb the religious experience. For example, in 2018, the Brazilian Campanha da Fraternidade's subject was the Environment, so it considered appropriate to use the Way of the Cross as a good occasion to convey it's message. I don't remember the exact words, but at the 12th Station CF's text said something like: "as our lord died on the cross, let us remember the environment that we kill by our greed". I'm not saying the Environment is not a catholic concern, because it is part of the Social Doctrine, but it's almost insensitive to use the Via Sacra this bluntly. Also, I Think that many times the social causes leave no room for the existential or mystical aspects of the faith. E.g., in Brazil, june is a public month for environmental causes. A Bishop from Bahia used his social media extensively to bring light to the "green month", but, until now, he posted nothing whatsoever regarding the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It's really hard to defend a Theology whose pastoral concerns disregards so explicitly catholic devotion, "almost" taking the Church of Christ as an ESG NGO.

I'll give my perspective as a Nicaraguan. The reason why many here find Liberation Theology so controversial is because in practice it actually led to an attempt by the marxist sandinistas to co-opt the Church. While the sandinistas tried to create Commities for the Defense of Sandinismo and create a parallel church, they actively persecuted and harassed dissenting clergy. What is worse, some "religious" personalities lent their credence to such people, like Ernesto Cardenal, a priest who was ceased of his ministry by St. John Paul II due to becoming minister of culture, a position in which he pushed for secularization of the Church. Because of this sort of association with an authoritarian, atheist and failed political project, many are distraught by Liberation Theology, and considering that the default Social Doctrine of the Church already addresses the sort of issues which supposedly are of the concern of the former, it seems at least to me that it's redundant at best and potentially heretic at worst

Thank you, Father, for explaining this topic to me. I gained many things from this. It seems that if you explain things especially complicated theological issues, it becomes easier to grasp with examples and you give insights but still we can remain faithful and obedient Catholics. Pax et Bonum!

As a Brazilian that has met many Priests and Bishops from TL (Liberation Theology), some even being my cousins, I can atest to the damage that this thought is doing the Church inside out. The way they put themselves sometimes ignores totally spiritual needs and some even deny the existence of miracles. Leonard Boff was punished by Church, btw, as was Frei Beto. Some weren't because they had political influence on the Holy See such as Dom Helder Câmara and Gutierrez. The CEBs (base church comunities) in Brazil literally fought for over 20 years for a socialist party to take power here, but socialism is a heresy condemned by Pope Pius IX. And so is Liberation Theology, both John Paul II and Benedict XVI did condemn it.

Now look at Latin America. Once Catholic, it's now losing to Evangelicals.

Sounds like the rogue Synod on Synodality.

The fundamental issue with Liberation Theology, as with its country cousin Progressive Christianity, is that it replaces Jesus with politics. A clear understand of the historical context will tell you that Jesus never talks about gaining political power, or even changing current political systems. In fact, when the Apostles asked him when the Kingdom (meaning a politically free Israel) would be established, Jesus responds by saying "my Kingdom is not of this world". In the same vein you get people who say Jesus was a socialist because he tells people to help the poor. The problem is that 1. Socialism as we know it was not a thing in the 1st Century AD/CE, and 2. Jesus says you (meaning the individual) help the poor...He does not say "give all your money to the Roman government so they can redistribute it". I am in complete agreement that the Church has a mission to help the poor, to assist people in bettering their lives (both spiritually and physically), and to help them live more like Jesus. In fact, must of the modern welfare state arose precisely because the Church defaulted on its calling to help the poor. What the Church is absolutely not called to do is to dabble in earthly political concerns. Individual christians can and should participate in the political process, but that is wholly different from any established denomination attempting to preach a specific political position from the pulpit.

All this has done is destroy the belief of the true presence of Christ thru the Eucharist when the Church became a place for motivational speeches and not for the Holy Sacrifice.

Thank You for finally making a video on Liberation Theology!!

I wish there's Indonesian translation for this, coz I believe there's a lot of priests from the east Indonesia that are preaching this, but more about wealth, and distributing wealth rather than the true wealth that Jesus offered.

A great, even handed approach.

Tenho algumas observações: 1. Historicamente não foram "alguns" indivíduos da Igreja que aderiram à essa teologia. Ela foi muito influente, particulamente nos lugares que você citou, América do Sul e Central. 2. Não é um mero ponto de vista. A Igreja deixou sim os fiéis ao longo dos séculos livres para expressarem seus pensamentos e pontos de visto, mas até o ponto de essas ideias não comprometerem a unidade da própria Igreja e a mensagem evangélica. 3. No caso da teologia da libertação, fica claro as extrapolações, por isso é justa a preocupação de alguns fiéis. Ela pode parecer justa em alguns pontos, mas oque a história da Igreja nos ensina é que as heresias nunca estão 100% erradas, sempre há algo de razoável misturado ao errado. Uma boa comparação é uma única gota de veneno mortal jogada em um balde de água potável. 4. O fato de Papas e outros clérigos manterem um diálogo com adeptos disso, não quer dizer que seu (adeptos TL) proceder seja correto ou que estejam em amizade com a Igreja. Doutrina todos devemos obedecer, mas opiniões pessoais, mesmo de Papas, não. 5. Não é preciso fazer muito esforço para ver os frutos disso. Um desastre pastoral, e este que vos diz vê esses frutos no próprio país, o Brasil. As críticas não são de males que PODEM acontecer, mas já aconteceram. Quem é daqui sabe do que eu estou falando, não vou expor publicamente.

Is Upon Friar Review ever going to come back?

Thank you very much for this explanation. I have a better understanding of this issue now. Peace and blessings always Fr. Casey.

One does not reach heaven by lifting their feet from the ground

I came here to ask what happened to Upon Friar Review? Why hasn't there been a new video in 3 months? Just wondering? I hope Father Pat is okay?

Thank you for this balanced explanation!🙏💒✝️

Thank you for your broad-mindedness. I am trying to work my way through the Church's position on this, having always seen liberation theology as a positive thing. I think it comes down to the tension between taking a position on a social issue and then trying to actually bring forth good fruit from it. The outcome can tell us much about the soundness and practical application of what we believe.

This is so helpful, balanced and caring. Thank you so much.

As someone who grew up in Brazil in 70s and 80s, I have first-hand experience with the influence of Liberation Theology over the church in the country. It was terrible. Basically, the usual teaching I had from catechists and priests was only focused on political issues and revolutionary thoughts. For instance, while I learned too many times about the injustices of the politicians and how we should build the kingdom of heaven on earth, which basically means, by their description, implementing Cuba`s political ways (Fidel and Che were presented as role models for the society), I never learned that the Eucharist is the real presence of Christ or that Mary was a virgin her whole life - by the way, preaching the basic catechism were seen and antiquated and should be suppressed by a more modern approach that would lead us to confrontation with the government. The liberation theology was so present in seminaries, catholic schools, and catholic universities that it took me 20 years to meet a priest that finally taught me that the Euchatist is the real presence of Christ, or that all peoples could go to heaven, not only the poor. What I present here is my personal experience. I saw that and lived that. It was devastating for the church and for a country that was proud to call itself "the most catholic country in the world". The liberation theology was the reason about 95% of the country declared themselves as Catholics in the 70s and now it is about 50%.

Preserve tradition, God doesn't change, embrace the sinner but hate the sin.

I was born in LA at the end of Jim Crow laws and never saw the Confederate flag until I was in my teens. Joan Baez's song was the meaning The Night They Drove Dixie Down was Written during the Vietnam War to identify with the Vietnamese and the US pounding them to rid of Communists. I remember an interview I saw of women about the same time in the Deep South the premise was General Sherman's advance was on the right side of history. Warning him She said you will get into trouble talking that way. She did not disagree or dispute it.

There are a number of Catholic Content providers on YT (could easily name names, but won't) who openly or implicitly present current US conservative positions as necessarily Christian. Those warnings about liberation theology are something they need to take a good look at.. What was apropos of the Left back then is just as apropos of the Right now, in the US at least.

I'm Chilean, and would consider myself part of liberation theology. I'm no theologian, so you're allowed to take this with a grain of salt. I agree with everything the father says here, cause it's just the historical facts about why Liberation Theology was and is controversial. Although I wanted to add something from my point of view. I think it's a mistake to say that, because we're reading scripture from the perspective of the poor, it's a worldly way of reading it. I think scripture was MEANT to be read from the perspective of the poor, the outcastes by the world. It's like when they say "The Church has the voice of a woman", they're not trying to outcast men, right? Scripture is meant to be interpreted, not taken literally, at least not most of it. And interpreting from the perspective of the poor and the oppressed is good, as long as you don't deny the foundations of the faith. Cause the foundations of our faith should not, and do not, go against caring for the outcasts. Does that make sense? 😅

Thanks from Brazil, here. Beautiful speech!

This is a most cautious defense of liberation theology. It leaves out the racism and classism that permeates much of the opposition to this theology. The United States was amidst the Cold War and was supporting and arming these governments that were oppressing the people of Latin America. Most critics of liberation theology have full bellies and white privilege and take issue with brown people voicing any opinion. It's notable, and I very much appreciate that Fr. Casey pointed out, that the criticism is mostly taking issue with possibilities, not actualities. I very much hope to see a Breaking In The Habit video on the false gospel of prosperity that mostly affluent white Americans are using to justify their wealth.

In Brazil we still have consequences in a lot of parishes of the strong wave of liberation theology in the end of 20th century(a lot of liturgical abuses and heresy)

Liberation theologian here. Would love to see this channel have cross conversations with liberation theologians in the RCC. I’m not Catholic but would love to see that dialogue in a church as significant as significant as the RCC

Can we have an actual liberation theologian on?

A liberation THEOLOGY can be beautiful, the problem can be some tenets and pastoral praxis. The two CDF doc.s of '82 & '86 mentioned by father are signed by Ratzinger and are well worth reading

This is the first time I've heard A. the roots of Liberation Theology and B. an unbiased take on the whole thing. Usually one can't even bring it up without people on both sides getting super combative. Thank you for making this video, and God bless you work you're doing.

Liberation Theology sounds more like liberal progressivism than Marxism.. but sometimes the lines between the are blurred.

Thank you. That was informative and important to understand 🙏🏼

I was catechized under the Liberation Theology in Chile in the 80s. Even as a little boy preparing myself for my First Communion in my Parish I was never convinced of anything that this ideology teaches, especially its reductionist interpretation of the sermon of the mount as "preferential option for the poor" understood as mere economic problem. For me Liberation Theology was always the opposite to the universal call to salvation in the Gospel. To some church leaders poor people were simply cannon fodder for their political agendas.

We are commanded by God to serve and minister to the poor. That said, exegesis is the only valid way to approach the Bible, not eisegesis. I don't doubt the integrity of Father Gutiérrez specifically, and I am glad for the positive outcomes the movement has achieved. However, not everyone is either trustworthy or formally trained in theological doctrine. You can make the Bible say anything you want if you start with an interpretation you WANT and then look for verses to cherry-pick, cut, and twist to fit whatever message you are going for. Even Liberation Theology could have easily led to violence that got out of hand similarly to how the French Revolution did if lay people who took it up interpreted its values more radically than the priests who originally started it. When we start with a human motivation, we *might* get positive results, but all too often we humans are going to twist that motivation into something that is less effective than a Holy Spirit-led endeavor at best, and at worst, something that is outright harmful to everyone involved.

I am from Latino America. Father, isn't Jesus's human condition a sign of the importance of material conditions? Isn't Paul VI's definition of integral development specific about the relevance of attending conditions of life for a more dignified life? I understand what Liberation Theology reminds us is that living a complete life, with love and solidarity, is what brings us closer to God. Because God is Love; love for your neighbor, for your family, for the earth. We follow Jesus example by helping others and in the process brining us closer to them.

Great video Father! I look forward to all of them.

I've stopped being libertarian when I started seeing Marxist ideology steamroller through everything and libertarians having the audacity to ask "leave them alone it doesn't concern you and they're not hurting anyone"

seeing Rome be more supportive of theology teaching that man effectively predicates God than being able to do Tridentine Mass is disappointing to say the least.

Pope JohnPaul l: "I think that the Magisterium of the Church will never sufficiently insist in presenting and recommending the solution of the great problems of freedom, justice, peace, development; and Catholic laity will never fight sufficiently to solve these problems. It is wrong, on the other hand, to state that political, economic and social liberation coincides with salvation in Jesus Christ, that the Regnum Dei is identified with the Regnum hominis, that Ubi Lenin ibi Jerusalem."

Excellent explanation, father! Thank you very much for sharing it with us, helping us understand.❤

Brother can you make a video about Dorothy Day?

I'm Brazilian. In Brazil, liberation theology is 100% marxist based, they act like a an socialism wing inside the church, whith huge revolutionary agenda. In my city, the liberation theology churches have poor liturgical masses, they do "afro mass", "country mass" and so on... Once one LT priest refused to give me eucharistic while I was on my knees. I had to stand up... In Holy Week, during the staging of the Cross, while Jesus was being flogged, a young trans man was placed with a poster in LGBT+ colors, saying that they are persecuted. Yes, during the Via Crucis... Liberation Theology is crap, It is a wound within the church, I'm 100% sure of that.

As as Brazilian 21 yo, who went to a Catholic school, I can say that Liberation Theology has infected many schools, parishes, etc here. They dont focous on teaching us about Jesus being God, instead they focoused in teaching about Him like He was some sort of philosofer who only told people to love each other and thats all, no more, no repenting your sins, no confessions, just love each other (even loving your sins). This is part of the reason Catholicism has declined so much.

One problem with the world as a whole is that Ideology has replaced theology and not just for Catholics but especially true for America and the West.

Thanks so much for explaining this!

A good exposition of LT in a nutshell. Curious, though, that there was no mention of public figures like St. Oscar Romero and movements like Catholic Action which had to grapple with LT.

thank you for sharing this balanced viewpoint. while it will be unpopular in this comment section for me to support the underlying message of lib theology, I am going to anyway. I’m watching prosperity gospel and Christian Nationalism rise in my country and I think it is scarier than this. I’d rather sin on the left wing then the right.

I'm Brazilian! Great vídeo.

A question that keeps coming to me relating to this is: how much is too much in terms of allowing different perspectives? Grey areas are too blazé, I’m looking for more clarity.

You are a good man Father, a person whom can speak the truth. I learned a lot, from this video. Thank you!

Excellent and informative

A fair and balanced examination of this subject. My wife was born and raised in El Salvador and lived through the civil war. I am very familiar with the controversy surrounding this subject in Latin America and Father Casey is very fair in his assessment in the video. 👍

We overlook the fact that God has given man their agency, in other words this world will always involve hate and oppression etc.. also, you don't set aside being perfected in Christ to focus on "liberation" from a fallen world. Personal conversion and sanctification has always been the goal, regardless of wealth or whether or not you're a victim or "oppressor" etc..

Hold up. The world cannot lead us to know God. If you meant our reflection on worldly experience in the light of faith can lead us to understand God's Will and trust in His mercy, then maybe. But the way you said it is absolutely wrong and misleading.

Very diplomatic Father. Was there also some obscure figure in Christian history who said something about the poor always being with us? Then there's the question of the so-called "relative poor", the new favourite child of the enlightened, middle-class left. Any liberationist take on them?

The 10 kings, mentioned in the Book of Revelation, are the past Roman emperors of that time period. The previous deducted, analyzed and interpreted by St. Augustine in 'City of God: Against the Pagans' (413 A D ) several years after the synod of Hippo canonized the Book of Revelation in 393 A.D.!

Paulo Freire but also Ivan Illich was involved but he was more of an anarchist than Paulo a socialist . Ivan was excommunicated by bishop ratzinger at the time but ignored him and carried on taking mass and dedicating his life to God.

A rather fair and balanced take. I think it is worth considering Matthew 25, as addressing the material needs of our neighbor matters greatly in the final analysis.

This was a lovely and thoughtful video, thanks. My follow up question: what is the responsibility of the Christian and Franciscan who lives in a colonial/imperial power whose influence in the developing world continues to undermine peace, prosperity, and stability. How does this Christian's politics appear to the citizens of his/her own country?

As a Brazilian, I need to speak from the pespective of my life experience. Here, Liberation Theology had basicly destroyed the church in many places here in Brazil, including many carholic school, in my school for exemple we were encorouge to let a faith be purely personal, that everybody was hgoing to heaven anyway, and that we should enjoy our earthly lives engaging in parties and non marriage sexual activity. And that our only source of concern would be the social justice moviment and economic unequality. I am sorry to say this father, but for me, my friends, and even many teachers, our catholic formation had become basicaly spiritualized marxism, and many of us to abandon the faith. Since, whats the point of keep beliving in Jesus once everything that is important ins here on earth and can be perfecly described by materialistic thinkers (they were cited quite often). It is a true modern heresy that has plagued latin america, before we had material needs, but now we have also desperate spiritual needs.

After living in the US for so long, with it’s late stage capitalism, hedonistic individualism, and secularism. I can say that Catholic liberation theology and Marxist analysis is a necessity. I’m also Hispanic so I would prefer us to have sovereignty over ourselves and no interventionism and imperialism from the west. It’s needed to fight against universalist international liberalism

I have some observations: 1. Historically, there have not been "some" individuals in the Church who have adhered to this theology. It was very influential, particularly in the places you mentioned, South and Central America. 2. Not a mere point of view. The Church has indeed left the faithful throughout the centuries free to express their thoughts and points of view, but to the extent that these ideas do not compromise the unity of the Church itself and the evangelical message. 3. In the case of liberation theology, the extrapolations are clear, which is why the concern of some believers is justifiable. It may seem fair in some points, but what Church history teaches us is that heresies are never 100% wrong, there is always something reasonable mixed with wrong. A good comparison is a single drop of deadly poison dropped into a bucket of drinking water. 4. The fact that Popes and other clerics maintain a dialogue with supporters of this does not mean that their (LT supporters) behavior is correct or that they are in friendship with the Church. Doctrine we must all obey, but personal opinions, even of Popes, no. 5. It doesn't take much effort to see the fruits of it. A pastoral disaster, and this one who tells you sees these fruits in his own country, Brazil. The criticisms are not of evils that CAN happen, but have already happened. Anyone from here knows what I'm talking about, I won't expose it publicly.

Liberation theology is the single thing that keeps drawing me back into even considering returning the Roman Catholic Church.

Grateful - again what a balancing act.

When the Latin American bishops gathered together, drafted the document known as the Puebla Document, they sent it to the almost recently elected Pope John Paul II, reaffirming that the Latin American Church makes a "Preferential Option for the poor." John Paul II forces them to add: "We make a preferential option for the poor, neither exclusive nor discriminatory." Already at that moment, abuse was beginning to be seen and felt in the "liberating" readings of reality. Time will tell if the contribution of Liberation Theology has been more positive than negative. What is undoubtedly changed the life of the Church. I personally believe that Theology can be taken from the perspective that God speaks to us through reality and calls us to embrace it and change it. For something we are salt in the mass and Light of the nations. On the other hand, today we are experiencing a constant temptation and push for groups within the Church that on the one hand turn many laymen, priests and nuns into mere "social workers" and on the other groups that react to that logic and try to lock us up in the parishes with beautiful Liturgies, avoiding "contamination". I believe in the search for balance and I believe in a Church immersed in Reality, with its gaze on the Risen One, beautifully celebrating the Civilization of Love that John Paul II preached.

So, going on what you said, "reading into the Scripture," that's commonly known as eisegesis. I thought I'd just toss that bit in. So, God love you heaps, and bless you oodles.

I wonder about your thoughts on Marixism being a form of the Gnostic Haresy from the middle ages.

Thank you Father Casey for this explanation of Liberation Theology. It was quite accessible. Before this video, I never understood the objection to Liberation Theology, given that its emphasis on the poor and marginalized seems to be in agreement with Jesus' admonishments to his followers to treat those who are impoverished and otherwise treated as outcasts with the utmost care, as if they were caring for Jesus himself (Matthew 25:37-40). Your video goes a long way to clarifying things.

I am inspired by this as someone with a background in the New Thought clergy, who left that movement because of its emphasis on money gospel and belief in The Just World Fallacy, resulting in a love affair with victim blaming. But I did love its rejection of Biblical literalism. The lens suggested here, that of the poor, is beautiful and pure. I feel deeply touched. I am going to find out more about Liberation Theology. Might a find a teaching of universal salvation in the Church? It’s in the Bible, or would that be “Biblicism” to expect just because there’s a verse about it?

A good even-tempered explanation of Liberation Theology. I believe Pope Francis extols the teaching of Liberation Theology while avoiding the name like the plague. That is fine.

Great video

I think liberation theology is making a comeback. More and more of us who were born into Christianity and feel very disillusioned with the evangelical movement are finding Jesus again through Liberation theology. Liberation theology has helped me find the real Jesus again.

Personal repentance is now "oppressive"

Father Casey, congrats on your Anniversary of Ordination from Indonesia. Keep shining; may your service be always like a tree planted by the water whose leaves are always green. We're proud of you.

Let’s be honest Marxism isn’t close to be a Christian theology,

Very good and fair view.

4:18 The Church didn’t need a “new model of theology.” You cannot start with the world to find God. You start with God to understand the world. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word came before the world. God bless you all ❤