Details: Brown presents a case for living faith through service to the poor, and it is clear, his heart is with the the Latin American roots of liberation theology. He fails, however, to present the theological evidence for the call to active resistance, political engagement, and violence that is the conclusion one must draw from the unbalanced interpretation of Jesus' radicalism. He is so biased in his own appraisal of the gospel message that he fails to fairly present any altermative view.
It can be argued that Jesus did not call for societal activism, but rather individual loving acts, that He did not call for resistance but rightous living, that he did not expect the condition of man to improve ("The poor will always be with us.") but came to save man's soul instead. Indeed, though He promised persecution and even death for His sake, have the persectution and deaths of so many Latin American activists advanced the plight of the poor more than quiet safe water progams and educational assistance of US Catholic Relief Services for instance. Brown's inability to evenly present this proposition, unfairly influences young minds and greatly impairs this works usefluness. To call it a theological treatise is a mockery of real theological inquiry. Brown would have been better off calling it what it is--a collection of stories about the Latin American roots of Liberation Theology and his own "feeling" that this is the call of the Ministry of Jesus. |
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Details: The author, Robert McAfee Brown, states that his goal for this book is to bear witness to the extraordinary faith of Latin American Catholics who participate in the Liberation movement (20). He has been, no doubt, successful in his objective. This text is intriguing more for its intent (a "call to action" for first-world readers) rather than for its main content (an introductory description of Liberation Theology-primarily in Latin America). The reader of this book will find many entreaties to action on behalf of the oppressed peoples of the world, many of whom reside in our "backyard"-the poor urban areas of North American cities (94). Brown does a commendable job of keeping the topic interesting through the consistent intermingling of real-life anecdotes with theological and historical descriptions. Perhaps the most impressive characteristic of this book is the fact that it reads more like a story than a theological text. In most non-fiction books, there are some areas that stand out more than others. This book is no exception. The introduction, for example, carries several stories of actual people who have suffered horrible atrocities in some areas of Central America. These real-life stories help the reader to understand the type of political, economic, and social oppression that a majority of Latin American people must deal with daily. Accordingly, it becomes more realistic for the reader to understand what a powerful "liberator" the Liberation movement has become for the lay Catholic in many parts of Latin America. The base church communities that have evolved to support the critical needs of the oppressed are much more than a reflection of a "professional" theological movement as we might, at first, guess. On the contrary, the roles are reversed. It is these base communities, providing for the needs of people, through which Liberation Theology-the subject-has evolved. So then, Liberation Theology as an academic field, is a mere reflection of how oppressed Christians respond-epistemologically and ecclesiologically-to the institutionalized oppression with which they must deal. Brown notes that "It is not enough to read books about poverty; commitment means encountering poor people" (56). Liberation Theology, therefore, can only be truly understood and practiced through and with the lives of oppressed peoples. Again, the real value of this book comes in Brown's consistent appeals to his readers for action in support of oppressed people groups. In fact, he even lists steps that we might take to truly "practice" Liberation Theology even while in the midst of our comfortable, first-world environment (116-120). If the reader is interested, the author's Endnotes and Section on Discussion Questions are both helpful and useful for further research. |
out of 5 Reviews
