Latin American liberation theology: Does it fit in the schema of African theology of reconstruction?

Julius M Gathogo

doi:10.4102/ve.v42i1.2103

Abstract

Three decades after the proposal for a shift of theological paradigm, from liberation to reconstruction in an African context (1990-2020), it is worthwhile to ask: Was this proposal timely? Did the proposal speak for other related theologies of liberation in the majority-world such as Black theology of North America and more specifically, Latin American liberation theology? In this proposal, African theologies of liberation were urged to embrace this shift as the new norm. Such African theologies includes: African theology (the mother), Black theology of South Africa, and African women’s theology among others. Hence the proposal was contextual in that Africa was moving towards total independence from ‘Pharaohs’ who had colonised Africa since the Berlin conference of 1885/1886. With the African agenda appearing to have been taken care of, it is worthwhile to ask: Does this ‘well-taken care of’ African agenda mean anything to other liberationists theologians in the majority-world such as the Latin American liberation theology? This article sets on the premise that liberation theology can be done within reconstruction theology and vice versa, and as the situation and context demands. Hence, it is possible to cry for ‘liberation’ when in reality, it is liberation to reconstruct and/or liberation to consolidate the gains of previous liberation hence reconstruction. In its method and design, the article reviews the existing literature while making a critical analysis on matters under consideration.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article explores the notion of reconstruction in an African context and gives it a global dimension by drawing from other contemporary theologies of the Majority-World such as Latin American theology and Black theology of North America. It involves the disciplines of Systematic theology, Contemporary theology, Liberation and Reconstruction theologies, and Missiology.

Highlights

The General Committee of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) oversaw the remaking of African theological discourses with Jesse Mugambi, the renowned Kenyan philosophertheologian and others
Most of its early interpreters did not even hold advanced academic degrees’9 (Cone 1985:6). Seen from this light, both the South African Black theology and the North American Black theology came into being in their respective contexts of struggle, which began from a time earlier than when Latin America’s Gustavo Gutierrez published his famous book on liberation, A Theology of Liberation in 1973 (Cone 1985:6)
The article set out to explore Latin American liberation theology and its potential to fit in the schema of African theology of reconstruction

Summary

Introduction

The General Committee of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) oversaw the remaking of African theological discourses with Jesse Mugambi, the renowned Kenyan philosophertheologian and others. Mugambi (1989:53) goes on to say that the Christian theology of liberation emerged first in Latin America and amongst the people of the African diaspora in the United States It emerged in the continent of Africa, especially in the South. Most of its early interpreters did not even hold advanced academic degrees’ (Cone 1985:6) Seen from this light, both the South African Black theology and the North American Black theology came into being in their respective contexts of struggle, which began from a time earlier than when Latin America’s Gustavo Gutierrez published his famous book on liberation, A Theology of Liberation in 1973 (Cone 1985:6). This provides us with a clear picture of the missionary-coloniser factor as a background to the quests for liberation, as is the case with sub-Saharan Africa

Methodology in doing Latin American theology

Conclusion and analysis

Data availability statement