Liberation Theology: The Radicalization of Social Catholic Movements

Abstract

This article argues that pre-existing networks and organizations were crucial to the development of liberation theology in Latin America. Drawing on concepts from social movement theory, I demonstrate that in the early and mid-twentieth century, the Catholic Churches in Brazil and Chile had favorable political opportunities, organizational resources, and insurgent consciousness which facilitated the rise of liberationist movements and organizations in both countries. For the case of Chile, data is drawn from forty interviews with Chilean activists and representatives of the Church with ties to social Catholic movements of the 1950s and 1960s. The article makes two contributions to the literature on liberation theology: (1) by placing lay activists at the center of analysis it offers a corrective to research which emphasizes the role of Church elites in the emergence of liberation theology; and (2) it demonstrates the importance of pre-existing networks and organizations for movement emergence. The article closes by examining the long-term consequences of activism and suggests directions for future research.