Proclaiming the reign of God in a suffering world: The movement from development to liberation

Abstract

Today’s missionary, whether long-term or short-term, church-based or part of a faith-based NGO, is faced with grinding poverty and the extreme isolation and marginalization of vulnerable populations. This article will develop a theological foundation that calls missionaries to address the root causes of poverty as a key element of proclaiming the Good News, and will conclude with specific and concrete recommendations for doing so. The article places liberation theology in dialogue with Catholic Social Teaching and with the experiences of faith-based development agencies. Particular attention is given to the work of Gustavo Gutiérrez and Pope Paul VI’s document, Populorum Progressio. The article will illustrate the ways that liberation theology has challenged Catholic Social Teaching in its thinking about how to respond to economic marginalization, insisting that charitable aid is insufficient and highlighting the difference between “development” and “liberation.”