Father of Liberation Theology Welcomed at Vatican

Pope Francis & Gustavo Gutierrez

Gustavo Gutierrez, founder of Liberation Theology, was welcomed this week at the Vatican by Pope Francis. This is the second visit of Gutierrez to Rome during Francis’ papacy, and it marks the mainstreaming of the Catholic version of the social gospel. Liberation Theology seeks to analyze and solve the underlying cause of poverty rather than preach the gospel to the poor. It is a Marxist approach to the solving of societal ills. It is shortsighted, focusing on this present life rather than eternity. It blames poverty on capitalism. It focuses more on America as the cause of global social injustice than on Communism and petty dictatorships, even though America has lifted more people out of poverty than any communist government. “The literature of liberation theology consisted of the usual Marxist cant sprinkled with holy water, with unoriginal references to class struggle, oppression, imperialism, dependence, and especially how Latin America poverty was all the fault of capitalism emanating from the United States and western Europe” (Steven Hayward, “How Is Liberation Theology Still a Thing?” Forbes, May 10, 2015). The social gospel has become one of the major uniting factors of a one-world “church.” Even “evangelical” missionaries today tend to focus more on healing “social injustices” than preaching the gospel and building biblical churches, but there is no liberation theology or social gospel evident in the book of Acts.

(Friday Church News Notes, May 8, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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