Oscar Romero and Liberation Theology Notes

Notes on the Biography

• between 1950-1960, the government in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico supported industrial development, benefiting the working class, but threw into deeper poverty
• many military dictatorships arose from populist governments
• all the nations of the West were rapidly developing while some countries suffered greatly
• there was a connection between faith and poverty in many areas
• 1975: Liberation theology text written by Gustavo Gutierrez
• the objective of liberation theology was to have Christianl groups come together to achieve “integral liberation”
• liberation theology has to do with the relationship between the Christians (mainly in Latin America) and political activism (using religion to push for social and economic equality)
• First step: present liberation theology as a fundamental theology
• in Brazil, there have been movements towards black unity, civil rights, and overall seeking liberation for the poorest of the poor
• Romero died while in  mass 10  days after giving his final sernon
• Liberation theology

• went to Latin America in the 1960’s to challenge the Catholic Church
• Chruch has to identify as a help  to the poor
• Paulo Freire his of the Catholic hierarchy with the differences of rich and poor
• In 1968 Latin American Episocpal conference of the Liberation of theology
• Church involvent in all humans rights
• 1975: Liberation theology text written by Gustavo Gutierrez

Notes on Primary Source
Last Sermon
-Romero is the Archbishop of El Salvador
-he feels the world is forgetting about religion and bypassing the laws of God
-text is trying to make us aware of this
-he wants to revive Christianity
-his audience is those who push away religion
-today, laws of God seemed to be ignored, based on societal values today
-religion seems to be secondary to morals of society
-believes citizens are living in a struggle

-Preaches about Christianty

-Sheds light on social, political, and economical situation of the people
-the mission of Christianity:
-carry on the name of Christianity
-sustain it
-you can take part in other popular groups
-including government
-but you must not forget Christianity
-Romero describes many deaths in El Salvador
-he says the military is murdering their own kind of
-and the law of God says, “Thou shalt not kill”
-no one is to go against a law decreed by God-Romero is afraid that world is moving away from religion, and towards something new