Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
History, Politics and International Relations
First Advisor
John Harles
Recommended Citation
Preudhomme, Katherine, "Liberation Theology: The Power of Religion in Revolutionary Movements" (2020). Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate. 404.
https://mosaic.messiah.edu/honors/404
Comments
In the 1960s, a new theological perspective emerged within the Catholic Church in Latin America. This socially oriented understanding of faith – liberation theology – challenged the traditional alliance between the Church and political elites. It proclaimed that God stands with the poor and oppressed throughout history, working to liberate them from unjust economic and political situations. It called on the Church to actively stand with the poor to promote this liberation. In Nicaragua, liberation theology drove many to participate in the revolutionary struggle in the 1970s. Ultimately, the experience of liberation theology within Nicaragua shows that religion is not inherently conservative, it can play an important role within revolutionary social movements.