More on Liberation Theology

Those who know me understand that I highly value ministry among the poor. I have a strong belief that the church has not given adequate attention to those in need. I often remark, "The people Jesus paid most attention to while He walked the earth are the very ones the church pays least attention to today."

That brings us back to Liberation Theology. An honest look reveals that the Liberation Theology being espoused in numerous pulpits across our country today, has its roots in the Liberation Theology born out of the tumultuous revolutions of the 1950's in Latin America; revolutions laced with marxist and socialist thought.

It is understandable why so many gravitate toward the idea neatly termed "distribution of the wealth." Instead of praising this as a generous, altruistic, and revolutionary practice however, we have to call it what it is; selfish, self-serving and controlling. Let's look at it from a "Jesus perspective." Honestly answer the following questions;

1. Did Jesus do or say anything that would cause his followers to think sin was not a matter of personal responsibility?
2. Do we find Jesus in the New Testament defining salvation as affiliation with a new social order?
3. Was Jesus in any way ambiguous about His deity and confession that He is God?

I hope you answered "no" to each of the questions. Honest liberationist would have to give an "affirmative" response to each question. The fact that they either ignore or reject the teachings of Jesus should be very telling. Jesus absolutely, positively, did not teach anything remotely resembling the philosophy, ideology, and theology of liberationists. Was Jesus concerned about the poor? Yes! Did Jesus give significant attention to the poor? Certainly! Did Jesus speak harshly of those who would oppress the poor? Can you say, "WOE TO HIM!"

In their book, Spiritual Mentoring, Anderson and Reese write, "The Christian faith is an imitative faith. It always has been. The life of Jesus Christ must be seen and held as the unique model worthy of imitation for Christians, 'Follow me' may be the simplest description of Christian spirituality that exists anywhere, but the simplicity is deceptive. This simple command assumes a complex relationship through which one becomes educated for the reign of God."

There is much more to say but I will end with this. "Be a Jesus imitator and not a man follower."


stay of the paved road…

--craig