Actions Of The Christian Social Agent

(Tina)Theresa Hannah-Munns
Liberation Theology
Peter Bisson
March 2nd, 2005


Gustavo Gutierrez (GG) describes many ways that the Christian social actor can participate in the process of liberation. He gives descriptions of both general and specialized actions that are currently being used or called for. Generally, these actions are based on the three levels of liberation GG described earlier and are acted upon when a Christian social actor sets out to learn the desires and actions of the oppressed and integrating a deeper understanding of the history of oppression, thus beginning to view critically the systematic causes of oppression found both within the world and within the Church itself. This is balanced by faith and the recognition that liberation comes from the scriptural that then moves one to be conscientious of her/his place as an active agent within the process, with her/his actions either supporting the process towards liberation or away from it. With integrity, one moves towards the goal of liberation as a Christian seeing that communion is possible between Christ, her/himself, and all of humanity. This is accomplished through utilizing “historical praxis” , socio-political knowledge, and through critical theological reflection.

Specifically, GG insists that lay people can take active part in lay apostolic groups, priests and bishops can commit to breaking ties to relationships with the oppressors and be prepared to become confrontational against all injustices, be ready to denounce band aid solutions with the faith that a new solution will arrive within the framework of a “Latin American socialism”, and that all must be “vitally aware of the social revolution in progress” . Above all, the Christian social agent must be prepared to handle ambiguity as part of the process , just as conflict will be a part. This is where courage that can only be sustained by integrity will allow for the liberation movement to create the social transformation necessary to overcome “the colonial mentality” and develop Latin America into contributors that are the “enrichment of the universal church”.