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Mary and Human Liberation

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Mary and Human Liberation 1 Mary and Human Liberation by Tissa Balasuriya, o.m.i. Dedication to my mother VICTORIA BALASURIYA (1901-1985) The congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate And all the women who have enriched my life. Chapter 1 Mary in Catholic Devotion Chapter 2 Mary in Traditional Theology. Chapter – 3 NEED OF A RENEWED MARIAN THEOLOGY A. Development of Theology/Doctrine The development of theology and spirituality In the Catholic Church presents an interesting example of Change and continuity, of a claim to infallibility and the fact of the transformation of doctrine and practice. This raises the question of how changes in theology, even in doctrine, take place. Is it always an evolution in the same direction, or are there changes that are a contradiction of a previous position? What are the criteria for such changes? Who is entitled to make them? How do changes come about? How prepared are local churches for changes that take place in the universal church? How can we convince ourselves and others that we are holding the same view always and not changing our thinking due to reasons which are not d faith and theology? Is it not a fact that sometimes changes in practice precede changes in thinking and teaching? This is a slow and painful process in which there can be much pain before the new light dawns. This can be seen in the case of the church’s attitude towards religious freedom. 2 “For most of the church’s history only rarely were Christians able even so much as to tolerate other religions, and they were almost never able to tolerate other forms of their own religion (heresies).” “Notions of genuine human freedom as a religious right were soundly rejected by Popes Gregory XVI, Plus IX and Leo XIII because in their view these notions were inextricably bound up with indifferentism and rationalism. Nevertheless, in practice, if not in theory, Catholics took a far more tolerant view of Protestants. In this century the rise of totalitarian regimes of both the right and the left, the destruction of two world wars, and growing global consciousness helped religious leaders to focus on human dignity, the inviolable rights of the human person, the nature of human community and its relation to the state, and other issues affecting human solidarity. It was in this context, too, that Popes Pius XI, Pius XII, and John XXIII moved towards the acceptance of the ideals of human dignity and freedom consonant with the teachings of the 1 church.” In the 19th century the central leadership of the Catholic Church had long term objections to accepting democracy and liberty even in civil society, especially due to the French Revolution. Then authority was said to so come from God that it could not be from the people. The objection to the socialistic demands for societal reforms was even more deep seated, till the historic encyclical of Leo XIII on the “Condition of the Working Classes” in 1891. Even this encyclical was very much down-played in many churches during several decades. The changes in the situation of colonial peoples after their independence made the churches reconsider the attitude towards other religions. Now due to much work for consciousness raising in some local churches, the Catholics have changed to be among the foremost defenders of democratic rights and of free and fair elections as in the Philippines in 1986. B. Some Recent Trends in Theology In the renewal of Catholic theology in the second half of the 20th century, especially after Vatican II, various issues have been taken up in different regions according to their concerns and needs. The earlier renewal was in Western Europe following the Enlightenment, with the studies in biblical interpretation and hermeneutics. They reflected on the mission of the Church in the context of European rationalism, Modernism, Darwin, Marx and Freud and the growing secularization in the West. They were reaping the fruit of decades of biblical studies based on linguistic, cultural and historical analysis. In the United States, with their experience of the separation of church and state, John Courtenay Murray, perhaps the strongest theological proponent of religious freedom in the church, led in the rethinking on the relationships between church and state and the need of religious tolerance. He had a principal impact in the formulation 1 John Linnan, CSV, on “Liberty, religious” in the New Dictionary of Theology, TPI, Bangalore, 1993 pp. 578-579. 3 of the Vatican II “Declaration on Religious Liberty” which recognized that the dignity of the human person consists in his responsible use of freedom. In Germany Johannes Metz, agonized by the experience of the horrors of Nazism, developed a “political theology”, emphasizing the need of witnessing to Christian values in the social and political spheres also. Such thinking had much impact on the Western countries and contributed to the growing commitment of Western Christians and churches to social justice, at least within their societies. The East-West cold war and the fear of nuclear annihilation motivated groups towards building up the peace movement, beyond denominational, religious and ideological boundaries. North America was foremost in the development of Black theology and feminist theology, both having Strands of a liberational approach. Black Theology originated in North American with the consciousness of Black people there that they were discriminated against on the basis of colour. They showed how the scriptures and church practice had been interpreted to justify White supremacy. They regarded this as a betrayal of the gospel in a racist manner. They advanced the concept and liturgies of a Black Church. Their theologizing was linked to and influenced by the struggles of the US Blacks led by Martin Luther King in a non-violent campaign and by Stokely Carmicheal developing “Black power”, James H. Cone, Gayraud S. Wilmore and Camel West were pioneers of Black Theology. Black theology was later developed in Africa and the Caribbean linked to liberation theology, feminist theology and Asian theologies. The struggles in North America against racism, poverty and the Vietnam War led to a rethinking of church life and the growth of peace education and non-violent strategies. Latin American liberation theologians took the discussion much further with the full scale elaboration of their liberation theology. Their starting point of theology was, in addition to scriptural studies, the experience of the social exploitation of a whole continent during several centuries, and especially their domination by the capitalist North. They applied social analysis to theology and spirituality. They stressed the secular and social spheres as arenas for the realization or the values of the kingdom of God preached and promoted by Jesus Christ. The praxis of Jesus, with his option for the poor and marginalized reveals God’s concern and will for the liberation of humankind. The liberation spirituality sees the human struggle against oppression as a way of union with God. The life of the church had therefore to be directed towards participation in such struggles, especially by the organization of basic Christian communities. Peruvian Gustavo Guttierez, Brazilian Leonardo Boff, EI Salvadorian Jon Sobrino, Uruguayan Juan Luis Segundo are among their well known men and women theologians. 4 Liberation theology has had an impact throughout the world. It has influenced the magisterium or the Catholic Church as Christian freedom and liberation are 2 accepted as legitimate and necessary concerns of the church. The feminist theologians bring in the dimension of gender analysis of Christian life and thought in every area of life and study. This is a growing movement that has now a quasi-universal and radical questioning or almost all aspects of theology and spirituality. The starting point of feminist theological reflection is the acute consciousness of the systematic exclusion of women from leadership in the life of the church. They have been excluded from the study of theology, and hence from teaching and ministry as well as administration in the church. From this reflection they see that theology and spirituality have been conditioned to legitimize male domination throughout centuries. Three dimensions of the development of feminist theology are the demonstration of the androcentric and misogynist bias in the whole of church life including scripture and theological tradition. Secondly, they try to draw up alternative norms and sources of tradition to challenge these biases. This is a process of deconstruction of traditional theology and spirituality. Thirdly they seek a reconstruction and re-envisioning of the theological themes and life relationships to free them from biases against women. Now there are numerous feminist theologians in all the Continents of the world. Various trends are rapidly developing within this movement. Some radically question whether a male God can be a liberator for women. Thus Mary Daly repudiates the possibility of the reform of the Christian tradition and seeks a new spirituality. Rosemary R. Ruether, Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza are among the leading Catholic feminist theologians from North America. There is also a trend for a more holistic spirituality that seeks to transcend difference and divisions of gender and make common cause with the other struggles of humanity today such as for the preservation of the environment. Marian theology is also developed by several feminist theologians as seen in the latter part of this book. Theological rethinking is now developing very much in Asia and Africa, especially since emancipation from colonial rule. In Africa the accent has been on Issues such as African culture, family and community values, traditional religions, relation to ancestors, poverty and liberation from discrimination on the basis of race and tribe. The relationship with Islam is a dimension of Christian reflection and life in most African countries.
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