- Journal Details
- Format
- Journal
- eISSN
- 2058-5969
- First Published
- 20 Sep 2020
- Publication timeframe
- 2 times per year
- Languages
- English
The Liberation theology movement remains relevant today not only because different marginalised and oppressed groups around the world have realised God's instrumentality and preferential option through their experiences, but also because through it, older movements such as Methodism can be galvanised in their understanding and practice of holiness. Today's global economic and political conditions warrant a closer look at how a focus on communal holiness would benefit the greater Church and society. In this, I intend to put aspects of Methodism in dialogue with characteristics of Latin American liberation theology, resulting in, I hope, a better understanding of communal holiness for both. When viewed together, these two Christian movements offer symbiotic insights into ways Christians may enact spiritual practices of liberative mercy today. The Methodist tradition can learn from liberation theology about the active spirituality of ‘encountering God in the poor,’ while liberation theology may see in Methodism the value of disciplines and practices that activate this spirituality in the privileged, those who are not poor or oppressed. Liberative theologies are fundamentally about encountering God (specifically Christ himself) in the poor and oppressed, a perpetual historical experience that needs to be addressed by the Christian Church and the polis at large. As Jesus sadly notes, the poor are always with us (Mark 14:7), and perhaps he was hopeful they would always be centrally located and cared for in all his communities.
I will primarily focus on the words of John Wesley and Gustavo Gutiérrez, two of the most influential initiators of their respective movements: Methodism and Latin American liberation. While there are many respected theologians in both traditions, the words that inspired the original movements will provide the dialogue here. There are many liberation theologies that have developed worldwide for various oppressed groups in their own contexts.
See a few examples in the bibliography (in no particular order): James Cone (African American theology), Rosemary Radford Reuther (feminist theology), Kelly Brown Douglas (womanist theology), Peter Cheng (queer theology), John Mbiti (African theology), Mercy Amba Oduyoye (African women's theology), Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz (Mujerista theology), Kwok Pui-Lan (Asian feminist theology), David Kwang sun Suh (Korean Minjung theology), and there are many more.
With the above in mind, in the first section of this piece I will first assert that the Wesleyan ‘means of grace’ by ‘works of mercy’ is a similar concept to ‘encountering God in the poor and oppressed.’ Works of mercy are often-overlooked Methodist disciplines of encountering God. Next, I will focus on traits of liberation spirituality as it has emerged in Latin America, with an emphasis on the poor, with comparisons to Methodism. The concluding section attempts to answer the question that emerges from the intersection of the two traditions: How do I practice this grace, especially if I am not poor? ‘Encountering God in the poor’ as a Wesleyan ‘means of grace’ requires disciplines, methods, or practices for the privileged in society to further God's reign here on earth. This conclusion seeks to highlight insights for the universal Christian Church with political and economic implications on the potential for communal holiness.
As a Methodist, I view the encounter with the poor as one of God's ‘means of grace.’ John Wesley understood the means of grace to be ‘outward signs, words, or actions’ that are ‘ordinary channels’ by which God works to convey grace.
J. Wesley, Ibid. Ibid., 6–15. J. Wesley, ‘On the Spiritual Way of Salvation,’ in J. Sobrino, G. Gutiérrez, Ibid., 109–110; see also M. Griffin and J. W. Block, eds., Ibid., 109–112.
The Wesleyan ‘means of grace’ listed above are works of piety (personal and corporate disciplines directed primarily toward loving God), but the ‘means of grace’ also include works of mercy (personal and corporate disciplines directed primarily toward loving neighbours). Gutiérrez insists that the experience of God's gratuitous love is an inseparable ‘twofold movement’ of our relationship with God and of true communion with the other, both through Jesus Christ.
Gutiérrez Ibid., 111. Wesley, ‘On Visiting the Sick’ in
For John Wesley, the end purpose of practicing God's ways of sanctifying grace was to achieve perfect holiness, an unmitigated love for God and neighbor.
Ibid., ‘On Perfection,’ 745–747. Ibid., ‘On Zeal,’ 885. Gutiérrez, Ibid., 83–85.
Wesleyan ‘means of grace’ are a way to know the identity and presence of God and allow Christians to become sanctified or perfected in holiness to further the reign of God.
Wesley, ‘On working out our Salvation’ in
Twentieth-century liberation theologians such as Gutiérrez have called for renewed emphasis and attention to the way God conveys presence through the poor and oppressed. God's preferential option for the poor is a major liberation tenet, based on scripture such as Luke 4:16–20 and Matthew 25:35–6.
G. Gutiérrez, Wesley, ‘On Visiting the Sick,’ 931–932. Gutiérrez,
Using multiple scriptures in the Old and New Testaments (mainly from the Exodus story, the prophets, and the Gospels), liberation theologians have shown God's preference and presence in working justice and mercy on behalf of the oppressed and poor. Liberation theologians note that the major theme running through the whole Bible is God's self-revelation in the context of conflict, with God always siding with the subjugated; and, that this revelation finds expression today in the religious life of oppressed peoples who are seeking their liberation.
Gutiérrez, C. Myers,
According to Gutiérrez, ‘spirituality is a concrete manner, inspired by the Spirit, of the living Gospel; it is a definite way of living “before the Lord,” in solidarity with all human beings, “with the Lord,” and before humanity.’
Gutiérrez, Wesley, ‘On the Scriptural Way of Salvation,’ 451. Myers,
Latin American liberation theology depends on the awareness of poor Christian communities, that their deadly impoverishment is incompatible with their life-giving Christian faith.
Gutiérrez, Ibid., 67–68. Gutiérrez, Wesley, ‘On Visiting the Sick,’ 932–935. Wesley, Gutiérrez, Ibid., 140.
Since God defends the life of the poor, Christians participating in this defence of those being slowly and violently crucified by their poverty would surely be a holy thing. Kinship or solidarity in accompanying the poor is holy because God resides in the poor, and the poor bring Jesus closer to the privileged.
Ibid., 111.
As a means of grace, God allows the privileged in society an encounter with the divine through actions of solidarity with the poor and oppressed. Christians can participate in God's reign of love and be sanctified through works of mercy with the poor. For liberation theologians, the Bible and the church are interpreted as historical and political, envisioning the end goal as the full Reign of God.
Gutiérrez, Gutiérrez, Gutiérrez,
Liberation, as a work of mercy, is not a case for class warfare or human rights, but a recognition that Jesus wants everyone to be free to love, including oppressors.
Ibid., 82. Ibid. Myers,
Many of today's Christians seem to be more closely connected to state authorities that cause oppression, and many local churches do not seem to appreciate social liberation for the lives of all members.
This is my own opinion, as some churches are part of the state institutionally (in northern Europe), and some denominations are recognised as ‘state religions’ (e.g., Roman Catholicism in some Latin American countries). The United States, which is constitutionally obligated to not establish a state religion, is nevertheless heavily influenced by Christians (e.g., the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning abortion). Gutiérrez, Gutiérrez, Ibid., pp. 97–98.
The privileged in society can be transformed by encountering God in the poor, by serving with the poor and participating in their struggle. Liberation theologians claim poverty equals death; it is a physical death because of the lack of food, housing, healthcare, employment, and education, as well as a cultural death from a lack of respect for human dignity and unjust sociopolitical constraints.
Gutiérrez, Ibid., 162–170.
John Wesley notes that ‘one reason why the rich, in general, have so little sympathy for the poor, is, because they so seldom visit them […] many of them do not know, because they do not care to know: they keep out of the way of knowing it; and then plead their voluntary ignorance an excuse for their hardness of heart.’
Wesley, ‘On Visiting the Sick,’ 933. Francis,
This is not a private enterprise, as encountering God in the poor is social, resulting in personal and communal holiness. John Wesley proclaimed ‘the Gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness.’
J. Wesley, Gutiérrez, Gutiérrez,
The focus of communal holiness for perfection
This article has focused on two architects of their respective movements, Gustavo Gutiérrez for liberation theology and John Wesley for Methodism. Using differing language, I have attempted to show they were often very similar in their views of the ‘means of grace,’ ‘works of mercy,’ ‘perfecting holiness,’ and ‘encountering God in the poor and oppressed.’ Holiness is social, it is communal. If Christians are to perfect the love of God and love of others in order to be sanctified (made holy), they must do it together. This holiness can be activated through works of mercy for the poor and oppressed. For both Methodists and liberation advocates, communal holiness requires active participation by the privileged for the welfare of those economically, politically, and socially deprived. Methodists have offered valuable contributions towards creating methods, practices, and habits for personal holiness and works of piety. Now is the time for Methodists to be more deliberate in the focus on works of mercy and communal holiness. As global economic situations grow more dire, a focus on the poor can only help all of us.
Liberation theology, in the Latin American context, remains relevant today, to challenge and reveal a significant area of growth for Methodists in their way of faith. The words of liberation theologians will have major social and political implications for any community that exercises active participation in holiness of others as a means of grace. There is much more to explore, as many theologians on liberation theology and Methodism have written about their respective spiritualities, and some have noticed the similarities.
For example, James Cone, another architect of liberation theology, had a Methodist background.