6.2 Frameworks
6.2.1 The Framework of Liberation Theology and its Contribution
According to Rakoczy (2004), “Liberation theology was developed by Catholic male theologians who had studied in Europe but returned to their home countries to find that their theological reflection was not relevant to their context of poverty and military oppression.”240
240 Susan Rakoczy. 2004. pg. 5.
She goes on to state that in 1968, the Catholic bishops of Latin America, meeting in the city of Medellin in Columbia, took a prophetic stance by declaring that the Church must now make an option for the poor and take its place on the side of those experiencing poverty and
100 oppression.241 Similarly, Leonardo Boff and Clodovis Boff (1987) say, “Liberation theology was born when faith confronted the injustice done to the poor.”242 From this explanation, we can see that liberation theology arose out of deep compassion and critical reflection on the situation of the poor and the oppressed. Furthermore, Rakoczy states that Gustavo Gutierrez is the “father” of liberation theology who in his book, The Theology of Liberation sets out a new and radical interpretation of the method and content of theology from the side of the poor.243 As such, Gutierrez’s theology of liberation is based on the notion that the poor and oppressed need liberation. According to Gutierrez and with reference to God and the poor,
“The God whom we know in the Bible is a liberating God, a God who destroys myths and alienations, a God who intervenes in history in order to break down the structures of injustices and who raises up prophets in order to point out the way of justice and mercy.”244
African women theologies primarily focus on the liberation of African women from oppressive religio-cultural, political and economic systems. They constitute a significant dimension of African theologies of liberation. Alongside their male counterparts, African women theologians struggle against Africa’s marginalisation in the global economic arena. However, they proceed to show how African women are the poorest of the poor.
This implies that liberation theology reveals God intervening for the poor and oppressed. God is proved as the God of justice. With its roots in America, the relevance of liberation theology is equally important in Africa because of the poverty that continues to dehumanise the majority of people. Focussing on how liberation theology is important in Africa and in particular for women, Chitando (2009) argues,
245
Thus, liberation theology is an adequate and efficient framework for the situation of St Alois Mission where women living with HIV and AIDS remain dehumanised by the situation of poverty as well as the situation of gender injustice. Liberation, therefore, is about taking seriously the concerns of the poor and also valuing what they think and allowing them to decide what is best for their transformation. Freire (1972) views the solution to liberation as a process that is initiated by the oppressed themselves. He says, “In order for the oppressed to be able to wage the struggle for their liberation, they must perceive the reality of oppression
241 Susan Rakoczy. 2004, pg. 5.
242 Leonard Boff and Clodovis Boff. 1987. pg. 3.
243 Susan Rakoczy. 2004, pg. 5.
244 Gustavo Gutierrez. 1973. pg. 66.
245 Ezra Chitando. 2009, pg. 27.
101 not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a limiting situation which they can transform.”246
The poor can break out of their situation of oppression only by working out a strategy better able to change social conditions: a strategy of liberation. In liberation, the oppressed come together, come to understand their situation through the process of conscientization, discover the causes of their oppression, organise themselves into movements, and act in a coordinated fashion.
Similarly, Boff and Boff (1987) share the view that:
247
Focussing directly on the liberation process of women in Church, Rakoczy adds, “Women in the Church are called to recognise clearly the situation of oppression in both church and society and, as members of the People of God, to exercise their power for change and transformation.”248
In order for women to act for justice and liberation in their own contexts they must experience within themselves a growing freedom from both the internal shackles of self- doubt and the external barriers which have sought to keep women in “their place”.
She further adds that,
249
In view of the meaning of liberation theology, the situation of the women of St Alois, therefore, calls for liberation, as this situation dehumanises them to a state that leaves them vulnerable. With liberation in place, women of St Alois will also need to be empowered in a way that can improve and develop their standard of living in a way that can help them to be self-sustaining. Small scale projects like gardening, poultry, piggery, sewing, cooking, buying and selling groceries or any other helpful and relevant projects to their area could be some of the examples that can be helpful. Therefore the issue of empowerment helps in fulfilling the true meaning of liberation. At this point, we bring in an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model to help make a remarkable transformation for women living with HIV and AIDS.
This implies that liberation empowers the poor to liberate themselves rather than waiting for other people to liberate them from the surrounding oppressive structures. Thus, women are encouraged to take up the stage and be on the fore-front in pushing for transformation in the area of liberation.
246 Paulo Freire. 1972. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. London: Penguin Books, pg. 34.
247 Leonard Boff and Clodovis Boff, pg. 5.
248 Susan Rakoczy. 2004, pg 219.
249 Susan Rakoczy. 2004, pg. 386.
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