View source for Liberation theology

{{Short description|Christian theological approach emphasizing the liberation of the oppressed}}
{{Distinguish|Liberal Christianity|Religious liberalism}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2020}}
{{page numbers needed|date=October 2025}}
{{Historical Christian theology}}

'''Liberation theology''' is a [[Christian theology|Christian theological]] approach emphasizing the liberation of the oppressed. The term originated among Latin American Catholic theologians in the 1960s, and it has increasingly been used to describe similar approaches in other parts of the globe. It often engages in [[socio-economic]] analyses, and emphasizes social concern for those marginalized due to their social class, race, ethnicity, gender, etc.

== History ==
{{Christian socialism sidebar}}
 
Liberation theologies were first being discussed in the [[Latin America]]n context, especially within Catholicism in the 1960s after the [[Second Vatican Council]]. There, it became the political [[Praxis (process)|praxis]] of theologians such as [[Frei Betto]], [[Gustavo Gutiérrez]], [[Leonardo Boff]], and [[Jesuits]] [[Juan Luis Segundo]] and [[Jon Sobrino]], who popularized the phrase "[[option for the poor|preferential option for the poor]]".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chaves |first1=João |editor1-last=Hunt |editor1-first=Stephen J. |title=Handbook of Global Contemporary Christianity: Themes and Developments in Culture, Politics, and Society |date=2015 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-26538-7 |pages=113–128 |chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004291027_007 |chapter=Latin American Liberation Theology: The Creation, Development, Contemporary Situation of an On-Going Movement |doi=10.1163/9789004291027_007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author-last=Løland |author-first=Ole Jakob |date=July 2021 |title=The Solved Conflict: Pope Francis and Liberation Theology |url=https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s41603-021-00137-3.pdf |editor-last=Usarski |editor-first=Frank |journal=International Journal of Latin American Religions |volume=5 |issue=2 |location=[[Berlin]] |publisher=[[Springer Nature]] |pages=287–314 |doi=10.1007/s41603-021-00137-3 |doi-access=free |issn=2509-9957 |eissn=2509-9965 |access-date=July 31, 2021 |archive-date=September 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909175058/http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s41603-021-00137-3.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{blockquote|The option for the poor is simply the idea that, as reflected in canon law, "The Christian faithful are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor." It indicates an obligation, on the part of those who would call themselves Christian, first and foremost to care for the poor and vulnerable.<ref name="Dault 46">{{Cite journal|last= Dault|first=Kira|date= January 22, 2015 |title=What Is the Preferential Option for the Poor?|url= https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201501/what-preferential-option-poor-29649|journal=[[Claretians#Publications|U.S. Catholic]] |volume=80|page =46 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200710124100/https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201501/what-preferential-option-poor-29649 |archive-date=July 10, 2020}}</ref>}}

Its roots can be traced to precursors like [[Catholic Action]] and the influence of the Second Vatican Council, which inspired new approaches to addressing systemic poverty and inequality in Latin America.<ref name=":1">{{cite book |editor-last=Büschges |editor-first=Christian |editor-first2=Andrea |editor-last2=Müller |editor-first3=Noah |editor-last3=Oehri |title=Liberation Theology and the Others: Contextualizing Catholic Activism in 20th Century Latin America |location=Lanham |publisher=Lexington Books |year=2021}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last=Chávez |first=Joaquín M. |title=Catholic Action, the Second Vatican Council, and the Emergence of the New Left in El Salvador (1950-1975) |journal=The Americas |volume=70 |issue=3 |year=2014 |pages=459–487 |doi=10.1017/S0003161500003990 |jstor=43189194}}</ref> While its theological framework centers on interpreting the Gospel through the lens of the oppressed, liberation theology also drew from broader socialist and anti-imperialist movements.

Latin America also produced [[Protestantism|Protestant]] advocates of liberation theology, such as [[Rubem Alves]],<ref>{{cite book |last= Alves |first= Rubem A. |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=jVVjngEACAAJ |title= Towards a Theology of Liberation |publisher= Princeton Theological Seminary |year= 1988 |access-date= May 4, 2021 |archive-date= June 14, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220614165239/https://books.google.com/books?id=jVVjngEACAAJ |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=July 21, 2014 |title= Rubem Alves – Liberation Theology Pioneer|url= http://criticaltherapy.org/rubem-alves-liberation-theology-pioneer/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113221938/http://criticaltherapy.org/rubem-alves-liberation-theology-pioneer/ |archive-date=January 13, 2015|access-date=May 21, 2020|website= Critical Therapy Center|location= New York, NY}}</ref> [[José Míguez Bonino]], and [[C. René Padilla]], who in the 1970s called for [[integral mission]], emphasizing [[evangelism]] and [[social responsibility]].

The movement's theoretical foundations draws heavily from Marxist social analysis, particularly its critique of structural inequality and class oppression. While liberation theology does not adopt Marxism wholesale, its use of concepts like class struggle and the critique of global capitalism has led to significant controversy within the Church. Pope John Paul II and the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later [[Pope Benedict XVI]]), criticized the movement for what they perceived as excessive politicization and alignment with communist ideologies.<ref name=":4">{{cite book |editor-last=Rowland |editor-first=Christopher |title=The Cambridge Companion to Liberation Theology |edition=2nd |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2007}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

Despite this opposition, liberation theology influences political and social movements across Latin America. It was a driving force in the rise of grassroots ecclesial communities ({{langx|es|comunidades eclesiales de base}}), which mobilizes marginalized populations to advocate for land reform, labor rights, and democratic governance. These communities often serve as spaces for political consciousness-raising, blending religious practices with calls for systemic change. Liberation theology has been particularly influential in countries like El Salvador, where figures such as Archbishop [[Óscar Romero]] became symbols of resistance against military regimes and human rights abuses.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Theologies of liberation have also developed in other parts of the world such as [[black theology]] in the [[United States]] and [[South Africa]], [[Palestinian liberation theology]], [[Dalit theology]] in [[India]], [[Minjung theology]] in [[South Korea]], as well as liberation theology in [[Ireland]].

In South Africa, the movement's principles resonated with Christian opposition to [[apartheid]], providing a theological framework for resistance against racial oppression. The writings of theologians like Allan Boesak and Desmond Tutu show how liberation theology shaped anti-apartheid activism, emphasizing themes of reconciliation, justice, and the moral imperative to dismantle systemic racism.<ref name=":5">{{cite book |last=Mor |first=Jessica Stites |chapter=Liberation Theology and Apartheid |title=South-South Solidarity and the Latin American Left |pages=131–166 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |year=2022 |doi=10.2307/j.ctv264f9mb.10}}</ref> Similarly, liberationist ideas influenced Islamic thought, notably through figures like [[Ali Shari'ati]] in Iran, who adapted these principles to critique Western imperialism and promote economic justice within a [[Shi’a]] framework.<ref name=":6">{{cite book |last=Altinors |first=Gorkem |chapter=‘Property Belongs to Allah, Capital, Get Out!’ Turkey’s Anti-Capitalist Muslims and the Concept of Alternatives to Capitalism |title=Postcapitalist Futures: Political Economy Beyond Crisis and Hope |editor-first=Adam |editor-last=Fishwick |editor-first2=Nicholas |editor-last2=Kiersey |pages=108–125 |publisher=Pluto Press |year=2021 |doi=10.2307/j.ctv1n9dkkw.8}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{cite journal |author=Dian Topan Arif Pribadi |title=Religious Socialism: The Cross-Pollination of Islamic Spirituality and Western Socialism in 'Liberation Theology' of Dr. Ali Shari'ati's Thought |journal=Al-Risalah |volume=14 |issue=1 |year=2023 |pages=194–225 |doi=10.34005/alrisalah.v14i1.2432|doi-broken-date=November 1, 2025 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

While its prominence has waned since its height in the 1970s and 1980s, liberation theology continues to influence contemporary theological and social movements. In the context of globalization, its critique of neoliberal policies and emphasis on solidarity among oppressed groups remain relevant. Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, has drawn from liberationist ideas, particularly in his advocacy for economic justice and environmental stewardship, as seen in his encyclical ''Laudato Si’''. This development signals a renewed engagement with the movement’s principles within the institutional Church.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":8">{{cite book |editor-last=van der Linden |editor-first=Marcel |title=The Cambridge History of Socialism |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2022}}</ref>

Liberation theology's legacy also includes its impact on academic discourse, where it has fostered interdisciplinary approaches to theology, sociology, and political science. Scholars have analyzed its role in decolonizing knowledge and creating counter-hegemonic narratives, particularly within the Global South. This scholarship highlights the movement’s enduring relevance in addressing systemic inequality and advocating for transformative social change.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" />

Despite its contributions, liberation theology has faced significant criticism. Some within the Catholic Church questioned its alignment with Marxist ideologies, particularly its use of class analysis and its perceived politicization of theology.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> Others argue that its political activism blurred the boundaries between religion and politics, raising concerns about the church's role in revolutionary movements.<ref name=":5" /> Nevertheless, it has left a lasting legacy, inspiring contemporary movements that challenge systemic injustice. Its influence extends to ongoing critiques of global capitalism,<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":8" /> solidarity efforts across the Global South,<ref name=":5" /> and theological reimaginings that prioritize the voices of the oppressed.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":7" /> As a movement that bridges faith and activism, liberation theology continues to serve as a powerful call to action for those seeking to reconcile spirituality with the fight for a more equitable world.<ref name=":4" /> Today, liberation theology’s legacy endures in contemporary critiques of global capitalism and as a source of inspiration for ongoing struggles for justice.

=== Latin America ===
{{Main|Latin American liberation theology}}
Liberation theology developed within the [[Catholic Church]] in [[Latin America]] in the 1960s, as a reaction to the poverty and [[social injustice]] in the region, which [[United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean|CEPAL]] deemed the [[Wealth inequality in Latin America|most unequal in the world]].<ref>{{Cite book|url= https://www.cepal.org/es/publicaciones/2593-proteccion-social-inclusiva-america-latina-mirada-integral-un-enfoque-derechos|title= Protección social inclusiva en América Latina : una mirada integral, un enfoque de derechos|date= March 1, 2011|publisher= CEPAL|language= es|isbn= 978-921054555-6|access-date= November 11, 2020|archive-date= January 9, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210109102223/https://www.cepal.org/es/publicaciones/2593-proteccion-social-inclusiva-america-latina-mirada-integral-un-enfoque-derechos|url-status= live}}</ref> The term was coined in 1971 by the [[Peruvian]] priest [[Gustavo Gutiérrez]], who wrote one of the movement's defining books, ''[[A Theology of Liberation]]''. Other exponents include [[Leonardo Boff]] of Brazil, and Jesuits [[Jon Sobrino]] of [[El Salvador]] and [[Juan Luis Segundo]] of Uruguay.<ref>Richard P. McBrien, ''Catholicism'' (Harper Collins, 1994), chapter IV.</ref><ref>Gustavo Gutierrez, ''A Theology of Liberation'', 1st (Spanish) ed. Lima, Peru, 1971; 1st English ed. [[Orbis Books]] (Maryknoll, New York), 1973.</ref>

Latin American liberation theology influenced parts of the [[Evangelicalism in the United States|evangelical movement]] and Catholic bishops in the United States.<ref name="chomsky">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNDG7ErY-k4 |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/SNDG7ErY-k4| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Chomsky on Religion |last=Travis Kitchens |date= June 21, 2010|access-date= October 17, 2017|via= YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Its reliance on "[[Marxism#Concepts|Marxism]]" led in the mid-1980s to an admonition by the [[Holy See|Vatican]]'s [[Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]] (CDF).  While stating that "in itself, the expression 'theology of liberation' is a thoroughly valid term",<ref>{{Cite web|title= Instruction on certain aspects of the "Theology of Liberation"|url= https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19840806_theology-liberation_en.html|access-date= July 10, 2020|publisher= Vatican|archive-date= June 27, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200627230819/http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19840806_theology-liberation_en.html|url-status= live}}</ref> the prefect [[Cardinal Ratzinger]] rejected certain forms of Latin American liberation theology for focusing on institutionalized or systemic sin and for identifying Catholic Church hierarchy in South America as members of the same privileged class that had long been oppressing Indigenous populations from the arrival of [[Francisco Pizarro|Pizarro]] onward.<ref name="Wojda, Paul J. 1995">Wojda, Paul J., "Liberation theology," in R.P. McBrien, ed., ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' (Harper Collins, 1995).</ref>

=== Black communities ===
{{Main|Black theology}}
More or less at the same time as the initial publications of Latin American liberation theology are also found voices of [[black theology|Black liberation theology]] and [[feminist theology|feminist liberation theology]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vuola|first1=Elina|date=2005|title=Liberation Theology|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/liberation_theology.aspx|journal=New Dictionary of the History of Ideas|language=en|access-date=January 15, 2015|archive-date=September 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160909125135/http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/liberation_theology.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> Black theology refers to a theological perspective which originated in some [[black church]]es in the [[United States]] and later in other parts of the world, which contextualizes [[Christianity]] in an attempt to help those of African descent overcome oppression. It especially focuses on the [[injustice]]s committed against [[African American]]s and black [[South African people|South Africans]] during [[Jim Crow laws|American segregation]] and [[Apartheid in South Africa|apartheid]], respectively.

Black theology seeks to liberate people of colour from multiple forms of political, social, economic, and religious subjugation and views [[Christian theology]] as a theology of liberation—"a rational study of the being of God in the world in light of the existential situation of an oppressed community, relating the forces of liberation to the essence of the Gospel, which is Jesus Christ," writes [[James H. Cone|James Hal Cone]], one of the original advocates of the perspective. Black theology mixes Christianity with questions of [[civil rights]], particularly as raised by the [[Black Power movement]] and the [[Black Consciousness Movement]].

=== Dalits ===
{{Main|Dalit theology}}
Dalit theology is a branch of Christian [[theology]] that emerged among the [[Dalit]] castes in the [[Indian subcontinent]] in the 1980s. It shares a number of themes with [[Latin American liberation theology]], which arose two decades earlier, including a self-identity as a people undergoing [[Exile|Exodus]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Rao|first=Anand|title=Soteriologies of India and their role in the perception of disability: a comparative transdisciplinary overview with reference to Hinduism and Christianity in India|publisher=LIT |year=2004|isbn=3-8258-7205-X|location=Berlin-Hamburg-Münster|pages=232|oclc=54973643}}</ref> Dalit theology sees hope in the "Nazareth Manifesto" of Luke 4,<ref>{{Bibleverse|Luke|4|NIV}}</ref> where [[Jesus]] speaks of preaching "good news to the poor ... freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind" and of releasing "the oppressed".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schouten|first=Jan Peter|title=Jesus as guru: the image of Christ among Hindus and Christians in India|publisher=Rodopi|year=2008|isbn=978-1-4356-9523-8|location=Amsterdam|pages=247|oclc=302001445}}</ref>

=== Palestinians ===
{{See also|Political theology in the Middle East#Palestinian liberation theology}}
[[Palestinian]] liberation theology is an expression of [[Political theology in the Middle East|political theology]] and a [[inculturation|contextual theology]] that represents an attempt by a number of independently working [[Palestinian Christian]] theologians from various denominations—mostly [[Protestant]] mainline churches—to articulate the gospel message in such a way as to make that liberating gospel relevant to the perceived needs of their Indigenous flocks. As a rule, this articulation involves a theological underpinning of Palestinian resistance to Israel as well as Palestinian national aspirations, and an intense valorization of Palestinian ethnic and cultural identity as guarantors of a truer grasp of the gospel by virtue of the fact that they are inhabitants of the land of Jesus and the [[Bible]]. The principal figure in Palestinian liberation theology is the [[Anglican]] cleric [[Naim Ateek]], founder of the [[Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center]] in [[Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ateek|first1=Naim|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QubYAAAAMAAJ|title=Justice, and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation|publisher=Orbis|year=1989|isbn=9780883445402|editor-last=Radford Reuther|editor-first=Rosemary|edition=3|location=The University of Michigan|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=June 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614165240/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Justice_and_Only_Justice/QubYAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Northern Ireland ===
In [[Ireland]], liberation theology has been associated with the ideas and praxis of the [[Belfast]] Roman Catholic priest [[Des Wilson (Irish Catholic priest)|Des Wilson]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Garland |first=Sidney |date=1986 |title=Liberation Theology and the Ulster Question |url=https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/jicsc/03-040.pdf |journal=Journal of the Irish Christian Study Centre |volume=3 |pages=(40–54), 44}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=McVeigh |first=Joe |title=Des Wilson: A Voice for the Poor & Oppressed |publisher=An Ceathrú Póilí |year=2020 |location=Belfast}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=December 7, 2019 |title=Fr Des Wilson obituary: Priest who fought oppression and injustice in North |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/fr-des-wilson-obituary-priest-who-fought-oppression-and-injustice-in-north-1.4107064 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>  Following the onset of the [[The Troubles|Northern Ireland Troubles]], Wilson defended the right of communities systematically failed by the state, the churches and other institutions to create "alternative education, alternative welfare, alternative theatre, broadcasting, theological and political discussion, public inquiries and much else". More controversially, citing the example of Brazilian archbishop [[Hélder Câmara]],<ref name=":02" /> he argued that this right extended to "alternative police and alternative armies".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=Des |title=The Way I see it: an Autobiography by Fr Des Wilson |publisher=Beyond the Pale Publications |year=2005 |isbn=1900960281 |location=Belfast |pages=128}}</ref>

During the [[Brazilian military government|military dictatorship in Brazil]], Câmara, who called on clergy to engage in the struggle for justice without fear of identification with the revolutionary left ("When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a [[communist]]"), refused to condemn armed resistance. In a famous interview with Italian journalist [[Oriana Fallaci]], he explained that while it was not his choice ("not my road, not my way to apply the Gospels"), he would never say "to use weapons against an oppressor is immoral or anti-Christian".<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2013 |title=Entrevistas históricas: Oriana Fallaci entrevista dom Helder Câmara |url=https://www.socialistamorena.com.br/entrevistas-historicas-oriana-fallaci-entrevista-dom-helder-camara/ |access-date=August 18, 2023 |website=Socialista Morena |language=pt-br}}</ref>

Wilson argued that a church, not itself pacifist (as a schoolchild he recalls being taught to revere [[Francisco Franco|General Franco]] as a soldier of Christ), needed to develop a new "theology of pacifism". Acknowledging the predicament of those who had "a duty to protect others—their families their homes", this would need to do more than satisfy the needs of "an oppressive government or of people seeking undemanding respectability".<ref name=":022">Wilson (2005), pp. 133-136</ref>

=== Deaf people ===
{{Main|Deaf theology}}
[[Deaf]] liberation theology is a product of Deaf culture and a resistance to [[audism]] in mainstream hearing theological spaces.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lewis |first=H. |date=2017 |title=Deaf Liberation Theology and Social Justice |journal=Religions |volume=8 |issue=10 |page=232 |doi=10.3390/rel8100232 |doi-access=free |id={{ProQuest|1965650270}} }}</ref> Deaf people often face exclusion in spaces of worship due to their status as a [[Minority language|linguistic minority]]. The foundation of Deaf theology rests upon the ''[[Deaf theology#The Claggett Statement|Claggett Statement]]''.<ref name="claggett">{{cite web|date=1985|title=The Claggett Statement|url=https://sojo.net/magazine/march-1985/claggett-statement}}</ref>

=== Peace movement ===
The [[Peace movement#Peace churches|Christian peace movement]] has been associated with liberation theology in many ways. Participating theologians have been in all continents and countries, including countries with Christian minorities. A central theme has been peace as a way of redemption and liberation.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Hans |last1=Ehrenberg |author1-link=Hans Ehrenberg |first2=Franz |last2=Rosenzweig |author2-link=Franz Rosenzweig |first3=Eugen |last3=Rosenstock-Huessy |author3-link=Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy |title=Ways of Peace, Lights of Peace |volume=1 & 2 |location=Rome & New York |publisher=Vatican Press & Bible Society |year=1910}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Jean-Bertrand Aristide]]
* [[Catholic Worker Movement]]
* [[Christian communism]] 
* [[Catholic communism|Catholic Communism]]
* [[Camilo Torres Restrepo]]
* [[Christian libertarianism]]
* [[Dorothy Day]]
* [[Emancipation]]
* [[Liberalization]]
* [[Liberation theology in Canada]]
* [[Liberation psychology]]
* [[Peter Maurin]]
* [[Movement of Priests for the Third World]] in [[Argentina]]
* [[Émile Pin]]
* [[Reconciliation theology]]
* [[Tucum ring]]
* [[Religious anarchism]] ([[Buddhist anarchism|Buddhist]], [[Christian anarchism|Christian]], [[Islamic anarchism|Islamic]], [[Jewish anarchism|Jewish]])
* [[Religious socialism]] ([[Buddhist socialism|Buddhist]], [[Christian socialism|Christian]], [[Islamic socialism|Islamic]], [[Jewish socialism|Jewish]])
* [[Religious views on capitalism]]
* [[Transmodernism]]
* [[Anti-Zionism]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite thesis |author-link=Rubem Alves|last=Alves |first=Rubem A. |title=Towards a Theology of Liberation |publisher=Princeton Theological Seminary |year=1968 |oclc=27806677}}
* {{cite book |editor-link=Miguel A. De La Torre |editor-last=De La Torre |editor-first=Miguel A. |title=Handbook on U.S. Theologies of Liberation |publisher=Chalice Press |year=2004 |location=St. Louis, MO |isbn=((978-0-827214-48-0)) |lccn=2004011562 |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofustheo0000unse/}}
* {{cite book |last=Gutiérrez |first=Gustavo |title=A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics and Salvation |publisher=Orbis Books |year=1988 |location=Maryknoll, NY |url=https://archive.org/details/theologyoflibera0000guti/ |url-access=registration |translator-first=Caridad |translator-last=Inda |translator-first2=John |translator-last2=Eagleson |editor-first=Caridad |editor-last=Inda |editor-first2=John |editor-last2=Eagleson |isbn=0-88344-543-3 |lccn=87-34793}}
* {{cite book |last=Kirylo |first=James D. |title=Paulo Freire: The Man from Recife |location=New York |publisher=Peter Lang |year=2011 |isbn=9781433108785 |oclc=608686646}}
* {{cite book |last=Lernoux |first=Penny |title=Cry of the people: United States involvement in the rise of fascism, torture, and murder and the persecution of the Catholic Church in Latin America |location=Garden City, NY |publisher=Doubleday |year=1980}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Nash |editor-first=Ronald |title=Liberation Theology |edition=1st |location=Milford, MI |publisher=Mott Media |year=1984 |isbn=0-88062-121-4}}
* [[Pope Benedict XVI|Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal]],  "Liberation Theology" (preliminary notes to 1984 Instruction){{fcn|date=October 2025}}
* {{cite journal |url=http://eatwot.net/VOICES/VOICES-2017-2.pdf |editor-first=Stefan |editor-last=Silber |editor-first2=José María |editor-last2=Vigil |title=Liberation Theology in Europe / La Teología de la Liberación en Europa |journal=Voices |volume=40 |date=November–December 2017 |issue=2 |issn=2222-0763 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803043750/http://eatwot.net/VOICES/VOICES-2017-2.pdf |archive-date=August 3, 2020 |url-status=live |series=New Series |lang=en, es, de, it, fr, pt}}
* {{cite book |last=Smith |first=Christian |title=The Emergence of Liberation Theology: Radical Religion and the Social Movement Theory |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1991 |isbn=9780226764092 |oclc=22892260}}
* {{cite journal |issue=2 |url=https://brill.com/view/journals/ssm/22/2/ssm.22.issue-2.xml |journal=Social Sciences and Missions |volume=22 |date=January 2009 |title=Marxism and Missions / Missions et Marxisme}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Liberation theology}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/handle/10822/552613 Liberation Theology Video] from the [https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/handle/10822/552494/browse?type=title Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives].
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010427011718/http://www.theo.kuleuven.ac.be/clt/index.htm Centre for Liberation Theologies, Faculty of Theology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium]
* [https://lagunadeapoyo.blogspot.com/2014/08/papal-suspension-against-miguel-descoto.html Papal suspension against Miguel d'Escoto is lifted]
* [https://www.thepeopleofthebook.org/summary-of-the-basic-teachings-of-liberation-theology/ Key Concepts of Revolution Theology]

'''On [[Pope John Paul II#Liberation theology|Pope John Paul II's relationship to Liberation theology]]'''
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/beliefs/liberationtheology.shtml BBC Religion and Ethics theological obituary of Pope John Paul II: his views on liberation theology]
* [https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/latin-american-catholics-problem-with-pope-john-paul-ii/ Latin American Catholics' problem with Pope John Paul II]. [[Seattle Times]]. [[Henry Chu]] and Chris Kraul.

{{Liberation theology}}
{{Christianity and politics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Liberation theology| ]]