A puzzle on 'Liberation Theology'

Yesterday when I went to Wesley Owens I discovered a called 'Liberation Thelogy; An Introductory Guide'' written by Robert McAfee Brown, which has aroused my interest as well as some of my puzzle in my heart. I bought it, I have finished reading it.

I first come across the term is by mistake. I confused the term 'Liberal Theology' with 'Liberation Theology'. It is only when I have a chance to converse with one of spiritual teacher in my life, that he clarify the two concept, and 'Liberation Theology' is identified with a form of christian social thought and political action for social justice of the poor and oppressed. It is prevalent in the Latin American and Catholic countries during the 70's and 80's

This year several incident happened in the world make me reflect on this issue again. The first is the death of the Pope John Paul II. While choosing his successor, it seems that the media has labelled the Cardinal into 2 group - conservative and liberal, where the liberal seems to identify with those who adopt the 'liberation theology' position. Only at this time did I realised during the era Pope Paul II, the Vatican did not gave support to the Liberation Theology, and the current Pope Benedit XVI or former Cardinal Ratzinger, was the one who systematically oppose and condemn the Liberation Theology through the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

Another incident that arouse my interest is the current event happens in HK. Bishop Zen in HK, whose word can influence many Catholics and Christians, was outspoken about the social issue in HK, especially on the issue of democracy. He encouraged people to march in Dec 4 to voice out their concern and advance the cause of democracy. It seems that his wording and his action has a shadow of the thought of 'liberation theology' . In the meantime, HK host the WTO meeting. The Korean farmer came to HK to march against WTO because of their plight, many christians pledge their support to them and fight against WTO. "Exploitation', 'Oppression', 'Poor', 'Tyranny' and 'Liberation' are the wording and argument they used. Again, I saw the shadow of 'Liberation Thelogy' thoughts behind these wording.

My puzzle is, why the christian theology drawn from the bible to ask christians to fight for the poor and to liberate the oppressed people will arouse so much controversial in the church as well as in the secular world, as well as to divide christian?

The essence of liberation theology, according to Gustavo Gutierrez (the founder), has following 3 dimensions;

1. To liberate from unjust social structure that destroy people
2. To liberate from the power of fate, and therefore involves the emancipation of the poor, the marginalised, the downtrodden and the oppressed from all “those things that limit their capacity to develop themselves freely and in dignity;
3. To liberate from personal sin and guilt, and a establishment of relationship with God and with other people.

The book I have read by Robert McAfee Brown use his personal experience and the political situtation of Nicaragua during the 80's to appeal for the cause of liberation theology. Commitment, Hope, God's presence and the preferential optional for the poor are the 4 recurring theme in order to understand those christians in the part of the church that was impacted by liberation theology. It's now the Kairos time - a time when things may hang in thew balance and what we do (& don't do) will have a far-reaching consequence - to call for response for christian commitment to social justice. In the end, he use the illustration of the 'Servants in Pharaoh's Court', to challenge those christians who are currently staying in the privileged position, to response to God's calling for social justice, like Moses, instead of becoming puppet of the tyranny or powerful group in this world.

He also distinguished the difference between the dominant theology and liberation theology.
1. The former is developed from the top - the position of the privileged, the affluent and the elite, while the later is developed from the belows - the position of oppressed, marginated and exploited;
2. The former is 'thought-oriented' while the later is 'action-oriented';
3. The former focuses attention on a 'religious' world that needs to be enforced, while the later focused on the political world that needs to be replaced.

Implicit in his argument is that the former is about 'idea', but the later is about 'people'. Whether this is true of not is questionable.

To my view whether I agree with 'Liberation Theology or not, I do think that one need to put in a right context. Christian should be zealous in social justice, yet if the zeal is misplaced it will lead to greater evil. An example to illustrate is the Korean farmer during the WTO protest. In short, I sympathesis their plight, yet I cannot agree with them in the first instance. I cannot agree that WTO is tyranny, as the policy free trade for the agricultural product is benefical to the 'third-world' farmer, though it is at the cost of Korea (rich country) farmer. Advancing the cause of Korean farmer under the banner of 'helping the poor' seems to create a greater injustice in this case.

I think why the Vatican banned the Liberation Theology is because of their closely association with the Marxist. Pope Paul II is a Polish, who nation has suffered under the Communist, and therefore it is understandable that he is against the Marxist thoughts as it will lead to class conflicts and polarised the society. For the Latin America priest, their concern is different. It is the totalitarian rulers supported by the western capitalistic country that oppress them. So their view on Marxist thoughts and communist should be different from those from the West. It seems their difference were not based on bible, but derive from different historical and cultural context.

Christians should fight for social justice, but the question will become, what is the optimal involvement with politics? and should it be their priority? In the end, it is the individual and corporate calling of God, and I don't think the others can judge using their own standard, as God alone is the only judge. What we can do is to test whether they are doing for God or doing for one own sake.

Yet it is all Christian responsibility to evangelise, to love, and to take care of the needy. So indeed we need to embrace some part of 'liberation theology' and to put it in right context in the world where we belong.

The Book of Obadiah

During the Christmas time, I have spent some times to study several books in the bible which I am not familar in the past. One of these is the book of Obadiah.

The book of Obadiah is a prophecy against Edom. The Edomites are the descendents of Esau, while the Israeli are the descendents of Jacob, the brother of Esau. The Israeli share its southern border with the Edomites. Yet instead of being brothers with one another, there are constant hatred between the two nations, and the Edomites was an enemy and a constant threat to the Kingdom of Israel. The Year 586BC was the fall of the Southern Kingdom Judah to Babylon. Instead of helping Judah to fight against Babylon, the Edomites did not come to help when the city of Jersulem was besiged, and rejoiced when the city was destroy. Obadiah pronounce the judgement of Edom, and the restoration of Israeli. History has shown that God has wiped out the Edomites during the the 1st century AD, and the judgement for Edom was therefore fulfulled.

Edom was proud of their high position, and they thought that their city was impregnable. Yet when God's judgement fall, nobody can escaped no matther how powerful they were.

The following are the commentary by David Pawson, which give me additional insight. Though I don't buy the argument that the restoration of Kingdom of Israeli in 1948 is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy, as His Kingdom is in heaven, not on earth at present time.

'In the Epistle of Hebrews,Christians are told not to be like Esau, who sold his birthright for the red bean soup, and wept afterwards. He was full of regret and remorse, but never able to repent. While for Jacob, he wrestled with God until God made him lame. But he got the blessing, and it is from Jacob that God's people came. Instead we must be a Jacob. Esau lived for the present, for the immediate satisfaction of his physical desires, and he lost his future. They don't care about the future; they are only concerned about the satisfication of their desires in the present. The Book of Obadiah encourages us to be a Jacob - the man who was broken by God and became a prince, and whose name Israel is now the map again, after 2000 years'

Maybe ultimately in our heart we are similar to The Edomites and Esau, who only care about our present position or immediate satisfication. So many time because of our present needs, we will turn a blind eye and cold towards the brothers and sisters who are in need. We shouldn't be proud and be the one who add on the other misery. Rather, we should be like Jacob and the Israeli, though there are times where God broke up our lives, as God has destroyed the Kingdom of Israeli, He will restore us when we repent and grasp hold of Him.

Besides, when our nation turn away from Him, God will punish. This serve as a reminder to the nation where I belong to. Hope my nation can turn to Christ and filled every corner with justice and love, not money and power.

The Sixties & The Prince of Egypt

I didn't force myself to study during the christmas vacation, so during the boxing days I have watched 4 movies in a day. Two movies are worthwhiles to have a thought on it.

The Sixties is a mini-TV series depicting the events happening during the 60's in America. 1960's is a period of widespread social protest, movement and liberation. The Black movement, social protest against Vietnam War, the Cold War, the assasinations of John Kennedy and Martin Lurther King, sexual liberation and widespread use of drugs, Beatles, the astronauts reaching the moon, and so on. It seems that being a student at that time is much more interesting than being a student in current times. They have a cause and an idea to fight for, and at least they are the one who witness history and shape the history. Though it was a great time for the humanist movement, it seems that it was also a time of rebellous and moral decay. Since then, people in the West seems to get further & further away from God. It's a pity. Maybe it can serve as a calling as well as a warning for nowadays christians.

The Prince of Egypt depicts the life of Moses. The movie protrays Moses as the 'reluctant leader' chosen to lead the Israeli out of Egypt. He is reluctant in the sense that he has to raise up to oppose Pharaoh, his old friends and the enemy of God. Yet in the end, God has used him to bring the Israeli out of their yoke and slavery life in Egypt. Setting apart from the argument that whether the movies has correctly protrayed the image of Moses, sometimes God will call us to do something that will create dilemna in our life, and may make us reluctant to follow the calling. The bible has full of this kinds of example. Moses is one. So as Abraham and Jeremiah. It is costly, and sometimes they didn't receive the earthly reward for their obedient. Abraham didn't reach the promised land. Moses was forbidded by God to enter Canaam. Jeremiah has witnessed the fall of his country, and was stoned to death when he was captured to Egypt. In the end, the christian rewards for obedient are in heaven, and it is only if we fix our eyes on Him and grasp hold of this heavenly hope that we can steadfastly follow His call and go through all the struggles when following Him, just as Moses, Abraham and Jeremiah.

A husband, a wife, and a sister

Tonight one of the my couple friends in the fellowship has invited me and another sister to have a meal in their house. Long time we didn't have dinner and have a good chat with one another.

They are of similar age with me, and they came to know Christ one by one during their stay in Guildford. The husbands, followed by the sisters, and then the wife within the same academic year almost 3 years before. At those days, the fellowship was still a small group. They were living very close to one another, so on some occasions we will have dinner with other friends in their residential hall. I still remember the scenerio, that during their second semester of that academic year after 2 of them have became a christian, we are having the new-believer bible study together in the husband room for a few weeks (since then, I have to confess that I seldom do one-to-one follow up work anymore with new christians). Their lives has undergone many changes and challenges in the past 3 years. The husbands has became my housemate for a year, then got married with the wife, and this year they were having a new-born baby. The sister has graduated already and became a young working adult.

I thank God for tonight dinner. Looking back, it's amazing how God's has allowed them to encountered Him and transformed their lives during their stay here: from being a new friend to the one who has built roots and foundation in Jesus Christ; from being students to become parents; from being the one whose ears had heard of Him, to the one whose eyes have seen Him. Compared to them, my past 3-year life was a bit dull. I was still a student, still living in the same place, and carrying the same role in the fellowship. I am not saying that I was not growing, but I realised that they were experiencing a much steeping growing curve in Christ in the past 3 years, and I thank God for it. May God keep His seed and His calling within their heart, so that one day it can bloom according to His timing.

Movie "Love Letter"

Tonight I have watched two movies. The first one was not good and I even didn't remember the name. The second one was the movie that I have desire to finish watching it for a long time. It's a Japanese movie called the 'loved letter'. I have watched a bit before, but I couldn't grasped the essence because I was still young at that time. This time when I watch it I finally understand what the message the movies want to come across.

When one watch this kind of movie, we will always try to put ourselves in that hypothetical situation of the main actors (say person A, B, C). We will think what if we are person A, who was trying to discover as well as to bury the memory and the past of her love one who has died. Or what if we are person B, who never understand her old classmates who has secretly admired her in the past. Through retrieving her past she finally realise, but only to find out that her old classmates has already died and disappeared from this earth. Or what if we are person C, who secretly admired his classmate, leaving with many traces, but never express to her during his teenage time, and in the end find a girlfriend (person A) who is the reminiscent of his first love (person B) in his memory.

Setting asides of whether the message is 'correct' or not. Though the movie is painting the beauty of an ideal (in Asian culture) and never it is a reality, it allows you to reflect and to dig deep into our hearts and our thoughts on the issue of boys-girls relationship. Sometimes looking back, it seems that we are getting a bit too old, as our youth during the schooltime has already gone, and we can't went back to our past.

Cold Christmas - part 2

Staying Christmas in UK was not a pleasent time to bear for an overseas student.

In Dec2000, it was my first year to have christmas in UK. My fellowship in Birmingham has prepared some songs for the christmas celebration in the church. On Christmas eve, I remember I have spent overnight with several brother/sisters in the Birmingham fellowhship. On christmas day we have walked together for about 2 hours from city centre to a Malaysian couples house for christmas lunch. We were late for the lunch because I have underestimated the walking time. We have a good time in there, playing games and watching video. And in new year time, several brothers/sisters were having a holiday trip to Land's End. That year was also my first time in my life to see snow. I thank God for my first christmas in UK.

In Dec 2001, that christmas is not a particular good time for me. I have my graduation before the christmas, and after christmas I have to leave Birmingham and to settle in Guildford. I have spent a lot of time in the church and with brothers/sisters in that month. I have organised a retreat, joining the church function and christmas carol during the christmas time, having a farewell gatherings with brother/sister there. However, I knew that my emotion was not going very well, and underneath my heart was a kind of sadness and loneliness, even though I have always stayed with a group of people. I knew that I had to leave the place, and i have to face my future alone. Maybe another issue that trigger my emotion was my mother. She came to attend my graduation ceremony with my uncle, and have together stayed in UK for that month. Sometimes it is difficult to digest the news that my mum was going to remarry, though I rationally know it is good for her. Maybe God is using that christmas to as a kind of watershed in my life, for my service in Him, for my future, and also for my family.

In Dec 2002, I spent my first year christmas in Guildford. During that christmas, all my housemates are away for holiday, and thanks God that he has brought a dear friend to stay with me during the Christmas time. We organised the Christmas party together on christmas day in my house, and we have a good time there. That new year I have joined the Malaysian Christian Conference. Though, many times during the christmas holiday it is not a good time to bear, especially most of the time I am staying in the house alone. So quiet. The fellowship at that time was still at the beginning stage. Though there are only a few people, God has blessed the fellowship during that time. After christmas and new year when the semester began, people started to become christians. So amazing.

In Dec 2003, it's my 2nd Christmas in Guildford. A busy time. There are so many meetings and function going on during that time. I was involved to organise the fellowship christmas party, the year end party, and the SEEC preparation meeting. Before the christmas was quite a difficult time for the fellowship. The atmosphere was not too good, and almost all the core people was more or less trapping into some sort of problems or issues. I was burned out during that time, and I don't have particular joy to serve Him.

Cold Christmas, part 1

So Christmas is coming.

I don't particular like Christmas & New Year. It is the most difficult time to bear in a year. In these days, I always want to find something to do, and I don't want to stay at home. Yet, seldom did my soul would satisfied during the Christmas.

Before I became a christian, I don't remember what I normally do during the christmas Eve and on christmas day. I may went out with my classmates to hang around, or just stayed at home during the Christmas Eve. I don't remember.

I became a christian in Dec 1996. That year christmas eve was very meaningful to me. After having a home fellowship meeting with brothers and sisters , we went out together to Tsim Sha Tsui to join the crowd for celebration. When we saw that some brother and sisters were singing christmas carol in the street, we joined them. That year was a happy christmas for me. It's the first year I understood the true meaning of christmas. I felt that I have many companions, who are accompanying me to walk in this life journey. I don't felt alone.

In Dec 1997, that christmas was a busy time for me, as I was about to become a committee member in my residential hall. There are many meetings during that period, but not on the christmas eve and on the christmas day. I don't remembered much about that two days. I remembered that there were some church activities, and that's all.

In Dec 1998, that christmas was again a busy time for me, as I was about to stand down as the committee member in my residential hall, and I have to participate in loads of meetings to ensure the smooth transistion. That year christmas was very special to me. I remember that on christmas eve, after having church dinner with my brothers/sisters in the church, I took my greatest courage to date a girl out. That year was the happiest and the sweetest christmas in my life so far. That night, we just kept walking and walking, passing through many roads and streets. We have endless things to talk that the conversation never seems to come to an end. A memorable christmas.

In Dec 1999, not a good christmas, especially when I had to appear like a gentlemen, stayed calm, and smiled before my former girlfriend and her boyfriend in the same venue on christmas eve. Apart from that, got nowhere to go, and I have my examination during the christmas vacation. Yet, for that year , my hall fellowship has joined with other hall to sing christmas carol around the campus.

I remember in the times where I was still in HK , my church fellowship has prepared programme for the thanksgiving service during the christmas eve. I can't remember exactly what we did. One year we played the drama, and the theme is 'gave our heart to God'. One year we sang the christmas songs, and I remembered that I had to play both harmonica and guitar for the songs, my first time to do both in the same time. Quite special. Yet, it is during these time I have started to wonder why we have to celebrate christmas within the church premises. It's good to have thanksgiving time, to sing christmas carol, and to celebrate christmas in the church. Yet, instead of preparing programme for a 'show', I do feel that it is more appropriate if we can channel our energy and resources to the action of spreading the gospel, or taking care of the needy people during the christmas time. Unveiling the mask of joyful celebrations, there is a lot of broken hearts. Underneath people's heart are emptiness and loneliness. They needed to be loved and to get connected, and ultimately, they needed to get connected to God. There is a scenerio on one christmas eve which have deeply touched my heart, and I still remeber that picture. I saw a church choir singing in front of the Queen's Square in Central, HK. The choir was singing evangelical songs, not the traditional christmas songs. Someone was standing up, and proclaiming the gospel to the crowd. Someone were distributing the gospel leaflet and engaging with a one-to-one conversation with those who are interested. I was very touched by the scenerio at that time. It made christmas more meaningful. The people there were serving with passion, but not for fun. My heart still keep burning to this day everytime when I saw these pictures again in my brain. The preacher was speaking with passion, and using a magic string to illustrate how Jesus save us from our sin. It is always a dream for me to do it during the christmas eve. Unfortunately, I have lost some of the boldness in my youth these days. Singing christmas carol has relegated into time for fun and tradition rather than evangelism.