Notes 4/7

Religion Notes 4/7

The Mission 

• Died with Christ (carrying the monstrance)
• Surprised, but not, about the brutal ending
• Understanding of the peoples’ culture instead of taking over 
• Almost too narrative in some scenes (stereotypes of “taming the beast”)
• Rodrigo’s relationship with the people was a way for him to better understand the Gospel (he relates with them and then picks up a sword to fight for them)
• Different time periods, but in Tamil culture, the conversion is more integrated. Culture and religion become combined.

Liberation Theology (Form of Catholicism)

• Emerges in 1960s and 1970s
• Latin American culture and Catholicism
• Form of theology that grounds itself in the Gospels and Acts (especially in the stories where Jesus helps the poor and marginal)
• Example: Beatitudes (Luke) “Blessed are the poor…”
• Example: Magnificat (Luke) “Blessed is your lowly servant…”
• Reversal—poor becoming rich 
• Marxism—The common person can see the social system in a way that those who are a part of the system cannot see (privileges the perspective of the oppressed)
• Claim that in biblical text, “God has preferential option for the poor”
• Gustavo Gutiérrez—First one to say that it is liberation theology; one of the founders
• States that Sin is unjust social structures
• States that God’s liberation requires political and social liberation 
• States that it requires liberation from selfishness and Sin
• States that we have to let go of things that are limiting the poor 
• Base Community Interpretation
• Oscar Romero (martyred while celebrating the Eucharist) 
• Black/African American Liberation Theology (1970s)
• James Cone
• Reject perception of God that rejects African Americans
• Talks about the blackness of God
• Incarnation of God relates to those who are oppressed
• LGBTQ Liberation Theology 
• Dalit Liberation Theology
• Asian American Liberation Theology 
• Feminist Liberation Theology 

Dalit Christianity

• Clear divide (wall)
• Hypocrisy of the Church and Constitution (do not support castes, but do not do anything about it)
• Since Christians and Muslims are not Hindu, they are not in the caste (feel outside the outside)
• Therefore, they do not get access to education or government jobs 

Gerasene Demonic

• Dalitethos—Dalit interpretation; community and solidarity are important for the resistance of dominant culture 
• Pragmatism—One characteristic of Dalit interpretation; looking for the pragmatic interpretation and what it means for his community
• Talks about self-freedom 
• Sees the man who is possessed as not important and not a part of the community 
• Talks about the historical context (Roman Army relates to Legions) 
• Possession is a way to deal with Roman oppression
• Jesus brings him back into society and releases the fear of the Roman Army
• They tell Jesus to leave because when that person is liberated, he is still oppressed (dangerous)
• Self-harm is what happens to those who are oppressed

Syrophoenician Woman

• Importance of the oppressed and the oppressor working together 
• Idea of trickery to interpret text
• Author takes it from a feminist perspective instead of just a religious perspective 
• Discusses the story of buying the house and the boss and daughter