Liberation Theology

This section contains works which assess liberation theologies from a politically and theologically conservative viewpoint.  Latin American liberation theology is the major focus of these books.  All of the volumes in this section are authored by Christians.  They attempt to show that liberation theology is in fact bad theology and that it is unable to truly liberate.

Armerding, Carl E., ed., Evangelicals and Liberation.  Phillipsburg, New Jersey:  Presbyterian and Reformed, 1979.  136pp.

In this symposium, Clark Pinnock, Stephen Knapp, Harvie Conn, Kenneth Hamilton and Carl Armerding assess liberation theology from an evangelical perspective.  While sympathetic to certain aims of the liberationists, they take issue with certain theological and political concepts, such as the nature of sin, the meaning of the Kingdom of God, the means of salvation, the mission of the church, and the usage of Marxist ideology.

Berghoef, Gerard and Lester De Koster, Liberation Theology:  The Church's Future Shock.  Grand Rapids:  Christians' Library Press, 1984.  197pp.

This is a good discussion and critique of liberation theology.  Unacceptable aspects of liberation theology, argue the authors, are its dependence on Marxism;  its faulty hermeneutic;  its poor view of Scripture;  its perversion of basic biblical doctrines;  and its economic naivety.  A helpful volume.

Costas, Orlando E., Christ Outside the Gate:  Mission Beyond Christendom.  Maryknoll, New York:  Orbis Books, 1982.  238pp.

I usually do not put works from Orbis Books on my lists of conservative titles.  Indeed, Costas is himself not exactly an exponent of conservatism.  But this volume has a helpful section (Chapter 8) on liberation theology which is sympathetic yet critical.  While noting some challenges liberation theology poses to evangelicalism, he raises some serious questions about the movement.  Costas teaches at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Costas, Orlando E., The Church and Its Mission:  A Shattering Critique from the Third World.  Wheaton, Illinois:  Tyndale House, 1974.  313pp.

Again, only a section of this book (chapter 10) is germane to the topic of liberation theology, but it is helpful enough to warrant inclusion in this bibliography.  This is one of the earliest pieces written on the subject from an evangelical viewpoint.  Again, Costas describes the challenges as well as the dangers of liberation theology.

Glasser, Arthur F. and Donald A. McGavran, Contemporary Theologies of Mission.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1983.  251pp.

In this volume two leading evangelical missiologists from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena describe some recent mission theologies.  The book as a whole is critical of those theologies which politicize the gospel, and in chapter 10 the authors provide a good critique of liberation theology.

Gutierrez Gonzalez, Juan, The New Libertarian Gospel:  Pitfalls of the Theology of Liberation.  Chicago:  Franciscan Herald Press, 1977.  109pp.

This volume concentrates on one leading liberationist, Gustavo Gutierrez, and his seminal work, A Theology of Liberation.  The author examines the numerous weaknesses of this work from the standpoint of orthodox Roman Catholic teaching.  A scholarly and balanced work.

Henry, Carl F.H., God, Revelation and Authority.  Vol. 4, "God Who Speaks and Shows".  Waco, Texas:  Word Books, 1979.  674pp.

This book is volume 4 of the six-volume magisterial work by America's leading evangelical theologian.  Chapters 22-25 (pp. 522-592), are the sections dealing with liberation theology.  These chapters contain a very incisive and articulate analysis of liberation theology's heavy dependence on Marxian concepts.  This is some of the most pungent and scholarly criticism of liberation theology yet written from an evangelical perspective.

Kingdon, David, The Gospel of Violence.  Sussex, England:  Carey Publications, n.d.  16pp.

This small booklet gives an assessment of revolutionary theologians -- Moltmann, Metz, Miguez Bonino, et.al. -- and gives a biblical critique of theologies which espouse violence.  A helpful, albeit brief, analysis of a disturbing element in liberationist thinking.

Kirk, J. Andrew, Liberation Theology:  An Evangelical View From the Third World.  Atlanta:  John Knox Press, 1979.  246pp.

Although not a conservative -- he in fact is becoming more liberal in his most recent books -- Kirk here gives us an informed and detailed study of liberation theology.  He gives an historical survey of the movement, assesses its key figures, evaluates its theological and exegetical bases, and questions its view of Scripture.  Kirk has taught theology in England and South America.

Kirk, J. Andrew, Theology Encounters Revolution.  Downers Grove, Illinois:  Inter Varsity Press, 1980.  188pp.

In this volume Kirk assesses the relationship between theology and revolution.  Theologians like Barth, Bonhoeffer, Niebuhr and Rauschenbusch are discussed as forerunners of revolutionary theology, and liberationists like Cone, Boesak, Segundo, Metz and Moltmann are evaluated.  Emphasis is given to European, North American and African exponents of revolutionary theology.  A helpful evaluation.

Kloppenburg, Bonaventure, Temptations for the Theology of Liberation.  Chicago:  Franciscan Herald Press, 1974.  36pp.

This volume lists 11 areas of potential or actual weakness in the theologies of liberation.  These include the temptation to:  reduce theology to politics;  minimize individual, personal sin;  align the Gospel to socialism;  resort to violence;  and give priority to the situation over the Gospel.  A helpful but brief critique of liberation theology.

Nash, Ronald H. ed., Liberation Theology.  Milford, Michigan:  Mott Media, 1984.  260pp.

Nash has gathered together in this volume some of the more important and timely responses to this controversial new movement in theology.  Chapters are by Nash, Michael Novak, Carl F.H. Henry, Clark Pinnock, Harold O.J. Brown, James Schall, Richard John Neuhaus, Dale Vree, Edward R. Norman and Robert Walton.  These are some of the most articulate, informed, and devastating critiques of liberation theology I know of.  A very useful and helpful volume.

Novak, Michael, Will it Liberate?  Questions about Liberation Theology.  New York:  Paulist Press, 1986.  311pp.

Will it Liberate? is one of the newest and best book thus far written on liberation theology.  Its main emphasis is on questions of economics and social realities.  Novak asks whether socialism is indeed the best solution to Latin America's problems.  He demonstrates that socialism has seldom liberated people, and proposes democratic capitalism as the solution to the plight of Latin Americans.  He argues for a "creation theology" which will liberate and stimulate human creativity -- "nations which reward creativity will reap its benefits".  A fine book by a fine mind.

Novak, Michael, ed., Liberation South, Liberation North.  Washington, DC:  American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1981.  99pp.

This is a collection of essays on liberation theology in general, and the problems of poverty, reform and development in particular.  Why did North America and South America develop so differently?  Does the West exploit the Third World?  What role does foreign aid play in development?  What about the multinationals?  These and other questions are addressed in this lively and learned set of articles.  Authors include Ralph Lerner, Joseph Ramos, Juan Luis Segundo, and Michael Novak.

Novak, Michael, ed., Liberation Theology and the Liberal Society.  Washington, D.C.:  American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1987.  238pp.

In the summer of 1985 the AEI sponsored a seminar on the liberation theology of Latin America and the liberal society of North America.  Economic, social and theological questions by such experts as Novak, Peter Berger, Tom Bethell, George Weigel and Hugo Assmann were addressed.  An important set of essays -- and responses to them -- on such themes as social justice, dependency, democracy and the ideal society.

Nunez, Emilio A., Liberation Theology.  Chicago:  Moody Press, 1985.  304pp.

The author, a Salvadoran, an evangelical, and a professor of theology, has written a timely and important assessment of Latin American theology of liberation.  While praising liberationists' commitment to action, he analyses the weaknesses of the movement, including its view of Christ, Scripture, sin and salvation.  This is one of the more recent works to appear evaluating liberation theology from a conservative orientation.  A valuable study.

Schall, James V., Liberation Theology in Latin America.  San Francisco:  Ignatius Press, 1982.  402pp.

This volume includes both a book-length essay by Schall, and a collection of essays and documents.  The "book" part of the book is a 126 page essay by Schall describing and assessing liberation theology.  The essay section contains fourteen articles by Michael Novak, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Dale Vree, and eleven others.  Finally, the document section contains seven items, including three Papal addresses.  A helpful collection of information from a variety of conservative perspectives.  A unique and valuable presentation.