There is without doubt as much criticism of Liberation Theology as there is understanding regarding the need for a theology which seeks answers to the effectiveness of the Christian witness, against a background of mounting poverty, the oppression of woman and continued discrimination by one race against another, worldwide. Many scholars struggle with the revolutionary and often hostile nature and methodology of Liberation Theology. This paper attempts to enter into a conversation between the theology of John Wesley and Liberation Theology. The theology of John Wesley had a tremendous impact on social, political and economic areas of the Eighteenth century England. It was in many ways a revolutionary theology. This paper takes as a standpoint, the need for praxis with regard to Christian witness and therefore seeks to argue that there may be common ground between Wesleyan Theology and Liberation Theology. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Teology)

[pt] Esta pesquisa procura apresentar os elementos básicos da qual se compõe uma Teologia Fundamental latino-americana. Tal teologia tenciona explicitar os desafios específicos da Revelação de Deus em seu contexto, marcado pela opressão e exclusão, mas também por uma teologia que busca a libertação. No presente trabalho serão investigados a Teologia Fundamental, enquanto disciplina teológica que procura justificar a automanifestação de Deus na história; o conceito de Revelação, como conteúdo daquela teologia, compreendido a partir dos desafios da Modernidade e das intuições do Concílio Vaticano II; e a Teologia da Libertação latino-americana, enquanto perspectiva que compreende a revelação a partir do excluídos. Através de uma inter-relação entre as questões abordadas, a pesquisa buscará apontar as principais características de uma Teologia Fundamental em perspectiva latino-americana: primeiro, em relação ao papel dos pobres, seja enquanto lugar social, lugar hermenêutico ou lugar teológico; segundo, em relação às particularidades de uma Teologia Fundamental latino-americana, na qual destaca-se o reconhecimento de que Deus se manifesta também na história presente, a centralidade da opção preferencial pelos pobres, a necessidade do método ver, julgar e agir, a singularidade da identidade eclesial libertadora, bem como a relevância de um fazer teológico dialogal, crítico, plural e transdisciplinar, e a constituição de um modelo de Teologia Fundamental latino-americano centrado na libertação. Uma Teologia Fundamental latino-americana é, portanto, uma reflexão sobre a historicização do Reinado de Deus nos excluídos, e tal revelação só pode ser percebida e descrita com eles, a partir deles e neles, tendo em vista sua libertação. / [en] This research aims to present elements that make up a Latin American Fundamental Theology. Such theology intends to explain the challenges of the Revelation of God in its context, marked not only by oppression and exclusion but also by a theology that pursues liberation. Fundamental Theology is investigated further as a discipline that seeks to justify the self-manifestation of God in history; the concept of Revelation, conceived from the challenges of Modernity and the intuitions of the Second Vatican Council; and Latin American Liberation Theology, as a perspective that understands Revelation from the point of view of the excluded. Through an interrelationship among the issues addressed, the research will seek to point out the main characteristics of a Fundamental Theology from a Latin American perspective: first, concerning the role of the poor, whether as a social place, hermeneutic place, or theological place; second, regarding the particularities of a Latin American Fundamental Theology, in which the recognition that God is present in history, the centrality of the preferential option for the poor, the need for the See, Judge, and Act Methodology, the uniqueness of the liberating ecclesial identity, along with the relevance of dialogical, critical, plural and transdisciplinary theological practice, and the constitution of a Latin American model of Fundamental Theology focused on liberation. A Latin American Fundamental Theology is, therefore, a reflection on the historicization of the Reign of God through excluded that can be recognized and described with them, from them, and in them, aiming for their liberation.

[pt] Esta tese propõe uma reflexão, à luz das Escrituras Sagradas e da fé cristã, sobre a inovadora proposta para a Teologia da Libertação de Rubem Alves. Inicialmente, discute-se a Teologia Latino-Americana da Libertação (TdL), tentando investigar seus influxos das Ciências do Social (CdS), as quais forneceram o ferramental necessário para abordar o concreto-pensado sobre o qual a TdL teologizou. Pretende-se mostrar como Rubem Alves abriu mão de uma gramática marxista (realidade penúltima) e assumiu uma linguagem mais abrangente, humanista, interdisciplinar e holística sobre a liberdade e essência humana mediante uma interpretação inovadora de não apenas textos bíblicos e evangélicos, mas também de muitos poetas, teólogos, filósofos e uma gama ampla de outros pensadores sociais. A partir do diálogo interdisciplinar e suas próprias inquietudes e vivências dolorosas, Rubem Alves centralizou o corpo como a prioridade axiológica de seu que-fazer teológico da Libertação. Finalmente, propõe-se uma Teologia lúdica da Libertação mais integral, poética e transcendente a partir do método pastoral tripartido ver-julgar-agir que, além de levar em conta a multidimensionalidade e complexidade da essência humana que o corpo expressa, assume uma linguagem mais dionisíaca e polifônica na busca pela libertação humana não só da servidão econômica, mas de todas as formas de repressão. / [en] This dissertation posits a scriptural and Christian faith-based reflection on Brazilian theologian Rubem Alves innovative Liberation Theology proposal. Initially, we examine Latin American Liberation Theology (abbreviated TdL herein) and attempt to trace how it was influenced by the Social Sciences (abbreviated CdS herein) which supplied Liberation Theology with the necessary tools for theologizing the thought concrete. We aim to show how Rubem Alves cast off a Marxist grammar (penultimate reality) in lieu of a broader, more humanistic, interdisciplinary and holistic discourse regarding human freedom and personhood by innovatively interpreting not only Biblical and Gospel texts but also those of poets, theologians, philosophers and a wide range of other social thinkers. From his interdisciplinary dialogs, his personal soul-searching and painful life experiences, Alves centered the body as the axiological priority of his Liberation Theology undertaking. Finally, we propose a more holistic, poetic, playful and transcendental Liberation Theology based on the threefold see-judge-act pastoral process that, beside focusing on the multidimensional and complex human personhood the body expresses, incorporates a more Dionysian and polyphonic discourse in its search for not only human economic freedom, but freedom from all forms of repression. / [es] En esta tesis, se propone una reflexión a la luz de las Sagradas Escrituras y de la fe cristiana sobre la innovadora propuesta de la Teología de la Liberación del teólogo brasileño Rubem Alves. Se analiza primero la Teología de la Liberación en América Latina (aquí abreviada como TdL), tratando de investigar la influencia que sufrió de las Ciencias Sociales (aquí abreviadas como CdS), las cuales le prestaron las herramientas necesarias para teologizar sobre lo concreto-pensado. Se pretende mostrar cómo Rubem Alves abandonó una gramática marxista (penúltima realidad) y asumió un lenguaje humanista, interdisciplinario e integral más amplio sobre la libertad humana mediante una interpretación innovadora, no sólo de los textos bíblicos y evangélicos, sino de muchos poetas, teólogos, filósofos y una amplia gama de otros pensadores. Desde el diálogo interdisciplinario y sus propias inquietudes y experiencias dolorosas, Alves centró al cuerpo como la prioridad axiológica de su Teología de la Liberación. Por último, se propone una Teología de la Liberación más integral, poética, trascendente y lúdica a partir del método pastoral tripartito ver-juzgar-actuar que, además de tomar en cuenta la multidimensionalidad y complejidad de la esencia humana que el cuerpo expresa, se vale de un lenguaje más dionisíaco y polifónica en la búsqueda de la liberación humana no sólo de la servidumbre económica, sino de todas las formas de represión.

This thesis examines the missiological writings of Orlando E. Costas (1943-1987), particularly The Church and Its Mission: A Shattering Critique from the Third World (1974); Theology of the Crossroads in Contemporary Latin America (1976); Christ Outside the Gate (1982); and Liberating News: A Theology of Contextual Evangelization (1989). From the early 1970s until his death in 1987 he wrote over 130 articles and 12 books in both Spanish and English that addressed key missiological concerns. A careful reading of a selection of Costas's texts oriented around a hymn, a gospel song, a psalm, and a poem provides the shape of this thesis. This thesis argues that Costas formulated a Third World evangelical missiology. Chapter one investigates what Costas's autobiographical material expressed about his positions on conversion, Protestant evangelicalism, missiology, and those living on the ‘periphery' of life. Chapter two recognises his commitment to the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean in particular and the Third World in general. Chapter three explores Costas's analysis of the Latin American Protestant Church in a revolutionary situation in the continent and chapter four examines his survey and critical appraisal of Latin American liberation theology. Chapter five recognizes the pastoral shape of Costas's missiology. Chapter six explores his critical interaction with two more conservative evangelical missiological positions, the Church Growth Movement and Peter Beyerhaus and the Frankfurt Declaration, and chapter seven surveys the discussion within the international evangelical community regarding the relationship between evangelism and social responsibility. Chapter eight examines Costas's Liberating News as an expression of Third World evangelical missiology. Chapter nine considers the theological issue of penal substitutionary atonement and his missiology. The thesis concludes with an appraisal of the issues and contributions of Costas's Third World evangelical missiology to current missiological discussion.