Thesis advisor: Roberto S. Goizueta / Classical formulations of liberation theology appropriated the biblical narrative of the exodus as a paradigmatic image of a God who sides with the oppressed and acts in history to transform situations of injustice. Recognition of this foundational narrative as a preeminent expression of God’s partial love for the victims of history prompted liberation theologians to begin analyzing the contemporary significance of the exodus theme in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The paradigmatic reception of the exodus in black and Latin American liberation theologies exhibits the pivotal role of the narrative in the emergence of theological reflection guided by the preferential option for the poor. In the late 1980s, however, theologians who were revisiting the exodus narrative in light of the complex realities of settler-colonial power, the mechanics of erasure, and experiences of social invisibilization began to reevaluate the meaning of the exodus in connection with its troubling underside—namely, the envisioned invasion, dispossession, and destruction of the indigenous inhabitants of Canaan. Consequently, the paradigmatic conception of the exodus was critiqued and the enduring value of the exodus as a liberative resource was called into question, especially in relation to contexts and histories of suffering which can be identified in certain ways with biblical representations of the Canaanites. Catalyzed by Osage, Palestinian, and womanist theologians, this important shift in the conversation on the relationship between the exodus tradition and God’s relation to the oppressed brought into sharp focus the harmful dimensions of a biblical narrative which had come to signify the effective justice of God amid dehumanizing conditions. In addition, this renewed attention to the exodus demonstrated how its entanglement with the theme of conquest intersects with challenges of complicity in structural violence and exclusionary legacies in the United States as well as in the larger context of global geopolitics. This dissertation advances the conversation on the theological appropriation of the exodus in several ways. The project first examines the liberation theologies of Gustavo Gutiérrez and James Cone as exemplary of the paradigmatic model. The discussion of critical departures from the exodus paradigm addresses the contributions of Naim Stifan Ateek, Delores S. Williams, and Robert Allen Warrior. Finally, a constructive response to the question of the role of the exodus in theological reflection grounded in the option for the poor is put forth. This response first introduces key insights from scholars in the field of settler colonial studies as a framework for placing Ateek and Warrior in dialogue with each other as indigenous interpreters of the biblical narrative. The results of this dialogue are then developed in relation to important theological perspectives discussed earlier in the project in order to reimagine the contemporary significance of the exodus in a manner that renders audible the cries of the Canaanites. To neighbor what has been relegated to absence, to disrupt the forgetfulness of what lies buried in both text and world, to sit with broken narratives and encounter God in their disregarded victims—this is central to the challenges facing readers who turn to the exodus in the spirit of liberation today. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Thesis advisor: Thomas H. Groome / Thesis advisor: Stephen J. Pope / The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke's Gospel (10:25-37) may be Jesus' most well-known teaching. Though it epitomizes the heart of Christian faith and the Great Commandment to love God and one's neighbors as oneself, the depth of the challenge to "Go and do likewise" like the Samaritan is not well understood and less often put into practice. The Samaritan's example sets a standard that is not met by random acts of kindness; Samaritan-like neighbor love means acting with courage, compassion, and generosity in boundary-breaking solidarity to care for those most in need. According to Gustavo Gutiérrez, by going out of his way and into the ditch to draw near to the robbers' victim, the Samaritan's actions depict the preferential option for the poor. This reverence for the other, especially one in such a vulnerable condition, depicts what Gutiérrez calls a "theology of the neighbor," which he claims has not yet been developed. This dissertation proposes a "theology of neighbor" motivated and oriented by the details of this paradigmatic standard for Christian discipleship to more fully capture how the principles of solidarity and preferential option for the poor may be put into practice. Before working out the theological, moral, and pedagogical implications for this framework, this project focuses on three key features of the present praxis that influence how "neighbor" might be understood today: the complex and compressed systems of globalization, the social disengagement of the "buffered self" as described by Charles Taylor, and the "networked self" that enjoys unprecedented rates of connectivity via digital technologies and social media. In response to the challenges posed by this socio-cultural context, this dissertation articulates a moral vision for being neighbors today. This is given shape by a matrix of virtues that include compassion, courage, fidelity, and prudence. When put into practice, these dispositions and habits are meant to inspire and sustain an integral life-pattern committed to solidarity and preferential option for the poor held in balance with the moral obligations to one's family and friends. Narrowing the focus to students at U.S. Catholic colleges and informed by the current conditions for their personal, social, religious, and moral formation, this dissertation proposes a pedagogical approach to theological education as neighbor-formation. This involves establishing communities of practice that follow the Samaritan's example to draw near - physically and virtually - to neighbors in need in steadfast commitment to right-relationship in solidarity. In doing so, this dissertation develops a framework of principles and practices to effectively engage today's emerging adults to "Go and do likewise" in an increasingly globalized, digital world. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2016-08-25T11:54:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Emerson Sbardelotti Tavares.pdf: 1297565 bytes, checksum: 4c823c420b77fbbcef816f2aebab5572 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-25T11:54:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Emerson Sbardelotti Tavares.pdf: 1297565 bytes, checksum: 4c823c420b77fbbcef816f2aebab5572 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / From the perspective of theology, from the fundamentals of liberation theology insights, we intend to analyze the poetry of Patativa do Assaré poet, the cut in his work suggests and points out the option for the poor, well before it is proclaimed and assumed in Medellin Conference (1968, Columbia) and then resumed without the same prophetic freedom in Puebla Conference (1979, Mexico), Santo Domingo (1992 Dominican Republic) and Aparecida (2007, Brazil), doing so, a link, a bridge between theology and literature. The purpose of the Option for the Poor in Poetry Patativa do Assaré is to show how the option for the poor, biblical heritage, Vatican II heritage, with respect to assumptions and expectations than would be worked out and discussed in the Episcopal Conferences Latin American and Caribbean would be a poetic instrument of liberation in the voice and words of Patativa do Assaré. The main hypothesis is to show that Patativa do Assaré, by divine inspiration, becomes a sacred agent, becomes a representative of the Option for the Poor as it makes her poetry a prophecy where the watchwords are: truth, justice, freedom, brotherhood, equality and land reform. All current, useful and necessary. In Patativa do Assaré, the Option for the Poor that made by his poetry, is the Word of God touching humanity is doing in us, poetry. The option for the poor, assumed by the poet, was evident in all his books and in interviews he gave throughout his life. The results obtained from this research was to find out that there is a vast territory to be explored this relationship between theology and literature, as yet, everything is new and small steps are being taken in this direction. It was concluded that the Option for the Poor is useful, it is necessary, is current and should be lived, assuming all the consequences even martyrdom, as Patativa do Assaré, despite not being the poet a theologian, has always sought to be consistent with their choices; among them he never gave up the truth, justice, freedom and living among the people / Sob a ótica da Teologia, a partir das intuições fundantes da Teologia da Libertação, pretende-se analisar a poesia do poeta Patativa do Assaré, no recorte em que sua obra sugere e aponta a Opção pelos Pobres, bem antes desta ser proclamada e assumida na Conferência de Medellín (1968, Colômbia) e depois reassumida sem a mesma liberdade profética nas Conferências de Puebla (1979, México), Santo Domingo (1992, República Dominicana) e Aparecida (2007, Brasil), fazendo portanto, uma ligação, uma ponte entre Teologia e Literatura. O objetivo de A Opção pelos Pobres na Poesia de Patativa do Assaré é mostrar como a Opção pelos Pobres, herança bíblica, herança do Vaticano II, no que tange aos pressupostos e perspectivas do que seria trabalhado e discutido nas Conferências Episcopais Latino-Americanas e Caribenhas viria a ser um instrumento poético de libertação na voz e nas palavras de Patativa do Assaré. A principal hipótese é mostrar que Patativa do Assaré, por inspiração divina, se torna um agente do sagrado, se torna um representante da Opção pelos Pobres, pois faz de sua poesia uma profecia onde as palavras de ordem são: verdade, justiça, liberdade, fraternidade, igualdade e reforma agrária. Todas atuais, uteis e necessárias. Em Patativa do Assaré, na Opção pelos Pobres que fez através da sua poesia, é o Verbo de Deus tocando a humanidade, se fazendo em nós, poesia. A Opção pelos Pobres, assumida pelo poeta, ficou evidente em todos os seus livros e nas entrevistas que deu ao longo de sua vida. O resultado obtido com esta pesquisa foi descobrir que há um território imenso a ser desbravado nesta relação entre Teologia e Literatura, pois ainda, tudo é novidade e pequenos passos estão sendo dados nesta direção. Conclui-se que a Opção pelos Pobres é útil, é necessária, é atual e deve ser vivida, assumindo todas as consequências até o martírio, pois Patativa do Assaré, mesmo não sendo o poeta um teólogo, procurou ser sempre coerente com suas escolhas; dentre elas nunca abriu mão da verdade, da justiça, da liberdade e de viver no meio do povo

This study links both census and religious service data, aggregating them at significant geographical levels. This makes it possible to test (1) if there is empirical evidence of the Catholic Church prioritizing the pastoral service to the poorest population of Mexico, and (2) if the results at different levels of analysis are consistent. To answer these questions, I will introduce the analysis by an overview of the research and the conceptualization of poverty and the way the Catholic Church has faced this social condition, particularly in Latin America and Mexico. Following the overview, the research design is presented specifying research questions, hypotheses, data, and the procedures followed to process and analyze such data. In my analysis I will present the geographical distribution of five dimensions of poverty in Mexico (deprivation of material goods, lack of running water, limited access to health services, illiteracy, and ethnicity) and the main indicator of pastoral services offered by the Catholic Church (number of parishes). Data from different sources will be linked and aggregated at different geographical levels through statistical and GIS platforms. Two main innovative tools to achieve this are the Areas of Direct Pastoral Influence (ADPI) and the Maximum Historically Consistent Geographical Units (MxHCGUs). These resources help to distribute and link socio-demographic and pastoral data. ADPIs facilitate focusing on the detailed relationships whereas MxHCGUs can be re-aggregated to higher-level units of analysis. The analysis includes descriptive geo-statistical tools to identify geographic patterns and test for spatial autocorrelation. Negative binomial regressions test the correlation of poverty and pastoral services at different levels of aggregation of the data. Besides identifying the levels and dimensions of poverty where there is empirical evidence of the priorities of pastoral service, I address the consistency of the different geographical aggregations and explain the differences. I emphasize the analysis of the levels of geographical aggregation directly relevant to the organizational structure of the Catholic Church: the ecclesiastical circumscriptions and the parishes. I will explain in detail the characteristics of both administrative-territorial levels and their importance in order to understand the provision of pastoral care. Although former sociological studies have never considered these levels in the study of poverty, they are the very units of aggregation used by the Catholic Church in pastoral strategies and decisions. Therefore, these are the most pertinent levels of analysis for a study about the priorities of pastoral services. It should be noted that the main limitation of this research is the lack of longitudinal data that would be necessary to test causality. However, this study links these kinds of data for the first time and there is no source of more complete information: the data presented here are actually the basis for the official maps of the Mexican Catholic Church. Therefore this means a major advance in this kind of research. On the one hand, the dataset that I put together sets the basic structure to organize historical censuses and ecclesiastical data; on the other hand, although the results are limited to cross-sectional data, this exploratory step is crucial for my broader research agenda because this study will evaluate basic procedures that will enable the later incorporation and analysis of longitudinal data from more than 120 years. / text

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:19:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alexandre Medeiros.pdf: 562766 bytes, checksum: 6b233218c58fe6a4776a74af276fbb52 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-11-26 / The fundamental aspect of this research is the ecclesiastical document Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium the Joy of the Gospel, of the Pope Francisco, which was published in late 2013. This study is born from the works: A Theology of Liberation. Perspectives, of Gustavo Gutiérrez, first edition in 1971, and ninth in 2000, considered systematizing of Liberation Theology; has its development in Theology and Economics: rethinking liberation theology and utopias, of Jung Mo Sung, the fruit of his doctoral thesis 1993, published in 2008, which is a critical to the development of Liberation Theology; followed by Evangelii Gaudium the Joy of the Gospel, of the Pope Francisco, which was published in late 2013, first official document written by the hands of the elected pope. Therefore, we will study Gustavo Gutiérrez, Jung Mo Sung and ecclesiastical document of the Pope Francisco. The three initial chapters involve the preferential option for the poor, the economy and the utopia discussed individually in each thinker. Each author represents a different time, a different culture, but a common interest: concern with those that live on the periphery of the world. The fourth chapter will seek proximities between the ecclesiastical document and both authors studied. The research will follow the dialogical methodology, besides expanding the dialogue through bibliographic method. The goal is to find proximities and particularities between the authors and the ecclesiastical document. My hypothesis is that there is, in the document, similarities to the discourse of liberation theology. My interest is to seek a contribution of Christianity to the present day, in favor of a theology of life, against the mechanisms of death. / O eixo fundamental desta pesquisa é o documento eclesiástico Exortação Apostólica, EVANGELII GAUDIUM, A Alegria do Evangelho, do Papa Francisco, que foi publicada no final de 2013. Este estudo nasce a partir das obras: Teologia da Libertação. Perspectivas de Gustavo Gutiérrez, primeira edição em 1971, e nona edição em 2000, considerada sistematizadora da Teologia da Libertação; tem seu desenvolvimento na Teologia e Economia: Repensando a teologia da libertação e utopias de Jung Mo Sung, fruto da sua tese de doutorado de 1993, publicado em 2008, que faz uma crítica ao desenvolvimento da Teologia da Libertação; seguido por EVANGELII GAUDIUM, A Alegria do Evangelho, do Papa Francisco, que foi publicada no final de 2013, primeiro documento oficial escrito pelas mãos do papa eleito. Portanto, estudaremos Gustavo Gutiérrez, Jung Mo Sung e o documento eclesiástico do Papa Francisco. Os três capítulos iniciais envolvem a opção preferencial pelos pobres, a economia e a utopia, discutida individualmente em cada pensador. Cada autor representa um momento diferente, uma cultura diferente, mas um interesse em comum: preocupação com os que vivem na periferia do mundo. O quarto capítulo buscará proximidades entre o documento eclesiástico e os dois autores estudados. A pesquisa seguirá a metodologia dialógica, além de ampliar o diálogo através do método bibliográfico. O objetivo é buscar proximidades e particularidades entre os autores e o documento eclesiástico. Minha hipótese é que haja no documento, discursos semelhantes ao da teologia da libertação. Meu interesse é buscar uma contribuição do cristianismo para nossos dias, a favor de uma teologia da vida, contra os mecanismos da morte

In this Master's dissertation, I would like to explore a symbolic reading of John 11 (The raising of Lazarus) from the perspective of the church's mission to bring about the liberation of the poor. I believe that as one does so, one might discover that in the Gospel writer's original intention, the figure of Lazarus may never have been intended as a literal historical person, but rather as a symbolic representation of the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. Such a reading of John 11 might throw new light on the Fourth Gospel's understanding of Jesus and his mission. In doing so, I believe that John 11 might become a foundational text to guide and motivate committed Christian mission in favour of the poor. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a crisis for the South African government, society and Church. About sixty percent of the HIV population are in Sub Saharan Africa with women being three times more likely to be infected with HIV than their male counterparts. Governmental, societal and Church responses seem to have had little effect in reducing the pandemic as can be seen from the rising prevalence rates. Responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic lack a gender focus. Some churches have not responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Other Church-based responses have been isolated and simplistic in that they have concentrated on one aspect of the HIV illness. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a growing crisis to which the Church should respond. The hermeneutical point of departure in this thesis is to express a preferential option for the poor by standing in solidarity with a group of women living on the margins of society. To this end the perspectives of black people, who are materially poor, HIV positive and part of support groups are articulated in the study. The research project suggests that the preferential option for the poor has the potential to contribute to the personal and social transformation of society. Focussing on the deep-seated longing many desire for fullness of life, this thesis explores and describes a gendered Christian response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that could contribute to the full humanity of people. Full humanity is understood as transformation to wholeness and incorporates unity with God, others, creation and within oneself. A multifaceted, integrated and gendered response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is suggested by way of a model of full humanity. The South African context of HIV/AIDS, patriarchy and poverty pose a challenge to the way that Christians develop their spirituality. This thesis aims to explore and describe aspects of a fully human spirituality emerging from the South African situation. The study suggests that a clearly integrative and holistic approach that embodies the gender perspective is necessary for churches to adopt in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.(Christian Spirituality)

The author strongly holds- in the thesis- that the Theology of liberation can inspi re the poor of South Africa to uproot the post-1994 socio-economic and political evil structures which continue unabated to impoverish them. The introductory chapter studies the reasons which motivated the author to write the thesis. It further discusses the method, the format and the limitations of the thesis. Chapter one focuses on the author's understanding of the Theology of liberation, and its historical background. Chapter two discusses the relationship between the Theology of Liberation and black theology, while chapter three contemplates on the possibility of the creation of what the author calls, An African Theology of Liberation. Chapter four studies the relationship between the Theology of liberation and the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church as taught by the pope and his council. The study of this relationship is extremely difficult because of the on-going, and seemingly insurmountable ideological differences between the two parties. The author suggests, as a solutio n, that each party seriously considers and recognizes the contextual limitations of its theology. Chapter five focuses on the implementation of the Theology of Liberat ion into the South African situation. The author highly recommends the inclusion of the veneration of the ancestors of Africa, as a perfect instrument by means of which the Theology of Liberation can succeed in achieving one of its major aims, which is to convert the poor to be leaders of their own liberation. The concluding chapter suggests concrete ways through which the Theology of Liberation can be kept alive and relevant within the South African situation. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Theological Ethics)

This thesis looks at Blessed are the Poor?, a document presented to the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church that sought to outline Liberation Theology to the Church. In response to this the Synod voted £1,000,000 of its resources to be used specifically in projects in the poorest parts of Scotland. The thesis outlines those projects and the way in which they sought to embody the "Option for the Poor". The thesis closes by looking at whether Blessed are the Poor? faithfully represented Liberation Theology and the "Option"; whether the projects represented that theology and concluding that they did not, recognises that it is the nature of both the "Option" and the institutional Church that such a task could never be achieved. In order to understand the pastoral project this thesis outlines the historical development of Liberation Theology after the Second Vatican Council and in Latin America with particular emphasis on the "Option for the Poor". This thesis proceeds to look at the development of an "Option for the Poor" in the work of Gustavo Gutiérrez, the leading Liberation Theologian. The critiques of that work from the Vatican, Pablo Richard and Hugo Assmann are then considered. Gutiérrez’s works are used to develop a theological matrix that identifies the essential elements of the “Option for the Poor”. Having considered the notion of the "Option for the Poor" the thesis proceeds to look at how the "Option" was taken forward in the Churches in Britain before focussing on the specific response of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The matrix is used as a tool to assess whether the various parts of the response truly reflected the “Option for the Poor”.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a crisis for the South African government, society and Church. About sixty percent of the HIV population are in Sub Saharan Africa with women being three times more likely to be infected with HIV than their male counterparts. Governmental, societal and Church responses seem to have had little effect in reducing the pandemic as can be seen from the rising prevalence rates. Responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic lack a gender focus. Some churches have not responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Other Church-based responses have been isolated and simplistic in that they have concentrated on one aspect of the HIV illness. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a growing crisis to which the Church should respond. The hermeneutical point of departure in this thesis is to express a preferential option for the poor by standing in solidarity with a group of women living on the margins of society. To this end the perspectives of black people, who are materially poor, HIV positive and part of support groups are articulated in the study. The research project suggests that the preferential option for the poor has the potential to contribute to the personal and social transformation of society. Focussing on the deep-seated longing many desire for fullness of life, this thesis explores and describes a gendered Christian response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that could contribute to the full humanity of people. Full humanity is understood as transformation to wholeness and incorporates unity with God, others, creation and within oneself. A multifaceted, integrated and gendered response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is suggested by way of a model of full humanity. The South African context of HIV/AIDS, patriarchy and poverty pose a challenge to the way that Christians develop their spirituality. This thesis aims to explore and describe aspects of a fully human spirituality emerging from the South African situation. The study suggests that a clearly integrative and holistic approach that embodies the gender perspective is necessary for churches to adopt in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th.(Christian Spirituality)