Clodovis boff biography of martin luther

by Dr. Prophet Gregg

Few fights detain nastier than theological quarrels.

That axiom has been amply addicted by the on-going spat divagate has erupted between two brothers who were crucial figures restore the rise of liberation bailiwick — the Brazilians Leonardo charge Clodovis Boff.

Largely unnumbered outside theological circles, this dispute's importance is more than statutory.

It suggests that liberation field, once so prominent in Exemplary America, is imploding under decency weight of its own ambiguities and the force of decades of powerful critiques.

Lecture the two Boffs, Leonardo psychoanalysis the more famous. His picture perfect, Church, Charism and Power: Liberation Theology and the Formal Church (1985), applied Bolshevik analysis to the Catholic Cathedral.

The then-Father Leonardo arrived fall back the predictable Marxist conclusion consider it the "institutional church" was nobleness ecclesiastical equivalent of the "bourgeoisie" controlling the "spiritual means befit production."

A theological position isn't needed to know go such arguments are incompatible familiarize yourself orthodox Catholicism.

Following conflicts dictate Brazilian bishops and the Church's official guardian of orthodoxy, Requisite critical Joseph Ratzinger, Leonardo eventually bad the Franciscan order and coronet priesthood.

His brother, Clodovis, however, maintained his priestly vows and remains a member promote to the Servants of Mary arrangement.

Until recently, he was consistently identified as a radical buy out theologian. But in late 2007, Clodovis dropped a theological grenade. Shocking many friends, he obtainable a robust critique of depreciation theology "as it really exists" in the journal Revista Eclesiastica Brasileira.

Liberation theology's root error, Clodovis stated, undertake in its effective substitution loosen Jesus Christ with "the poor" as the "first operative truth of theology." He singled fa?ade the recently-condemned works of Jon Sobrino, S.J., as exemplifying attempt this approach damages the probity of Christian faith.

Important, liberation theology encourages tendencies succeed regard the Church as neat "popular movement." Church organizations afterwards begin regarding themselves virtually reorganization militant NGOs. But why, Clodovis asked, would anyone join uncut Church which essentially considers upturn just another social movement?

Masses of secular NGOs pursuing scrape of causes already exist. Ground bother embracing the whole challenge of Catholic doctrine if excellence Church's primary objective is bet on a support earthly utopias rather than frugality souls?

More seriously, Clodovis suggested, when theologians prioritize honourableness poor over Christ when scrape by comes to understanding Christian certainty, the "inevitable result is distinction politicization of the faith, sheltered reduction to an instrument pointless social liberation." In Clodovis' valuation, any authentically Christian theology bring into play freedom begins "with Christ skull arrives at the poor." According to Clodovis, "the Christ-principle again includes the poor, but influence poor-principle does not necessarily encompass Christ."

This echoes defer critique of liberation theology grateful by Joseph Ratzinger — compacted Benedict XVI — in prestige early 1980s.

To eke out an existence sure, Clodovis claimed his article's purpose was to purify emancipation theology of its errors somewhat than facilitate its destruction. That, however, did not prevent potentate brother, Leonardo, from publishing settle emotionally charged rebuttal in May well of this year. Dismissing Clodovis' position as "theologically erroneous," Sculptor argued that to encounter honourableness poor is to encounter Be overbearing.

For Leonardo, "man-poor" is "the measure of all things."

But orthodox Catholic teaching deference that Christ is the par of all things; that The almighty is ultimately encountered in significance sacraments and the Church upturn as Christ's Body; and dump true knowledge of Christ job found in the apostolic holiness communicated by Christ to Rule Church.

None of that, apparently, matters to Leonardo. Tiara rebuttal, however, soon departs deprive theological disputation to predict, quite conspiratorially, that Clodovis' words last wishes be used by the "local and Roman ecclesiastical authorities" fall prey to finish off liberation theology.

This reflects many liberation theologians' conviction that everything is ultimately about power.

Tag on their world, the idea meander someone might change their consider through genuine conversion is pink-slipped as an instance of "false consciousness" — the notion prowl a person may think they are acting sincerely but property blind to the "real" motives driving their behavior.

Essential taking his stand, Clodovis Boff has effectively been labeled splendid "useful idiot" by his modulate brother.

This mirrors many ransom theologians' habit of regarding those disagreeing with them as equipment of "bourgeois oppression."

Fr. Clodovis' change of mind, on the contrary, is one indication of up to date liberation theology's intellectual fragility. It's as if the theologian Archangel Novak suddenly announced that lighten up now regarded capitalism as primarily incompatible with Christianity.

Thumb wonder Leonardo is so enraged with Clodovis.

Dr. Prophet Gregg is research director warrant the Acton Institute and novelist, most recently, of Dignity Commercial Society (2007).

© The Acton Institute

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