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Latin American Contexts challenges to contemporary theology

Diego IRARRZAVAL

We live over our roots, not over our branches (Chilean proverb) In other words: the unseen -within the earth- is source of all...

A) Ongoing economic-cultural-political shift. Cries for social transformation (1940-1980); also demands for inclusion (1980-2010) through massive consumption of material goods, education, technologies, etc. Solidarity replaced by individualization. Institutions loose credibility. New global and local scenarios. Ignacio Ellacura: faith implies taking stock of reality (hacerse cargo de la realidad) (Endnote 1). Reconstruction of utopias. B) Ongoing eco-human-spiritual shift. Malaise in our civilization. Crisis of churches. 16th and 20th century Reforms; and neo-pentecostals. Fundamentalist solution/comfort; a new God (2). Growing critique towards theology/church (on patriarchy, sexuality, ecology, etc.). Theological blindness: you (stupid) have to read the signs of the times (Lc 12:54-59, Mt 16:1-4). Shift in theology: from sinfulness (inability to read the signs of the times) to accountability (fragile and hopeful).

1) Whirlwinds and tendencies - Everydy turmoil and tendencies. A decade of changes; and epochal change -cambio de poca- (3). Daily efforts to survive in the midst of global violence; structural and subtle forms (arms, drugs, mass media).

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- Macroeconomic leaps and crisis. Unstable employment, totalitarian market and its loopholes, paradigm of rational expectations (4). Economic growth and social programs (Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, challenge US control over Latinamerica). - Cultural wholistic change. Components: individuation, media (SMC and IMC), citizenship through consumption, gender roles, reproductive and sexual rights, patriarchy and heterosexuality. Hopeful signs: grass roots initiatives, decoloniality, acknowledgment of indigenous people, a mosaic of networks. 2) Challenges to latinamerican/caribbean (and other) theologies. - Economic/cultural contexts with deep changes; interaction between social sciences and theologies. - Spiritual/religious mega-tendencies: individuals who consume religion, and self-help therapies; market of religious goods and services; religions and Christianity within the market; pluralism, and nonhegemonic Catholic Church; faith without church membership; stronger Spiritualities; strands of Pentecostalism. - Deep crisis of greek/rational paradigm. Crisis confronted through humble wisdom and courage; quilted theological work (5). - Hermeneutical and practical mediations; emerging and hopefull theological subjects: laypeople, interculturality, feminist, indigenous, mestizos, youth, handicapped, human communities. - Debate about new paradigms: symbolic, postcolonial, eco-theological, feminist, gender, intercultural, plural and planetary, local/global programs, indigenous: sumak kawsay/buen vivir, other paradigms. - Alternatives (and their spiritual dimensions). Interaction between emerging theologies (use of local and also of dominant languages). A principle: liberation. Theological charism: intellectus amoris ( Jon Sobrino). An undefinable process: Tao. A way of love: bhakti-marga. 3) Seven major concerns (input by Paulo Suess) - First challenge: due to people's resistence and struggle, a radical critique of capitalism as a system. Accumulation, growth, speed, trivialized life and relationships, precarious labour, migration. - Second challenge: to uncover false solutions, since the global system causes destruction. Many wish to diminish the negative aspects of capitalism without paying attention to its root causes. Public policy aimed at ending poverty in fact increase consumption and exploitation. - Third challenge: allow persons targeted by such plans to see that

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they receive left over, and that the State does not foster social well being. - Fourth challenge: theological critique is discussed with scientists and with social movements. With whom are we caucusing and building a common agenda? Religious argument about the lesser evil benefits the status quo. - Fifth challenge: some participants within our churches have the countercultural values of the Kingdom, and live them out daily: gratuity, asceticism, conversion, mysticism, solidarity, responsibility, administrative transparency. Spend time and energy in the theological formation of these countercultural people. There are plenty of witnesses, community leaders, martyrs, bearers of faith, who are mentors for young people. - Sixth challenge: learn to deal with alienation, and to work with those who are alienated. Young people who participate in charismatic groups have good will and lack vision. Healing the blind was the last miracle (in the synoptic gospels). Our pedagogical task is to concienticise on a medium term, so that charismatics become militants. - Seventh challenge: deeper awareness of God's name: justice. God is our justice ( Jer 23,6, 33,16). The image of God is Jesus-Messiah. The experiences of justice mean daily resurrection. Conclusions: - As persons we live out of our roots (proverb). Well rooted theologies are fragile and hopeful signs of another world. Eduardo Galeano: Utopia. I walk two steps, and she moves two steps further... What is it good for? It is useful, so as to keep walking (5). - Epochal change in Latin America and throughout the world. On going debate about theological paradigms, carried out by networks of faith communities (6).

Endnotes: See Ignacio Ellacuria, Filosofia de la realidad histrica, San Salvador: UCA, 1990.
1 2 Paul Saffo, New era, new god, The Economist, The world in 2011 (22/11/2210): unhappy believers first look back to their roots for comfort, but origins rarely comfort and thus they will inevitably search for a new god. Is this an economic/cultural/spiritual prediction? 3 For a brief analysis of 2000-2010: Raul Zibechi, Una dcada que

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cambi el continente, Alai (Amrica Latina en Movimiento), 13/1/2011; and for the context: Maristella Svampa, Cambio de poca. Movimientos sociales y poder poltico, Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI, 2008. Markets do not respond to rational demands for human well being. New York's Institute for New Economic Thinking (ITEM) examines root problems in the world, and seeks a paradigm that goes beyond the hypothesis of rational expectations.
4

Eduardo Galeano, Utopa (2006): Ella esta en el horizonte. Me acerco dos pasos, ella se aleja dos pasos ms. Camino diez pasos y el horizonte se corre diez pasos ms all. Por mucho que yo camine, nunca la voy a alcanzar. Para qu sirve la utopa? Sirve para eso: para caminar. See VV. AA., Porto Alegre, globalizar la esperanza, Santiago: Editorial An Creemos en los Sueos, 2002; VV.AA., Utopas, antiguos y nuevos sueos, Santiago: Editorial An Creemos en los Sueos, 2010.
5

Latinamerican/Caribbean quilted theological work: + Mainline theologies in Latin America: - academic specialization, subordination to north atlantic standards; neo colonialism; in hegemonic teaching and research; in clerical structures; in several strands of latinamerican theology. + Outstanding biblical work. Long term and grass roots major theological work. Communities rediscover the Word of God. Contribution by religious congregations: SVD's, Claretians; and by Ecumenical networks. Centro de Estudos Biblicos (CEBI in Brazil, www.cebi.org.br). Revista de Interpretacin Bblica Latinoamericana (RIBLA). + Laytheologians and study of religion: in Brazil (SOTER, CESEP), in Argentina (SFT Seminario Anual de Formacin Teolgica, www.sft.org. ar; 30/1-5/2-2011 in Moreno, B.A., the 26th SFT: Tiempo de quiebres, tiempo de poder). In Chile, each year, Encuentros de Liberacin (Centro Ecumenico Diego de Medellin, Santiago). In Costa Rica, each year a 2 month work shop of Socio-Theological and Pastoral Formation (DEI, San Jos). + Gender and Feminist perspectivas. Teologanda in Argentina. Colombian Association of women-theologians (El genero en la disciplina teologica, antropologica, moral, escatologa Socorro Vivas y Consuelo Velez, www.amerindiaenlared.org.). Ecumenical community of indigenous women theologians of Abya Yala (COTIAY). + Eco-theologies that emerge in Latin America and throughout the
6

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world. - Conferencia mundial de cambio climatico y derechos de la Madre Tierra, Cochabamba, 19-22 april, 2010; message by theological workshop. - Outstanding contributions by L. Boff, (Ecoteologia, Cuidar la tierra y proteger la vida) and by I. Gebara (Ecofeminism). - Evangelization: Campanha da Fraternidade, Brazil 2011Reciclar la Vida (only Catholics; it was ecumenical in 3 previous years). + Theological understanding of Pluralism in Latin America (5 volumes by J.M. Vigil, L. Tomita, M. Barros, Asett/EATWOT: Por los muchos caminos de Dios, 2003-2006, and Towards a Planetary Theology, 2010). Report 2004-2007 by J.M. Vigil in www.eatwot.org + Fragile theological networks, EATWOT/ASETT (Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologies) (www.eatwot.org), evangelical FTL (Fraternidad Teologica Latinoamericana) www.fatela.org + Creative workshops (national, regional, international): - Emerging theologies: - Afro: encuentro teologa afro-americana (Guasa), 2007. - Indigenous: VI Encuentro continental de Teologia India (Berln, San Salvador, 30/11 a 5/12, 2010). Movilidad/Migracin, desafo y esperanza para los pueblos indgenas. - Feminist: Intercultural Feminist Theology, 2007, Mexico (book by M. Mena); IV Encuentro teologa feminista, Matanzas 30 julio 3 ag 2008 or 2009? (and in Bogot, 2008, 2009?) Una otra teologa es posible, Busquedas y Caminos de las teologas feministas latinoamericanas y caribeas. - National processes: - Jornadas teologicas latinoamericanas, Santiago de Chile, 29-30 oct 2009 (recognition of Sergio Torres's 80 years). - Encuentro Recreando la Esperanza, Mexico, 4-5 dic 2009 (40 th anniversary of Congreso Fe y Desarrollo, in Mexico) - Asociacin de Teologos Ecumenica de Mexico (ATEM, Mexico). - Congreso Teologico a 100 aos de nacimiento de Leonidas Proao (january 27-31, 2010, Ecuador) - Congreso teologico-pastoral, Construyendo y plantando en el caminar del pueblo San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, january 20-23, 2010 (50 years of Samuel Ruiz as bishop) - Seminar in Brazil: Teologia de Liberacin y Educacin Popular. (6th in 2010: Negritud y blanqueamiento). - Theology and Science of Religion in Brazil, SOTER. 2010

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(Religions and Peace). - Course by CESEP (Sao Paulo), 2011: Life: challenges for science, bible, bioethics (564 participants). -Continental renewal: - V Conference of Latinamerican and Caribbean Bishops (2007), with its remarkable Final Document. Publications by Amerindia: V Conferencia, Renacer de una esperanza (2008), La misin en cuestin: aportes a la luz de Aparecida (2009). - III World Forum Teologia y Liberacin, Theology and Liberation, Belen, Brazil, 21-25/1/2009. Agua y Tierra. Teologia para otro mundo posible. - Congress in 2012, in Unisinos, Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, 50 years of Vaticano II (and 40 years of Liberation Theology by G Gutierrez). Regional Seminars during 2011 (Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile). In our quilted theological activity is there a symphonic quality, a common denominator?

(Inputs for this essay: Socorro Martinez, Joe Marcal, JO Beozzo, Exequiel Silva, Selenir Correa, Abraham Colque, Paulo Suess, Benedito Ferraro, Marcos Rodriguez, Gerald Bodoo, Luiza Tomita, Elaine Neunfeldt, Eleazar Lopez, Luiz Carlos Susin, Jose Mara Vigil, Cleusa Andreatta, Roberto Zwetsch, Maria Chavez, Mario Perez, Anete Roese).

Diego IRARRZAVAL
Professor at Catholic Universitiy Silva Henrquez Santiago CHILE

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Contextos Latinoamericanos: desafos para la teologa contempornea

Diego IRARRZAVAL

Introduccin: - Cambio de rumbo econmico-cultural-poltico. Individuacin. Consumo de todo. Devaluacin de instituciones. Ignacio Ellacura: hacerse cargo de realidad (Endnote 1). - Lo eco-humano-espiritual. Malestar en nuestra civilizacin. Crisis de iglesias. Mensaje evanglico: ustedes no leen signos de los tiempos (Lc 12, Mt 16); del pecado teolgico a la corresponsabilidad. Anuncios de un nuevo dios (2).

1) Torbellinos y mega tendencias: - Cambio de poca (3). Violencia global. - Procesos macro econmicos. Casos de Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil. - Transformacin cultural. Experiencias de base. Pueblos originarios. Des-colonialidad. Genero. Sexualidad. Sobrevivencia.

2)Desafos a la teologia latinoamericana (y a otras) - Cambios globales/locales. Ciencia social. Fragmentos teolgicos (5) - Mega tendencias simblicas. Marketing de religin. Auge de espiritualidad. Fe sin iglesia. Pentecostalidad. - Teologias emergentes: comunidad laica, posdenominacional, feminista, indgena, ecoteologia.