Liberation Theology at the Crossroads: Democracy or Revolution? by Paul E. Sigmu

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A reprint of the title originally published in 1990. This critical study examines the history, methods and doctrines of Liberation Theology by drawing on English and Spanish sources.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Liberation theology originated in Catholic Latin America at the end of the 1960s in response to prevalent conditions of poverty and oppression. Its basic tenet was that it is the primary duty of the church to seek to promote social and economic justice. Since that time it has grown in influence, spreading to other areas of the Third World, along with bitter controversy about its ties to Marxist ideology and violent revolution. Drawing on both English and Spanishsources, this critical study examines the history, method, and doctrines of liberation theology. Sigmund considers the movement's origins in political circumstances in Latin America and provides casestudies of its role in such events as the revolution and counter-revolution in Chile, and in the revolutionary movements in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Examining the thought of major liberation theologians, as well as the critical responses of the Vatican, Sigmund shows that liberation theology is a complex phenomenon, comprising a variety of kinds and degrees of radicalism. He discerns a general trend away from the Marxist rhetoric that has often characterized the movement in the past andtowards the kind of grassroots populist reform typified by the Basic Christian Communities Movement.

Author Biography

Paul E. Sigmund is Professor of Politics at Princeton University. He is the author of numerous books, including The Ideologies of the Developing Nations, Natural Law in Political Thought, The Overthrow of Allende and the Politics of Chile, and Liberation Theology at the Crossroads. He is the translator and editor of the Norton Critical Edition of St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics.

Review

"An excellent book, well organized, which makes it so valuable for college use, particularly the case studies on Chile, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The generous information on dates, places, and individuals, in addition to the author's attention to chronology, makes of this book a most useful instrument for history courses."--Martin Poblete, Rutgers University"A provocative and highly interesting book written by a thinker with real knowledge of liberation theology and its political implications."--Stephen J. Pope, Boston College"An important book on an important subject. Very scholarly, yet very readable for undergraduates."--Edward Brachman, SUNY--Genesco"In addition to providing a readable survey of liberation theology, Sigmund succeeds in proving that democracy stands as the only logical--and theologically correct--alternative for contemporary liberation theology....Sigmund displays an encyclopedic knowledge of liberation theologians."--Harvard International Review"A solid balanced account of a complex movement."--Peter McDonough, Arizona State University"An excellent book, well organized, which makes it so valuable for college use, particularly the case studies on Chile, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The generous information on dates, places, and individuals, in addition to the author's attention to chronology, makes of this book a most useful instrument for history courses."--Martin Poblete, Rutgers University"A provocative and highly interesting book written by a thinker with real knowledge of liberation theology and its political implications."--Stephen J. Pope, Boston College"An important book on an important subject. Very scholarly, yet very readable for undergraduates."--Edward Brachman, SUNY--Genesco"In addition to providing a readable survey of liberation theology, Sigmund succeeds in proving that democracy stands as the only logical--and theologically correct--alternative for contemporary liberation theology....Sigmund displays an encyclopedic knowledge of liberation theologians."--Harvard International Review"A solid balanced account of a complex movement."--Peter McDonough, Arizona State University"A clearly written historical review of the liberation theology movement and its influence in Latin America."--Library Journal"In this important and timely book, Paul Sigmund has done a masterly job of pulling together the various strands of liberation theology, illustrating the historical crosscurrents at work with excellent case studies of the church's witness during the counterrevolution in Chile and the revolutions taking place in Nicaragua and El Salvador."--Commonweal"Students of liberation theology will appreciate Mr. Sigmund's evenhanded exposition of the ideas of the liberation theologians, their disagreements with the Vatican, and their responses to their North American critics....Poses some provocative questions for the liberation theologians."--New York Times Book Review"Academically it is well written, researched and documented, and makes a significant contribution. The tremendous political potential of religion becomes self-evident in reading this book."--Theological Book Review"Lucid and well-written history of this radical theology, examining it with a balance and insight rarely found among academics."--Crisis"A balanced contribution to the literature on liberation theology....The book treats liberation theologians and its critics fairly, providing a faithful interpretation of main arguments and avoiding tendentious distortions."--Journal of Church and State"This volume...can be thoroughly commended....an able and compelling account of how the crossraods was reached and why the democratic path should be taken."--Political Studies"Sigmund provides us with a masterful survey of the history of liberation theology in Latin America. He summarizes the thought of each of its major proponents. He gives a concise account of the efforts of the Vatican to limit and direct the movement. He takes us into the field in Chile, Nicaragua and El Salvador where liberation theologians have been in the thick of the fray."--The Times (Trenton)

Long Description

Liberation theology originated in Catholic Latin America at the end of the 1960s in response to prevalent conditions of poverty and oppression. Its basic tenet was that it is the primary duty of the church to seek to promote social and economic justice. Since that time it has grown in influence, spreading to other areas of the Third World, along with bitter controversy about its ties to Marxist ideology and violent revolution. Drawing on both English and Spanishsources, this critical study examines the history, method, and doctrines of liberation theology. Sigmund considers the movement's origins in political circumstances in Latin America and provides case studies of its role in such events as the revolution and counter-revolution in Chile, and in therevolutionary movements in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Examining the thought of major liberation theologians, as well as the critical responses of the Vatican, Sigmund shows that liberation theology is a complex phenomenon, comprising a variety of kinds and degrees of radicalism. He discerns a general trend away from the Marxist rhetoric that has often characterized the movement in the past and towards the kind of grassroots populist reform typified by the Basic Christian CommunitiesMovement.

Review Text

"An excellent book, well organized, which makes it so valuable for college use, particularly the case studies on Chile, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The generous information on dates, places, and individuals, in addition to the author''s attention to chronology, makes of this book a most useful instrument for history courses."--Martin Poblete, Rutgers University"A provocative and highly interesting book written by a thinker with real knowledge of liberation theology and its political implications."--Stephen J. Pope, Boston College"An important book on an important subject. Very scholarly, yet very readable for undergraduates."--Edward Brachman, SUNY--Genesco"In addition to providing a readable survey of liberation theology, Sigmund succeeds in proving that democracy stands as the only logical--and theologically correct--alternative for contemporary liberation theology....Sigmund displays an encyclopedic knowledge of liberation theologians."--Harvard International Review"A solid balanced account of a complex movement."--Peter McDonough, Arizona State University"An excellent book, well organized, which makes it so valuable for college use, particularly the case studies on Chile, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The generous information on dates, places, and individuals, in addition to the author''s attention to chronology, makes of this book a most useful instrument for history courses."--Martin Poblete, Rutgers University"A provocative and highly interesting book written by a thinker with real knowledge of liberation theology and its political implications."--Stephen J. Pope, Boston College"An important book on an important subject. Very scholarly, yet very readable for undergraduates."--Edward Brachman, SUNY--Genesco"In addition to providing a readable survey of liberation theology, Sigmund succeeds in proving that democracy stands as the only logical--and theologically correct--alternative for contemporary liberation theology....Sigmund displays an encyclopedic knowledge of liberation theologians."--Harvard International Review"A solid balanced account of a complex movement."--Peter McDonough, Arizona State University"A clearly written historical review of the liberation theology movement and its influence in Latin America."--Library Journal"In this important and timely book, Paul Sigmund has done a masterly job of pulling together the various strands of liberation theology, illustrating the historical crosscurrents at work with excellent case studies of the church''s witness during the counterrevolution in Chile and the revolutions taking place in Nicaragua and El Salvador."--Commonweal"Students of liberation theology will appreciate Mr. Sigmund''s evenhanded exposition of the ideas of the liberation theologians, their disagreements with the Vatican, and their responses to their North American critics....Poses some provocative questions for the liberation theologians."--New York Times Book Review"Academically it is well written, researched and documented, and makes a significant contribution. The tremendous political potential of religion becomes self-evident in reading this book."--Theological Book Review"Lucid and well-written history of this radical theology, examining it with a balance and insight rarely found among academics."--Crisis"A balanced contribution to the literature on liberation theology....The book treats liberation theologians and its critics fairly, providing a faithful interpretation of main arguments and avoiding tendentious distortions."--Journal of Church and State"This volume...can be thoroughly commended....an able and compelling account of how the crossraods was reached and why the democratic path should be taken."--Political Studies"Sigmund provides us with a masterful survey of the history of liberation theology in Latin America. He summarizes the thought of each of its major proponents. He gives a concise account of the efforts of the Vatican to limit and direct the movement. He takes us into the field in Chile, Nicaragua and El Salvador where liberation theologians have been in the thick of the fray."--The Times (Trenton)

Review Quote

"Students of liberation theology will appreciate Mr. Sigmund's evenhanded exposition of the ideas of the liberation theologians, their disagreements with the Vatican, and their responses to their North American critics....Poses some provocative questions for the liberation theologians."--NewYork Times Book Review

Details ISBN019507274X Author Paul E. Sigmund Short Title LIBERATION THEOLOGY AT CROSSRO Language English ISBN-10 019507274X ISBN-13 9780195072747 Media Book Format Paperback Year 1992 Subtitle Democracy or Revolution? DEWEY 261.8 Residence US Illustrations black & white illustrations Position Professor of Politics Imprint Oxford University Press Inc Place of Publication New York Country of Publication United States Affiliation Professor of Politics, Princeton University DOI 10.1604/9780195072747 UK Release Date 1992-11-26 AU Release Date 1992-11-26 NZ Release Date 1992-11-26 US Release Date 1992-11-26 Publisher Oxford University Press Inc Publication Date 1992-11-26 Audience Professional & Vocational Pages 272 We've got this

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