Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“Escape theology”—the apolitical yin to Liberation Theology's yang—is funda-
mentalism imported from the USA. This “suffer now, enjoy later” theology keeps
the opiate in religion.
While it has given hope to millions of previously hopeless people, Liberation
Theology has also had many critics. Mingling religious authority with social, polit-
ical, and even military power, the movement could lead to armed revolution. And
it had a potentially corrupting influence on local charismatic priests, who created a
cult of personality to empower themselves and their followers. Still, many people
see Liberation Theology as the only viable option for those dissatisfied with what
they consider a social and economic structure that keeps them poor.
As Liberation Theology took hold in Latin America in the 1970s, many Amer-
icans thought it smelled like communism. President Nixon established an American
Cold War stance that considered this politicization of Christianity a direct challenge
to American interests in Central America. From this point on, the story of El Sal-
vador's struggle became a story of martyrs. First, politically active peasants were
killed. From the 1970s on, Church leaders were targeted. “Be a patriot… kill a
