Class struggles exist in churches
Saturday 16 February 2013
Printable
EmailRevelations that the Argentinian Roman Catholic hierarchy was complicit in the murder of two priests during the time of the fascist regime, provide a clear refutation of Jim Dymond's (M Star February 9) rather sterile and static view of the church as a monolithic reactionary force throughout history.
This awful case is just one of many examples of the powerful in the churches aligning themselves with secular oppressors.
It demands that we recognise that the church comprises not just the cardinals, the bishops and the ministers but all of the pilgrim people of God.
Class conflict has constantly been played out in the churches and reform movements abound, with liberation theology being one of the most enduring in recent decades.
Liberation theology is based on the belief that individual and collective salvation and political and economic liberation are indivisible.
To fail to recognise the progressive movements in the churches is naive and defeatist.
As Fidel Castro said: "I believe that it is possible for Christians to be Marxists … and to work together with Marxist communists to transform the world.
"The important thing is that in both cases they be honest revolutionaries who want to end the exploitation of man by man."
Paul Simon
Hadleigh
If you appreciated this article then please consider donating to the Morning Star's Fighting Fund to ensure we can keep developing your paper.
