Catholic Tensions in the Latin-American Societies: The poor in the demand for Justice

• In Event: Rethinking the Role of Religion in Latin America: Alternative Approaches toward Justice and Inclusion

Abstract

The Conference of Latin-American Catholic Bishops that took place in Medellin, Colombia, in 1968, reveals a church that understands the historical context of the societies in “Nuestra America.” However, it also reveals internal tensions among the different Catholicisms that co-existed –and still do– within the boundaries of the church. The aim of this presentation is to explore the contradictions that emerges within different Catholicisms concerning the conception and praxis of justice.
In the times of Medellin, Latin America was facing one of the most difficult historical periods due to sociopolitical exclusion and injustice. Some of the ecclesial, social, and political processes that came about at the time, weakened democracies and violated the human rights of the population, especially of the poor who demanded justice. Many Catholic bishops became the embodiment of these demands, and at the same time, Medellin became the iconic venue that brought visibility to this religious movement. Simultaneously, the reaction against Medellin inside the Catholic Church shows how the religious structure suffered a crack that both enabled and constrained the advances in the field of justice for the poor. This watershed results in the development of contradictory narratives and memories that continue to speak today.
This presentation is based on a critical historical review of the period, a sociological analysis of the past and actual times, my previous research, and the knowledge acquired during my work as co-editor and co-author of the recently published book Obipos de la Patria Grande: Pastores, Profetas y Mártires.

Author

• Ernesto M Fiocchetto, Florida International University