Gustavo Gutierrez: A Theology of Liberation, Chapter Four: Different Responses
Posted: December 16, 2011 Filed under: liberation theology Leave a comment »Here, Gutierrez briefly develops a perspective on different ways of relating the Church to the world.
The Christendom Mentality
For this mentality, which Gutierrez pretty clearly opposes, the Church is the core and total of historical reality. That is to say, to the extent that secular institutions have autonomy, they should be brought under the authority of the Church. In addition, the clergy are viewed as nearly identical to “the Church,” while the laity are to follow their lead.
New Christendom
Although that first mentality has some remnants, it was largely superseded by the New Christendom approach of Jacques Maritain. At this point, it is fairly obvious that Gutierrez is solely addressing a Catholic context. Instead of the Augustinian roots of the previous approach (which is not to say whether it was faithful to Augustine), Maritain’s approach is indebted mainly to Aquinas.
This new approach is founded on the idea that as grace perfects nature while respecting its integrity, so the Church must respect the autonomy of institutions other than the Church. While “A certain ecclesiastical narcissism is still evident” (36), the laity are given a new role. As Gutierrez points out, despite its positive aspects, the New Christendom mentality leaves the social realm essentially as it is, accepting that it should not be drastically altered.
The Distinction of Planes
Still, this new approach allows space for a recognition that there are distinct (though not mutually exclusive) planes of existence for Church and world each to play their own role: “The Kingdom of God provides the unity; the Church and the world, each in its own way, contribute to its edification” (37). Although this viewpoint is not entirely wrong, Gutierrez does not believe that it is sufficient. This insufficiency is due to the historical crisis that he addresses in the next chapter.
As for this chapter, it seems to be a fairly accurate summary of some major shifts that have occurred in the relationship of Church and world. While some recent theologians have disparaged Maritain a bit unfairly, Gutierrez rightly admits that there are both good and bad aspects of his New Christendom approach.
