TS.

1
As a concretization of the mission of the proclamation of
evangelization....
in a world full of injustice and sin it is important to give
importance to justice in relation to faith and live it out through
action. Action on behalf of justice is a constitutive dimension of
the proclamation of the Gospel, meaning it is like a pillar to a
building, without it the building would not be able to stand.
in other words, justice- redemption of the human race and its
liberation from oppressive situations- is part of the Churchs
mission.
Development and Liberation have profound links to evangelization
and salvation. However evangelization cannot be complete
without temporal liberation the two must not be reduced to it or
else you would be falling into reductionism.
The Churchs essential mission is that of evangelization and
salvation. Evangelization is the proclamation of salvation, which is
a gift of God.
Temporal Liberation and evangelization are both united however
distinct. United because the Church seeks the good of the whole
person and distinct because these two tasks enter in different
ways into her mission. The unity of these to tasks is called
integral evangelization,
...theology of Liberation emerges out of life experiences,
especially in relation to the differences between the
teachings of the Scriptures and the current situation of
poverty...
The experience of life forces us to theologize. If theology is to be
integrated into the totality of our lives it has to have 2 qualities. 1)
it has to make us reflect and ask question our lives and 2) it has
to illumine and make sense out of it.
Liberation theology emerged out of the reflection upon the
concrete experience of the people who share a Christian faith and
also experience s life characterized by desperate poverty
imposed upon them by social and political institutions. The
contrasts of our situation today and our reflections on the
Scripture, rituals of mass and the sacraments can help us realize
that this is not right and this is not what God has planned for us.
The important parts of this Theology include the
understanding of the Nature of God....
Liberation theologians ask if God created human life to be the
way in which it is experienced by the majority of the people of that
continent who are poor
It is important to know and remember that God is a god of life. He
does not will suffering and death. This situation is not the will of
God but the will of humans. Human beings can fashion distorted
social structures however they can also change them. We are
stewards of the earth.
...The realization of sin...
Liberation Theologians have realized that egoism and self-
seeking that characterizes human beings is not limited to
individual transactions. Self seeking can become solidified into
social arrangements and governs policies that become institutions
in a destructive way which is against Gods will
... and the understanding of the meaning of salvation from
sin and death...
Thirdly, Christian doctrine of Jesus Christ and salvation maintains
that J.C. is the saviour of human existence from the ravages of
sin and death in this world.
The first salvation L.T. find in J.C. is liberation from sin. Liberation
from personal sin is made possible through conversion and
repentance (J.C. demonstrates that god loves us all as we are-
sinners) God forgives personal sin. Social sin on the other hand
cannot be passively accepted. It consists of turning to J.C. and
taking up a pattern of life similar to his.
L.T. also find in J.C. a salvation from death. And this is also two
fold. First.Liberation from death meaning that when we take up
the ideals of Jesus and corporateluy work to resist and change
the sinful structures we are pushing back the death dealing
effects of the current situation.
And second L.T. find in J.C. resurrection the promise of hope for
our ultimate future beyond our own inevitable death. To believe in
Jesus means to believe that god who as creator, is a god of life
and remains so in the end.









TS. 2
As a view from the bottom...
Sobrino tells us that in order to comprehend our human essence it
is necessary to do so from the point of view not of the powerful
but of the poor. From the perspective of the poor, we have
rediscovered the need for a new civilization, a civilization of
poverty or at least of austerity, rather than one of impossible
abundance for all.
That more humane civilization can be made concrete by
considering first the community rather than the individual.
Theology of Liberation is differentiated from the traditional
theology in its origins ...
Liberation theology in Latin America arose from the poverty of the
great majority of the Latin American population and the
understanding that the reality of the misery was due to a profound
social injustice, together with the understanding that this was
contrary to the preaching of the life-kingdom, central to Jesus
gospel, and the need to live with joy and hope the grace of Gods
love.
First, let us determine how we do theology. God is a mystery
however a sound theology is an attempt to think and speak about
this mystery.
In order to think about God we must first worship and do Gods
will. We have to start in the realm of practice. Christian life is the
first act and it inspires a process of reflection which is the second
act. Contemplation and commitment combine to form what er call
the phase of silence before God. Theological discourse, on the
other hand is a speaking about God. Theology is talk that is
constantly enriched by silence.
Theology is critical reflection, in the light of the Divine word
recived in faith, in the presence of Christians in the world. It must
help us to see how we are to relate the life of faith to the demands
made upon us in bulding a humane and just society
Ever since the enlightenment, the unbelieving mind often
confronts our world of religion and calls for radical purification and
reneal of it. and the question we ask ourselves is How are we to
proclaim God in a world come of age?
...its questioners...
But in Latin America the challenge did not come from non-
believers but from non-persons.- those whom the prevailing social
order does not consider as persons. Nonpresons represent a
challenge, not primarily to our religious world but to our economic,
social, political and cultural world. Their existence is a call for
revolutionary transformation of the foundatios of our
dehumanizing society.
In this context then, the question is not, how are we to talk of God
in a world come of age? But how are we to speak of God in face
of the suffering of the innocent?
...principle tools...
In order to promote a better understanding of the social reality of
the Latin American people we have to refer to the social sciences.
With the social sciences we are able to understand poverty as
something which is caused by problems in the structural roots.
The SS are concerned with the social nature of human existence.
That man is shaped by society, the human person is a social
being and exists in relation to others. And that human beings form
society and society is a human product.
...and method.
The methodology of liberation theology is an ongoing process that
can be represented by the circle of praxis constituting of (1)
experience- where a priori and basic faith commitment to God is
presumed and this leads to a fundamental choice for liberation a
and a fundamental option for the poor. (2) Social analysis- where
the concrete societal situation is an indispensable part of the
metod of liberation theology. (3) Theological Reflection- where
there is an inquiry into the socio-historical conditioning and the
ideological functioning of Christian belief and practice. Then this
proceeds to purify , reinterpret and revitalize Christian doctrines
drawing their meanings and implications for social action. And
lastly (4) reflected action- where there is a discernment and
formulation of moral imperatives for concrete action followed by
orthopraxis (correct practice)
In the face of the reality of poverty, the aim of this theology is
a language which is both prophetic and mystical.
The challenge we face here is to find a language about God that
grows out of the situation created by the unjust poverty in which
the masses live. This language must be fed hope that heartend a
people in seach of their liberation. And the language being born
here is a prophetic language and a mystical language.
The language of contemplation acknowledges that everything has
its origin in the Fathers unmerited love. The language of
prophecy denounces the situation of injustice in which the
peoples of Latin America are living, and denounces as well the
structural causes of this situation.
(Without prophecy, the language of contemplation runs the risk of
detachment from history in which God is acting and in which we
encounter God. Without the mystical dimension, the language of
prophecy can harrow its vision and weaken its perception on that
which makes all things new)
The aim of the theology of Liberation is to be a language about
God. It is an effort to make the word of life present in a world of
oppression, injustice and death.
TS. 3
As a result of the dialogue of Theology of Liberation with the
SS, analyzing and social theory have become important to
comprehend the real frameworks which prevail in our
country
Social theory should light the path to a better future. Social theory
is not reality, but a measuring instrument or a set of eyeglasses
for looking at reality.
One finds in the history of social thought 2 contrasting
explainations of social structure and particularly of the reality of
social inequality.
Consensus theory presents that inequality and systems of
inequality as ordained by nature or by God Himself and as
necessary for the common good in the community. It sees the
members of a community as united by a common culture and a
common understanding of what the world and society are all
about. In this case power is used to protect the key values of
society.
Coercion theory on the other hand sees society as primarily a
structure of power and inequality is simply the outcome of power
relationships over time among individuals and interest groups. In
this case values are servants of power.
Coercion theory provides a more adequate explanation of the
inequality which we observe in the Philippine setting.
The distribution of income is one of the more quantifiable
measures. In the Philippines we have had a highly unequal
distribution given our lower per-capita income. Our level of
inequality has remained high and has hardly changed for the past
20 years. High inequality has limted the impact of economic
growth on poverty reduction. It is also possible that poverty itself
is constraining economic expansion because of constraints in
investment capacity, human capacity, regular doses of risks and
shocks causing poverty traps and conflicts and disorder resulting
from inequality, which hamper investments and destroy social
capital.
Factors like inadequate human capabilities and poor access to
the means to achieving these capabilities are the key
determinants of poverty and inequality. However we are also
faced with constraints for poverty reduction. Such as access to
economic opportunities. Unemployment and underemployment
rates in the Philippines remains high. Other examples are access
to primary education and access to health services.
The overall rise in income inequality is already a caouse for grave
concern but that the rise in this inequality came almost entirely at
the expense of the lower income deciles is alarming.
Our society can be best seen as a structure of power with power
determining who gets what. Power has escaped the control of
both the local community and wider society and is used for the
benefit of the power holder.
Power structures have been in our society ever since the
economic elite of the Spanish colonial era was transformed into a
political-economic eltie that continues to wield power today. This
colonial political system ensured exclusion of the masses and
during the colonial rule of the U.S.
Basically history led its way from this to an environment in which
political institution are weak, the Philippine electoral process is
alive but not well, there is corruption by the misuse of public
funds, manipulation of government programs and tampering with
the vote count.
According to GMA, our political system has degenerated to such
an extent that it is very difficult to live within the system with
hands totally untainted.
We need to restructure our institutions and establish societys
control over the distribution and use of wealth and all forms of
power and orient these towards shared values and goals of
Filipinos, re-moralizing a demoralized society.
Building a people means that we need to understand ourselves
and from there we have to eliminate our weaknesses such as
lack of discipline, lack of initiative, kanya kanyang syndrome and
the likes and develop our strengths such as our ability to be
hardworking and industrious, flexible, and creative.
The problem of our society pertains to Philippine social structure
as a whole of which we are all part and for which we all bear a
responsibility. How are we to find a solution? There is no definitive
answer however we know that man is capable of responding to
values.
Values are important in society, but it needs to be backed up by a
certain amount of power.

TS. 4
The origins, the ground and final goal of our world come
from God. This is the meaning of creation.
Chaos-> Cosmos->Anthropos->Theos (death is not the last word)
Creation is a pure gift of Gods love. It is the description of the
relationship between God and nature and mad; awareness that
we are finite and we depend on God.
God creates a world coming into being, a world which is in the
process of becoming what it is not yet.
Gods giving dominion to man over creation means that he is an
active co-creator and has the responsibility of cooperating in
Gods work of creation.
As co-creators, it is our responsibility to treat nature and all
of Gods other creations as companions.
The stories of creation (Genesis 1:1-2:4a and 2:4b-25) have been
used to explain and justify the ways human beings relate to one
another and to the nonhuman world.
The first of the two has been the basis of our overlordship and
stewardship in the natural world. Part of humans beings likeness
to God is the exercise of dominion over the rest of creation.
However there is a contrasting theme. Gen 1:27 where it
mentions that God created the human being, male and female, he
created them, the point being made is that God is relational.
To be in the image of this God, the human being must be
relational. We are sexed in order to be driven into relationships
with one another.
The central theme of the second of Genesis Creatio myths
focuses on human beings are relational. However it is important
to note that not only human beings are intended for relationships
to one another. Our natural world is not merely intended for
subjugation by human beings but for companionship
We are given dominion over the earth and this conveys power.
With great power comes great responsibility.- we are stewards.
We are merely caretakers who are charged with the responsibility
of maintaining the earth. The non human world has been given to
us for our own good, to be used responsibly for our self
development.
The theme of companionship, the relationship which exists not
only between human persons but between humans and o-
humans, has been laregely submerged in the stewardship theme.
We need to recover it.
Companionship implies mutuality and it excludes the reduction of
either side of the relationship to a tool of the others purposes.
According to Marti buber, we must retain an I-Thou relationship
with nature and never reduce our relationship with nature to an I-it
relationship. It can be a possession but not a companion but Thou
is always a companion.
The doctrines of creation therefore provide a basic faith visio
of human dignity, work, liberation and development.
Regarding human dignity, first, Man is created in the image of
God. Like god man is a person who is capable of knowing and
loving. Man as the image of God is the foundation of human
dignity. Second, though the incarnation- J.C. becoming one of us-
we have been raised to a level of that of adoptive sonship. We are
all children of the father.
When it comes to human work. Work has dignity because it is a
participation in Gods creative work. Work is creative and self-
creating. Secondly, J.C. enobled work by becoming a carpenter- a
worker himself.
And lastly, in human liberation and development, Human
liberation mean essentially liberation from sin. In order to be
liberated from original sin we need the redeeming grace of Jesus
Christ. Redemption or Salvation is the new creation. Christian
human development means the total and integral development of
the whole man and every man. It is not merely social, economic,
and political development but includes mans moral, religious and
spiritual development.

TS. 5
The contemporary understanding of original sin gives
emphasis to two aspects- the passive and the active...
The traditional understanding of sin claims that we were endowed
with the gift of sanctifying grace where we shared in Gods life
with freedom from concupiscence or the inclination to sin,
freedom from death, toil, pain, ignorance, and error. But our first
parents sinned and we were separated from God.
(Ska) The fault of the first man and woman was the failure to
discern and decide in a free way. The tree of knowledge of good
and evil was supposed to awaken their consciousness, freedom
and sense of responsibility however it became an object of human
desire and appetite. They let their desires control them. Desire
should not define who we are. We must place a limit to our
desires and if we do so we emerge as a better person and enter
into a world of meaning and value.
Both the bible and church teach that sin did not come from God
who created everyting good but from the wilful disobedience of
man.
According to the traditional view of original sin, both Old and New
Testaments emphasize that subsequent generations inherit the
effect of an ancestors sins According to the contemporary
understanding, on the other hand, the Genesis fall story present a
vision of israels sinful past and reveal the history of human
sinfulness, emphasizing humankinds solidarity in sin. All have
sinned and this accounts for all the various evils in human life.
The Church teaches that everyone, by the mere fact of being born
into the human community, is alienated from God and deprived of
grace and is justified and saves only by the grace of J.C.
Original sin can come to have 2 essential aspects. (1) passive:
the sinful situation into which everyone is born; the sin of the
world which is the rejection of Christ. (2) Active: an involuntary
inclination to sin prior to choice. Concupissence and heart of
darkness
(Rom 1:15-25) I do not do what I want to do but exactly what i
hate.
-both are important in understanding the reality of injustice
and the call for liberation.
An example of the passive aspect of original sin is corruption in
the Philippines. This roots from cheating and we all know that this
is anti-justice where only the few benefit. Anti-development and
anti-poor. This form of cheating is a distortion of moral values.
This form of cheating is not just political, economic, and ethical
but a spiritual problem. There is corruption within, not just in the
system but in the spirit. It has become a way of life, a social
cancer.
We can also see these two aspects in ecological sin. We see the
passive aspect of original sin in how the powerful role of social
and economic forces promote ecological self-destructiveness and
have the appearance of necessity or destiny. How our culture has
a pervased confusion of material success with spiritual fulfilment.
How we are addicted to what we know is destroying us.
We are socializing ourselves to sin ecologically. Our present anti-
ecological behaviour is thoroughly rooted in a social context
actively supported and promoted by a powerful process of
socialization and education.
(This is why babies are described as affected by original sin...
diapers)
We see the active aspect when we socialize ourselves to see
economic well being as the primary symbol and proof of personal
and social success, worthiness, identity and meaning. We keep
wanting more because we are trying to fill up something lacking
within us and we belive these make us more complete. This
system is one of unrelenting lust which is traditionally called
concupiscence which, in the absence of genuine spiritual
meaning, drives people to seek fulfilment by devouring more and
more around them .
As we can see here original sin is both internal inclinarion to sin
and external sinful situation. There is a need for double liberation:
conversion from sin where a change takes place in the heart mins
and life style, and a liberation from unjust structures.
(Structures of injustice and gross inequality can be changed but
only though cooperation in community)
The understanding of original sin is based on the reality that
Christ is Salvation.
We are born into a world marked by the tensions of sin and grace.
In Rom 7:15-25 Paul describes original sin as the dark side.
However, there is a bright side where St. Paul reveals the
universal need of the redemption and grace of Jesus Christ and
emphasizes humankinds solidarity in grace.
The good news of Jesus Christ is that original sin is but the
partial, not the total reality. God wills for our universal salvation
and it is present in all human history though Christ. The lord
saves us but not without us. Our objective redemption from
original sin has already been accompanied by the suffering,
death, and resurrection of J.C. Our subjective redemption
requires on our part faith in Christ and baptism
Baptism takes away our original sin by bringing to the baptized
the gift of the Holy Spirit. Baptism does not take away personal
sins but rather to grace the child with the H.S and a share in
divine life as a child of God. It initiates the child into the Christian
community which symbolizes the Christian atmosphere needed
for growing up as a disciple of Christ in faith, hope and love.
TS. 6
Original sin is concretely manifested in social sin
Original sin is both passive which means that we are born into a
world of sin and darkness and active which means that we have
an inclination to sin a.k.a heart of darkness
Both are manifested in social sin. When sin externalizes itself it
human interaction. When human interaction becomes habitual a
social structure develops. When the habitual patterns of human
interaction are infected by sin then we have sinful social
structures. These sinful social structures can harden into
institutions and this can affect and hinder Christian life because
they perpetuate the wrong values. Sin shows itself in suffering.
understood as (a) a structure that violates and oppresses
human dignity.
Social sin is a structural injustice experiences in contemporary
society. And it can take the form of a structure that violates and
oppresses human dignity. It makes victims out of those who are
obliged to follow its patterns and customs and compared to
personal action it is more effective in violating the poor and
powerless. (welfare system)
(b) a system that facilitates and promotes individual
selfishness
Systems which allow individual citizens to preserve their
privileges at the expense of the poor (unjust tax systems-higher
burden on lower class). We are faced with absolutizing of human
attitudes such as an all consuming desire for profit and a thirst for
power. These are both opposed to the will of god.
(c) complicity or silent acquiescence in the face of injustice.
This occurs when one is aware of unjust structures or situations
but refuses the responsibility of trying to change them when
capable of doing so. It is the failure to have solidarity with the poor
where one is unable to commit to the common good .
In the face of such a reality it is important to recognize the
relationship between social sin and ones fundamental
option...
The fundamental option is the relationship between social sin and
personal sin. It represents the persons response to the innate
human longing for God and his self-offering in Christ. A person
can either say yes or no to God. And this orientation is lived
out in our daily choices and developed habits. Saying no to god is
the negative fundamental option. SIN
We have a freedom of choice. This is the freedom to choose
between objects It is at this level that transcendental orientation of
a person is actualized and is realized through our individual
choices.
(Categorical freedom- choices in situations. Transcendental
freedoms- ground of values which is God.)
Freedom is social. And values are learned within this social
matrix. Knowledge of values is necessary. Where knowledge of
values are obscured, the development of freedom is hindered and
where there is no freedom, knowledge of values cannot be
pursued. The ability of the person to make and maintain a
fundamental option for God is influenced by our ability to
recognize and act on authentic values in the social world.
However, our world is filled with obscured values when the social
world skews these values and fails to aid the proper development
of freedom and the fundamental option is affected. Social sin
affects the ability to know and choose value, thus hindering the
persons ability to know and choose the creator.
...As well as the call or the summons for social responsibility.
No one can live without social structures because we are born
into them and they become internalized though socialization and
education. And often this process goes on unconsciously.
Therefore an individual or society cannot be held guilty for the evil
being penetrated from these structures. However we must not
deny that we have a part in this nor shall we place blame on other
structures or individuals.
The mere fact that someone happens to lie and participate in an
unjust structure does not mean that he/she is guilty of social sin ut
at the same time we can day we all have responsibility for it.
People try to escape from the re4sposibility by saying that they
are not in command of the situation. Majorityu of the people have
not opted for this but are caught up in them. We have inherited
them, socialized in them and now we participate in the,. These
sinful situations are part of our lives. If someone was responsible
in the past for sinful social structures, we are accountable for
them now and should be responsible to remove them as far as
possible.
Responsibility to dismantle such structures and liberate victims
must be situated in society as a whole, because only such action
can effectively deal with them.





TS. 7
Beyond the reality of sin, the first and last word of God is
love. The parable of the prodigal son is a glance at the
meaning of sin and the love of the Father who invites us to
return and love like him.
(Luke 15)
In Luke 15 we find Jesus gathered with taxpayers and sinners
and when the Pharisees see him they grumble among themselves
asking why this man eats with sinners.
In response to this Jesus starts to tell the parable of the lost
drachma and the lost sheep. Which all have the elements of an
object getting lost, a persistent search, a return, rejoicing and a
joy in heaven. After this we know that the next parable will most
probably take on the same form.
In the parable of the prodigal son, the father has 2 sons, who both
commit sins.
The younger son asks for his inheritance and the right to dispose
of it. in a way, it was like telling his father that he wished he was
dead and that he didnt need his father- this was perhaps his
greatest sin. Given his inheritance he went off and squandered it
off on wasteful things thinking that these would make him happy
and these would satisfy the deepest craving of the heart..
however he remained unsatisfied His addiction to worldy things
caused him to go off and search for unconditional love where it
cannot be found- a world which love is full of ifs. A world which
love is conditional. And the issue raised here is to whom do I
belong? to God? or to the world?
vv. 17-19. The prodigal son realizes that if he continues to live the
way he is he might die of hunger. He thinks of his fathers hired
servants and how much better they are fed and decides to return
and offer himself as a hired servant.
The return of the prodigal son isnt as heartfelt as it seemed. He is
only returning because he knows that surly he will have a better
life as a servant of his father. A hired servant is an equal of his
master. He knows he made a mistake and he convinces himself
that he no longer deserves to be called the son and therefore
prepares himself to be a hired man in order to survive. He is
coming back, but not completely. There is repentance, but not
repentance in the light of the immense loving and forgiving God
but a repentance that offers the possibility of survival.
One of the greatest challenges of the spiritual life is to receive
Gods forgiveness. There is something in us humans that hinders
us from letting god erase the past and offer us a completely new
beginning. While god is offering me the full dignity of son ship i
keep insisting that i will settle for a hired servant because I am
afraid. As a hired servant, i can still keep my distance, still revolt,
run away or complain about my pay however as the son, i have to
claim my dignity and begin preparing to become the father.
V 20. The father was waiting and when he saw his son he was
filled with compassion and he ran. To run meant that he was
risking his pride and honor.
We can see here the initiative of the father which makes us
realize that right before I even tried he was ahead of me. It is not I
who chose God but God who first chose me. Upon knowing this
the question is no longer how am I to find god? but how am I to
let myself be found by him? not how am i to know god? but
how am I to let myself be known by Him? not How am I to love
god? but how am I ro let myself be loved by God . It should not
be i try to merit gods love but i love in his love and this makes
me go out of myself to help others. The parable of the prodigal
son is a story that speaks about a love that existed before any
rejection was possible and that will still be there after all rejections
have taken place.
This is the response to why he eats with sinners, he puts the
emphasis on Gods initiative. And when I realize Gods joy upon
finding me my life becomes less anguised and more trusting.
Upon the prodigal sons return the father rejoiced. God rejoices
not because thousands have been converted, not because
suffering and pain have come to an end, nor because all the
problems of the world have been solved. God rejoices because
one of his children who was lost has been found. What i ma called
to is to enter into that joy. It is the joy of God which has the
capacity to steal joy in the most ordinary of places.
The elder son on the other hand, who was working in the fields,
upon arrival wonders what is going on. When he is informed of
the news he gets filled with envy and refuses the invitation to joy.
The elder son sinned in a way different to that of his brother. a sin
which is more difficult to identify. He did all the right things.
Outwardly the elder son was faultless however when he was
confronted with the joy upon the return of his brother a dark power
erupts in him. Everything he did, obedience and duty have
become a burden and his service has become slavery. he serves
but does not love and he rejects the brotherhood and sonship.
However the father responds in calling him son. The elder son
needs a light to conquer that darkness which he cannot bring
about himself. He needs to be brought home by the shepherd
who goes out to him.
J.C. confronts the Pharisees not only with the return of the
prodigal son but of the resentful elder brother.
In the end, this parable is the invitation to love like the Father. A
love which it pure and forgiving.

TS. 8
As spokespersons of God and those who are voiceless in
society, the prophets proclaimed a call for justice.
After the Exodus, the people of Israel were not just liberated from
oppression and suffering but were liverated for community and
mutual responsibility. Since they experienced deliverance they
sought to establish an alternative community founded on an
economics of equality, politics of justice and a religion based on
Gods freedom, compassion and fidelity. However under the rule
of Israels kings, specifically Solomon and all those who came
after him, the ideal began to transform instead into an economics
of privilege, a politics of oppression and a domestication of God
and the use of religion to legitimize injustice. It is from these times
that the prophet arose.
The prophets authority is rooted in the experience of being called
to speak not only on behalf of Yahweh but on behalf of those who
have no voice as well. His words are charged with the feelings of
God.
To cry justice was to disclose the condition of the society in which
one was living.
For the prophets, justice was a theological term which is rooted in
their knowledge of God, who is himself just and requires justice of
his people. Justice was a moral vale synonymous to
righteousness. To do it was to love good ant to prefer that which
makes for life. And third, justice could be done. It was possible to
act justly in the courts and the economy.
In their message of criticism and consolation they sought to
establish an alternative consciousness and an alternative
community.
The task of the prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish, and
evoke a consciousness alternative to that around us. The
dominant culture, now and in every time, is uncritical. It needs to
be criticised in order to point out its flaws, however it must go
hand in hand with energizing or consolation, because it is a
wearied culture and needs to be energized to the new promises of
God. The task of the prophetic ministry is to hold together this
criticizing and energizing.
Is. 5:8-10 is an example of criticizing. Isaiah is criticizing those
who keep grabbing land until there is only he possesses the land.
Land is a gift from God an inheritance which is given to us for us
to cultivate in order to develop. Land was not only the basic
economic good in society, essential to well being but it also
bestowed identity; it was the instrument of participation in the
society as an equal, the foundation of freedom. For ownership of
land to become a basis of power for one citizen over another was
a pervasion of its purpose.
The purpose of this criticizing is to cut through the numbness.
Humanity has become numb and he criticises because he hopes
that the ache of God will pierce through the numbness of history.
A sign that one has overcome the darkness is when one has
started to grief.
In (Jer 31:31-34) a new covenant is promised. It will be inscribed
on the hearts of people. There eill be no more need for mediators
because all will know the Lord. In Isaiah 1:6-9 there is a
description of peace somewhat like eden restored. These two
passages are promises of a new order.
However, other than criticizing the task of the prophet is to
energize, is to instil hope. To present an alternative
consciousness which energizes the community and show that the
dominant consciousness will not have the last say.


TS. 9
In the history of the attempt to understand Jesus Christ, 2
branches of Christology arose: Christology from above also
called descending Christology and Christology from below,
also called ascending Christology.
Descending Christology is the more predominant one in the
course of the Christian Tradition. Its starting point is a reflection of
Jesus as divinity. Its central event is the incarnation where the
word became flesh. Where the one through whom all things were
made is now in the world under the conditions of sin and
alienation, in order to renew creation which god has never ceased
to love.
As the incarnate word, JC reveals the love an mercy of God
though his identification with human existence culminating in the
cross and resurrection, which restores human beings to their
likeness to god who has been disfigured by sin. JC is the
Redeemer of the human race.
The union of both man and the divine in JC it that which triggers
the drama of redemption. Though the sin of Adam the link of
humans with god was lost. B his incarnation, in a certain way,
God is uniting himself with each human being. And this is what
Pope John Paul uses as the basis of human dignity. We have
been lifted to a dignity beyond compare. How precious we must
all be in the eyes of God that we have been given his own son as
a Redeemer.
Ascending Christology on the other hand has its starting point in
JC and his humanity. Its central event lies in JCs whole historical
life- His life, ministry, passion, death and resurrection. In living the
way he did, he made the tender mercy of God present in the
world full of violence, oppression and injustice. His preaching and
enacting of the coming of the reign of Gof posed a threat to
established religious and civil powers. The price he paid was his
death. However the story does not end there. Jesus proclaimed
by his resurrection that the loving power of God is stronger than
death. The resurrection is the strongest possible sign that God
can be trusted to have the last word, which is life.
Jesus is the way, and we have to be disciples of him by walking in
his footsteps and continue the mission of announcing the reign of
God. Since peace and justice are the most powerful signs of the
reign of God present in this world it is the essential mission of the
church to make realities more visible in our time.
Though they have distinct starting points, these two
Christologies are united in their emphasis on the call for
justice.
In descending Christology we are invited to ponder on the
identification of the incarnate Word with the humanity to every
person, gifting each of us with an extraordinary dignity.
In ascending Christology, the focus is on JCs historical life which
invites us to take part in his ministry of justice and peace, to
empower us to proclaim the reign of God in our own age
These two are not mutually exclusive, both are needed for the
fullness of the churchs faith confession. And in both the bottom
line is the insight that the church is gifted with the Spirit of Christ
and called to discipleship with a mission patterned on the way of
JC.
In both types of Christology, the moral imperative is the same:
action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation
of the world are necessary for the churchs mission for the
redemption of the human race.


TS 10.
As a constitutive dimension of Christian faith, the social
teachings of the Church provide basic principles toward the
creation of a social order ...
Church social teaching is defined as the reflection on the realities
of human existence in the life of faith and of the churchs tradition.
Its aim is to interpret these realities by determining their
conformity with or divergence from the lines of the Gospel
teaching on the human person. Its aim is thus, to guide Christian
behaviour. It helps one to take a step back from society and
culture and question it (re-vision their moral horizon)
It provides us with (1) principles for reflection which are the
fundamental moral values and principles. (2) criteria for
judgement. This is the interpretation and evaluation of historical
situations, structures, and institutions. And lastly (3) directives for
action which are directives for action given particular
circumstances.
... that values individual rights while upholding the solidarity
of all individuals
1. Dignity of the Human person.- we are created in the image and
likeness of God and elevated to a supernatural destiny. It is the
primary principle and the heart and soul of CST. The human
person is the Subject, foundation, and purpose of all social life.
S/he is never simply a means to an end nor an object but an
acting, deciding subject
a. In order to promote the dignity of those who are poor and
marginalized we need to not only provide them with the capacity
to secure the material needs for a dignified human existence, but
also their own sense of being responsible, deciding and acting
human persons.

2. Human Rights- may be defined as those fundamental rights of
human beings which are essential to the exercise of human
dignity.
a. Dignity is constantly being violated and therefore Christian
theology sees the need to affirm human rights because of human
sin.
b. Human rights consist of not only civil and political rights (right to
life, liberty, freedom of speech, etc.) but also economic, social
and cultural rights (right to shelter, work, education etc)

3. Social Nature of Human Beings: Common Good, Solidarity,
Subsidiary & Participation. human person is by nature social.
Therefore the dignity and rights of an individual are always in the
context of the promotion of the common good.
a. Common good is the sum total of conditions of social living which
make it possible for us to develop as persons.
b. Proceeding from the social nature of human beings, the key virtue
is solidarity. Solidarity is the horizontal link between people. It is a
firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the
common good. We are all responsible for all.
c. Subsidiary makes sure that the people or groups most affected by
a decision or policy should have a key decision-making role
d. Because of intelligence and free will, we have both a right and a
duty to actively shape our own destinies by participating in those
decisions that directly affect us. A fundamental solution to poverty
would be to enable people to take control of their lives. For
poverty is not merely a lack of financial resources but a denial of
full participation in the economic, social and political life of society.

4. Integral Human Development- Development has to be complete
and it has to promote the good of every person and of the whole
person. to do more, know more and have more in order to be
more. There is such thing called the superdevelopment of the
few where there is an excess of material goods for the benefit of
only certain groups and this leads to the underdevelopment of the
many who suffer material deprivation. In both cases there is a
failure of being.

5. Dignity of Human work-Though work we achieve our fundamental
vocation to share in Gods creative activity in the world. In doing
so we become more human. The subjective dimension of work
(person who is the subject of work) has primacy over its objective
dimension (technical aspect of work). Labor must have priority
over capital. And from human work must flow three basic rights. 1.
Right to work. 2. Right to a just share in the fruits of production
and 3 right to organize for the purpose of defending interests.

6. Universal Destination of Goods- God has entrusted the earth to
the common stewardship of humankind that all may be enabled to
live decent human lives. We have the primary right to share in all
the goods of the earth. Private property is secondary and political
authority must regulate the legitimate exercise of the right of
ownership.

7. Integrity of Creation- We humans are not ultimate owners of these
goods but rather, temporaty stewards, and we are responsible for
caring for these gifts and preserving them for future generations.

8. Market economy and the state. the market economy is
commended for its potential to promote organization, efficiency,
profitability, initiative and creativity. However it is faulted for its
potential to engender marginalization, exploitation, insensitivity to
the poor, consumerism and environmental abuse. Economic
activity must promote the broadest participation of all in the
production of wealth, the productive use of labor , the access to
basic services and the accumulation of human capital. On the part
of the poor.
The role of the state vis-a-vis the market is to provide the legal
and institutional framework within which the economy can operate
effectively for the common good.

TS. 11
Those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of the
love and preference in the part of the Church.
Those oppressed by poverty, the poor, which we are referring to
here are those groups who lack the fundamental needs for human
life, namely food, shelter, clothing and access to basic medical
care. The poor are those whose very lives are threatened by
poverty. In this case poverty means death and is caused by
human freedom. Poverty of the poor is caused by human beings.
The ultimate dehumanization of poverty is not the physical and
the material deprivation, but the negation of peoples selfhood.
The poor are considered worthless.
To say that the poor and oppressed are the objects of love and
preference in the part of the church. To say that they have a
preferential option for the poor means that it is the option of the
whole church. It is not an option against the rich but an option of
the rich for the poor. It is not based on the assumption that the
poor are virtuous or morally worthy of such attention, but simply
on the fact that they are poor. It is an option for justice in their
regard and option against injustice.
The preferential option is has an ethical, scriptural and theological
grounding. The ethicak grounding recognizes human solidarity-
that we are all in existence together as a race. Working towards
the common good
(Negative experience of contrast- A reaction that a certain
negative experience should not be and it is always accompanied
by the desire to resist it)
The scriptural grounding comes from the prophets who are
concerned with the poor, deprived, neglected, and the
marginalized above all other religious concerns including the
worship of god. To conceive of God in a christen way we have to
take the experiences and language of the tradition and allow them
to influence how we might experience God today.
The theological grounding bases itself on the fact that god wills
and intends the full realization of the potentialities of each person
of whom, after all, god is the creator. Gods love fills up what is
lacking and reaches out to the sinner and to those who are
deprived. Thus, despite Gods universal love, God loves most
those who are most in need. God is on the side of the poor
because, with respect to their poverty and the damage it causes,
they are most in need.
there is a certain partiality implied here. However it is a justified
partiality. And partiality is justifiable when it contributes to
inclusiveness. The preferential option appeals to an expansion
rather than a contraction to love and wisdom. Justifiable partiality
strives to create opportunities for deprived and oppressed parts
so that they will be able to participate fully in the whole.
All Christians are called to live out such preferential love as
a constitutive element/dimension of a balanced spirituality
To walk towards a balanced spirituality is to walk humbly with
your God- It is a religious conversion (intrapersonal dimesion-
within me and with God). It is gaining an awareness of gods
loving presence in our lives and listening to the Word of God in
Jesus Christ. This is a personally encountering and entering into
relationship with the father though Christ in the Spirit.
We are supposed to love tenderly, this is a moral conversion
meaning it is an interpersonal dimension. Me and other persons.
It involves the radical other-centeredness in human relationships.
This means being sensitive and open to fellow human beings.
And it involves participation in the growth of communities of
authentic human fellowship in the life of the church and
institutions of society.
And lastly, we are to act justly. This is a political conversion in the
metapersonal and social dimension. This means having a
dialogue of life and personal connected ness with the poor.
solidarity with the poor (Principle of mercy). And also a movement
to reform economic, political and cultural structures to make them
more responsive to the demands of the common good.