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Marxism, Black Theology, and the South African Dilemma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 November 2008

John Parratt
John Parratt
Affiliation:
Professor and Head of the Department of Theology/Religious Studies, University of Botswana, Gaborone1
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Extract

Alfredo Fierro was probably going too far when he characterised modern political theology as ‘operating under the sign of Marx’. Nevertheless, ever since Gustavo Gutierrez dropped the bombshell of ‘Liberation Theology’ on the playground of western theologians, it is clear that Marxism cannot be ignored in any relevant twentieth-century explication of the Christian faith. Gutierrez focused in particular upon two aspects of Marx's thought: the action of man in human history, and the transformation of the world in the interests of the oppressed. These are perhaps also the most important aspects of Marxism for an understanding of recent developments in South African theology today.

Type
Africana
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , September 1990 , pp. 527 - 533
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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References

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24 Mosala, Itumeleng, ‘African Independent Churches’, in Villa-Vicencio and de Gruchy (eds.), op. cit. p. 110. Mosala goes so far as to claim that culture is not ethnic but based on class. If this is accepted, the whole idea of culture as used in African theology would presumably have to be redefined.Google Scholar

25 Ibid. p. 108.

26 Mofokengs, ibid. p. 123.

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