Historical Dictionary of Terrorism Third Edition

LIBERATION THEOLOGY • 387could harmonize the spiritual and physical struggles against evil. Liberationtheology encouraged the formation of “base communities”within existing parishes and dioceses made up of laity and clergy topromote what they considered to be progressive social and politicalprograms, as well as organizing Bible study groups that would reinterpretscripture from the perspective of liberation theology. Anotherpractical impact of liberation theology was the rise of the “sanctuarymovement” in North America in which parishes and congregationswould give illegal immigrants sanctuary in their church buildings inorder to protect their rights of political asylum or to counter invidiousdiscrimination against Hispanic immigrants.In 1968 the Council of Latin American Bishops in Medellín, Colombia,passed resolutions endorsing many of the tenets of liberationtheology. After the elevation of Pope John Paul II, the Vatican tooka decidedly hostile line toward liberation theology. The fortunes ofliberation theology declined together with the failures of those leftistinsurgency movements that liberation theologians had believedwould shape the future of politics in the developing nations. However,liberation theology contributed significantly to the success ofthe Zapatista movement, which began its insurgency on 1 January1994. Members of the young, northern Mexican leftists who foundedthe Zapatista movement were able to approach the closed, suspiciousMayan Indian communities in Chiapas largely through the mediationof the Rev. Samuel Ruíz, bishop of the diocese of San Cristóbal delas Casas in the central highlands of Chiapas, who was known bysome as the “Red Bishop” due to his outspoken support of liberationtheology. Through the introductions of Marxist and Dominicanpriests, the Zapatistas were able to recruit the Mayan Indian tribes tojoin their cause. After 2000, with the resurgence of left-wing politicalmovements and governments in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela,interest in liberation theology has also revived.Like his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI opposes those elementsof liberation theology that seem to espouse Marxism and to rationalizethe use of revolutionary violence. This opposition goes back tothe time when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he served as prefect for theSacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which enforcesorthodoxy in matters of Catholic faith and morals. During his tenureas prefect, the Congregation issued two condemnations of liberationtheology, once in 1984 and again in 1986. The Congregation also