Update: Jon Sobrino Receives Vatican Censure

Yesterday, last night really, I posted about the LA Times story of the Vatican censure of theologian Jon Sobrino of El Salvador. The Times has another article today, for the third day in a row, this time by Tracy Wilkinson entitled: "Censure dismays priest's supporters." I need to make one correction on that preview post. I said that Sobrino had missed the killings of six nuns because he was out of the country. I mixed death squad assasinations up, as this was six Jesuit priests who were killed in November 1989 -- and Sobrino was out of the country at the time.
But back to the day's update. The Vatican, at the apparent urging of Saenz Lacalle, Opus Dei affiliated archbishop of El Salvador, has sent out a letter of censure, though no penalties have yet been assessed. Benedict XVI, together with his predecessor, have long been opponents of Liberation Theology, largely because of its Marxist connections. You may remember earlier silencings of theologians such as Leonardo Boff of Brazil and John Paul's scolding of Nicaraugua's Ernesto Cardenal. Sobrino has been under investigation for a long time, but now the hammer has fallen.
Although Sobrino insists on his commitment to Roman Catholic theology (and he's remaining quiet at this time -- he's remaining "prudent" according to sources) -- he is being condemned for his Christological writings. Indeed it is Christology for which Sobrino is best known (I read his Christology at the Crossroads back in seminary for systematics paper). The charges against him is taht there are "grave deficiencies" in two of his books: Jesus the Liberator and Christ the Liberator (it appears from Amazon that a new edition is forthcoming). The criticism concerns his apparent failure to properly emphasize Christ's divinity. That is by putting strong emphasis on Jesus' humanity, something that is a key component in Liberation Theology, he is seen as undermining the church's teachings on Christ's divinity. Some of us, might see this as a necessary corrective -- and that is Sobrino's point, I think, to understand Christ's commitment to the poor, then we have to understand his humanity.
The Jesuit community is of course feeling very unhappy about all of this, as one of their own is under attack. A Jesuit spokesman from Rom, Father Jose de Vera points out that while Sobrino may accept this censure, he's not going to change -- but he's ready to dialogue. The following paragraphs are quite helpful:

De Vera said Sobrino is confident that his theology is sound, if untraditional. He cited five theologians who signed off on the two books in question, judging them free of doctrinal error.

Sobrino's theology was born of his dramatic experiences in a country mired in poverty and violence, De Vera said, and one that he first came to know as a young and impressionable 18-year-old five decades ago. In addition to his fellow priests, tens of thousands of people, most of them impoverished peasants, were killed in El Salvador's civil war, all of which shaped his views, De Vera said."

You cannot always write theology sitting in an office with the air conditioning on," he said. "It was logical, natural ... that he would develop a preference for the poor."

That last sentence is important, because most of us write our theology from the comfort of our air conditioned homes and offices. Sobrino's has been forged from within the struggle for the betterment of society. So, whether I agree with all of his positions, solutions, or interpretations, I must respect his engagement and activism on behalf of the poor and the marginalized of Central America. I must add, that my support for Jon Sobrino isn't meant to be anti-Catholic as I have great respect for this church and its history, but at the same time there are times when one must in a sense take sides. It is unfortunate that theologians like Sobrino have faced this prospect.

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