2013 Articles

Liberation and Postliberalism

Ashley, Christopher J.

One hopeful future for liberation theology may be as a leaven, a spur to the conscience, in a predominantly non-liberation theological academy. Liberation theologies, and their near relatives in constructive theology, will never die; but neither is there any immediate prospect of their taking over the mainstream, in either teaching or publication. For as liberation theologies defined themselves, the postliberal reaction was already brewing. That reaction has become the regnant orthodoxy of the theological academy. In that context, some of the most exciting theology being done today is methodologically under the broad postliberal umbrella, but understands itself as responsible to the theo-ethical force of the liberation movement.