A LUTA PELA HEGEMONIA DA IGREJA CATÓLICA NA AMÉRICA LATINA: As Ações de João Paulo II em face da Teologia da Libertação (1979-1985)

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the actions of Pope John Paul II in the fight against Liberation Theology in the struggle for hegemony of power in the Church of Latin America. Liberation Theology was born as an attempt to adapt the aspirations of the Second Vatican Council to the reality of our continent. Its hallmark is the radical option for the poor, assumed at the Medellín Conference. This posture demonstrates the identification of part of the clergy with the causes of the Latin American left that fought the advances of North American imperialist and capitalist interests and the growing misery in our continent. On the other hand, since the beginning of his pontificate, Karol Wojtila maintained a conservative posture and demonstrated his intention to rescue the great pre-conciliar discipline of the Church. He and his supporters in the Holy See and in Latin America outlined new policies aimed at combating communism and any other "threat" to the conservative model of the Church, in the pope's view. These policies included dealings with foreign intelligences, persecution and punishment of liberation theologians, and transfers of bishops. Thus, we can see that for the pope Liberation Theology was dangerous because, in his understanding, it was a Marxist ideology disguised as theology.