Centre for Liberation Theologies

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About Us

The Centre for Liberation Theologies develops and carries out research projects concerning contemporary issues in liberation and contextual theologies.

From a theological perspective, it studies various economic, social, political and cultural developments on the international scene.
It also examines the interaction between the so-called First and Two-Thirds Worlds with regard to these global movements.

The Centre hosts the Forum for Liberation Theologies - a monthly reflection and discussion gathering on pertinent social issues from interdisciplinary and liberationist perspectives. It also seeks to establish international contacts and collaborative links with other centres and research institutes pursuing similar goals.

Finally, the Centre for Liberation Theologies commits itself to concrete actions of advocacy, in support of persons and causes dedicated to the ideals of justice and peace,solidarity and community, integral well-being and salvation.

Concretely, the Centre focuses on five main topics in its research: Liberation Theologies, Global issues (containing environment, economy, politics, and globalization), Migration, Queer/Feminist Theologies, and the issue of  (philosophical) mediations for Liberation Theologies. Please click on one of the items to find more information and links to texts, activities, pictures or audiovisual material, and other interesting websites.

Mission and Vision

Vision

In the Centre for Liberation Theologies of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences at the KU Leuven (the only centre for liberation theologies in the world!), we believe that it is worthwhile and urgent to continue a tradition of doing Christian theology that was initiated and found a powerful expression in the historical current of liberation theology in Latin-America during the second half of the twentieth century. Indeed, we consider this approach to theology to be a gift of God to the apostolic Church and its communities, as it continues to evolve in various geographical and historical contexts as well as on a planetary scale. Some of the most important features of this way of doing theology reflect God’s presence in Jesus the Christ and are the following:

·         Compassionate sensitivity – a delicate sensitivity to those who are suffering the consequences of human injustice and whose lives may be at stake because of such injustice.

·         Heuristic analysis – the openness to unfold and articulate theology while taking into account the various personal and structural elements (mediations) that are causing such injustice, so as to better understand, denounce and fight the injustice in a creative and interdisciplinary search for life-sustaining alternatives.

·         Rooted in the Christian traditions – the ability to use the variety of Christian traditions in their interactions with cultures and religions, as a critical prism to gauge and judge our attitudes towards existing injustices and the struggle in the midst of them.

·         Incarnate commitment – the willingness to commit to action and praxes of liberation of the enslavement both to unjust suffering and to the structures that enforce and maintain injustice amongst us, so as to change the living conditions of those who suffer and the patterns of our life together.

·         Vision of community – the joy to celebrate the vision of the Kingdom of God as expressed in the desire to cherish and to concretely articulate this vision of a community of just, equitable, sustainable and full life together.

Mission

In line with this vision, the Centre for Liberation Theologies emphasizes the following aspects of its mission to promote and lend support to the great varieties of liberation theologies:

·         Theological reflection and research on the history and development of liberation theologies, on its concrete expressions, on its methodology and themes, on its roots and implications.

·         Stimulating the development of liberation theologies in ever new contexts, with a particular attention to the interaction between local and planet-wide contexts.

·         Explore the spiritual roots of liberation theologies, particularly as they express themselves contextually in celebrations and liturgies and in spiritual writings.

·         Disseminate liberation theologies through awareness rising in conferences, courses, internet facilities, teaching, writings, etc.

·         Advocate the work of liberation theologians by giving them the space to explore and present their ideas and commitments, by stimulating networks amongst them and common research and action projects, by lending support to people’s struggles in the midst of injustice.

Contact

Coordinator:                                                                                     Collaboration:

Prof. dr. Jacques Haers                                                                                                 Dr. Kristien Justaert

Jacques.Haers@theo.kuleuven.be                                                                             Kristien.Justaert@theo.kuleuven.be