The Third Wave of Liberation Theology. From the Catholic Enfant Terrible to Vehicle of Ecumenism, Interreligious and Social Dialog?

Abstract

The past decade has seen a radical shift in the Church's stance toward liberation theology. At the same time, the complexity of its description has greatly increased. The issue has grown beyond South America and intra-ecclesiastical affairs. The multicultural and multireligious nature of liberation theology presents, on the one hand, a methodological difficulty and, on the other hand, an opportunity to look at faith and religion in different cultures and denominations through a new unifying key. According to the author, we are dealing with the “third wave” of liberation theology nowadays. Efforts are needed to utilize it more productive than the better known South American “infant terrible” of the Church.