Liberation Theology and Liberatory Pedagogies: Renewing the Dialogue

Abstract

In a recent Chronicle of Higher Education column, Stanley Fish describes a phone call he received after the death of Jacques Derrida from a reporter who was curious as to what would succeed high theory as the center of energy in the I answered like a shot, Fish writes, religion (1). For many, Fish's prophecy might create a feeling of uneasiness; after all, in academic culture, religious ideologies are often considered hindrances to?not ve hicles for?critical thought. This feeling may be especially true in regard to Chris tianity, which is often conflated with conservative politics and fundamentalism both in and outside of the academy. But those of us who espouse critical pedagogy and embrace Paulo visions of praxis and conscientization work out of a tradition, often unknowingly, with deep ties to religious faith. While many are familiar with roots in Marxism, the fact that his vision relies as much upon Catholicism and liberation theology is often overlooked in critical pedagogy discourse (Daniell; Bizzell; Goodburn). Liberation theology calls Chris tians from all social classes to enact the vision of the gospels in order to end oppres sive class structures (Perkins 590). While this goal is certainly not inconsistent with those of leftist academics, the source?the Christian gospels?may mark it as sus pect. Consequently, Priscilla Perkins argues, many U.S. leftist academics see Freire's own critical Catholicism [. . .] in vestigial terms, at best the political equivalent of tonsils, at worst a birthmark that disfigured and obscured his theories (590). But there are good reasons for remembering the tradition of liberation theol ogy in work and for renewing the ties between liberation theology and