Ireland, Latin America, and an Atlantic Liberation Theology

Liberation theology may have been a product of Latin America, but its influence was felt far beyond the continent. From Latin American seeds, theologies of liberation that addressed the oppression of other groups-including women, Africans, African Americans, and Asians-grew around the world. This chapter focuses on the ways in which liberation theology was received by progressive elements in the Irish Catholic Church. Ireland has had a long-standing religious relationship with Latin America through the many Irish missionaries who have worked there for over four centuries. The changing missionary culture had a ripple effect on the Church in Ireland as missionaries visited home on leave and on fund-raising trips and corresponded with home congregations and colleagues. One of the key elements in liberation theology was a reversal of the top-down hierarchy of the traditional Church and the encouragement of lay participation.