Teología de la Tierra - Eleazar López Hernández
Para los pueblos de la Biblia y para los pueblos indígenas de Mesoamérica la experiencia de Dios involucra necesariamente a la tierra. Por eso quienes estamos vinculados de alguna manera a los pueblos nativos de estas tierras y sus servidoras y servidores, hemos de analizar la relación que el pensamiento bíblico y el pensamiento indígena establece entre Dios y la tierra para aprender de ambas vertientes que enriquecen nuestra espiritualidad actual.

The Fellowship of Christian Councils and the Quest for Peace in the African Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa - Christopher Byaruhanga
For quite long the region known as the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa has continued to degenerate into a scene of conflicts and violence. Conflicts and violence in this region have become a legacy that reproduces itself in subsequent generations as the conditions that nurtured it in the previous generations are allowed to continue. The vision of the Fellowship of the Christian Councils in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa (hereafter to be known as Fellowship) is the creation of communities founded on the Christian principles of freedom, justice and peace.

Democratisation of Africa from the Interreligious Perspectiva - Ramathate Dolamo
Africa went through three traumatic experiences. It was enslaved by the Arabs and later by the West and colonised by the West. Slavery was abolished and decolonisation began in the late 1950’s with Ghana having celebrated its 50 years of independence in 2007. South Africa was the last country to be freed from white rule in 1994. Postcolonial Africa was faced with a mammoth task to democratise itself (Arnold 2005:xiii). In my broadened definition of democracy I would place elements such as multiparty/parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, accountability, good governance, transparency and constitutionalism, development, reconstruction and socio-economic justice.

Los gemidos de la creación y la Teología de la Liberación – (Desafíos de la onda ecológica a la actual Teología de la Liberación) - Marcelo Barros
Entre todos los asuntos y desafíos que hoy se imponen a la sociedad internacional, la Ecología es, ciertamente, lo que más preocupa a la mayoría de la humanidad y lo que reúne más adeptos en todas las culturas y categorías sociales. No dejaría interrogar de llamar la atención de la teología y específicamente a la Teología de la Liberación. En esta breve conversa con ustedes me propongo a: 1 – resumir en pocas líneas el camino que ya se ha hecho de dialogo entre grupos consagrados al cuidado con la naturaleza y algunos teólogos/as y corrientes de teología cristiana. 2 – levantar algunos interrogantes que las actuales corrientes ecológicas levantan para la teología de la liberación. 3 – bosquejar algunas pistas para profundizar lo que sería una Teología de la Liberación más explícitamente ecológica y holística. (Traducción de Esteban Morales Herrera)

Os gemidos da criação: desafios à atual Teologia da Libertacao - Marcelo Barros
Entre todos os assuntos e desafios que hoje se impõem à sociedade internacional, a Ecologia é, certamente, o que mais preocupa a maioria da humanidade e o que reúne mais adeptos em todas as culturas e categorias sociais. Não poderia deixar de interpelar à Teologia e especificamente à Teologia da Libertação. Nesta breve conversa com vocês me proponho a: resumir em poucas linhas o caminho que já se fez de diálogo entre grupos consagrados ao cuidado com a natureza e alguns teólogos/as e correntes de teologia cristã; levantar algumas questões que as atuais correntes ecológicas levantam para a teologia da libertação; e esboçar algumas pistas para um aprofundamento do que seria uma Teologia da Libertação mais explicitamente ecológica e holística.

Peace Paradigm Shift and Joshua Syndrome - Noh, Jong Sun
Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into swords. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!” (Joel 3:10). But the Egypt will be desolate…because of the violence done to the people of Judah.(Joel 3:19). He (*God) will judge between many people and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nations nor will they train for war anymore. Micah 4:3. The two verses look contradictory, but there are solutions in the context of the peace making by the weak. That is the paradigm shift for the weak.

Propethic Vocation for Women to Guard - Water and Earth from Destruction of God Creation - Nunuk P. Murniati
Women and men were born from her/his mother. God creates womb in the woman’s body. What the meaning of this reality? Women have to care human life from her body, her mind and heart, her faith. But, woman cannot take care by herself, because her ecology influences her life. She needs to support her body with health food, clean water for reproductive health and many kinds of herbs to prevent her from sickness. She has to maintain her healthy not only for herself, but also for the offspring. Every child eats originally from and as her/his mother eats. Women Reproductive Health depends on the good ecology.

Taiwan Environment - Fu-Ya Wu
Basically, Taiwan belongs to one of the developed countries in our world. The development of an economy and a society is based on the conservation of its natural resources. In other words, social interaction and economies cannot continue to exist without maintaining the environment that supports such activities. This is the major issue when we talk about the environmental problems in Taiwan. Therefore, as the following I will talk about the influences of the environment of Taiwan after the so-called “development.”

Teologia Afro-Americana com um olhar nos passos da comunidade e suas atitudes de Fé – corpo e terra imagens do Deus da Vida - Marcos Rodrigues da Silva
A reflexão teológica a partir da realidade afro-americana e caribenha impõe exigências às pessoas que se dispõem realizar esta tarefa. Na verdade, são exigências de duas ordens: - na ordem pessoal e; - na ordem comunitária. Em nível pessoal é imprescindível que o próprio indivíduo se reconheça construtor e ator da sua própria história. Em termos de negritude, isto significa assumir - se como negro e negra. No nível comunitário, a exigência é para assumir as tradições, os mitos, as práticas celebrativas com suas particularidades e similaridades. Assumir é ter o reconhecimento dos embates da vida cotidiana, na pobreza e nas práticas de exclusão.

On Expanding the Scope of Liberation Theology: two theses - Ivan Petrella
First Thesis: Liberation Theology must understand itself as a Global/Universal Theology. It’s common to speak of liberation theologies as contextual. There is, however, something wrong with the designation of liberation theology as contextual, particular, or local. Why? The designation of liberation theologies as contextual is another way to take the edge off the critique… Second Thesis: Liberation theology must tackle disciplinary power beyond theology. Liberation theology is the first global theology; but it must become more; it must become the foundation for other disciplines as well. Economics, law, medical anthropology, political science, sociology and a host of other disciplines could engage in the same epistemological shift with revolutionary consequences for each field.

Estratégias dos Movimentos Sociais em face à Conjuntura Neoliberal: o MST e o Cristianismo da Libertacao - Lucí Faria Pinheiro Analisamos alguns elementos do processo de construção coletiva, através de movimentos sociais, no curso do capitalismo em sua fase de globalização. Aproxima-se a perspectiva “ecossocialista”, que permite qualificar a relação entre o presente objeto e as dimensões sociais da questão ambiental. Espera-se contribuir com o debate sobre algumas peculiaridades e potencialidades a serem consideradas na construção de um novo projeto societário na América Latina. As novas expressões desta fase radical do capitalismo, de uma velocidade descontrolada do ritmo de trabalho necessário à sobrevivência humana, exigem uma atitude coletiva diferente do passado. A ênfase é dada a dois movimentos que nascem no Brasil, tendo como referência a América Latina, a exemplo do Movimento Sem Terra e do “Cristianismo da Libertação”, este através dos encontros nacionais de Fé e Política.

Ecoteología: la Opción por la Tierra como Lugar Teológico - Richard Acosta R.
¿Tiene la teología la responsabilidad de pronunciarse y actuar ante los signos de muerte que atentan contra el planeta? El imaginario heredado por el paradigma desarrollista, según el cual el progreso estaba determinado por la capacidad de explotación de los recursos de la tierra, entendiendo éstos como infinitos e ilimitados, ha sido cuestionado y relativizado por la crisis ecológica que atraviesa esta generación. Sin embargo, a las consecuencias medioambientales, en gran medida irreversibles, debe sumarse toda una avalancha de políticas económicas gubernamentales que privilegian la ejecución de megaproyectos en detrimento del medio ambiente; las políticas de “desarrollo” no son políticas ambientales. Tal panorama presenta a la tierra como nuevo sujeto oprimido, explotado. Las realidades mencionadas y muchos otros signos de muerte, se convierten en el “grito” de un planeta herido que se levanta al cielo y clama por su salvación.

Teologia Amazônica Libertadora - Antônio Carlos Telles
Escrevo a partir da leitura e das sugestões do texto de Marcelo Barros. Minha preocupação inicial é que a Amazônia não se torne tão somente o local do fórum e sua escolha não tenha apenas um mero caráter inspirador. Explico: da perspectiva das populações amazônicas hoje, não é mais possível abordar a região como apenas uma espécie de sub-tema da questão ecológica. A relação Teologia Libertadora e Ecologia têm sido objeto de reflexões em vias de aprofundamento como ressaltou Marcelo, mas considero fundamental que essas reflexões cheguem a Belém muito mais dispostas a ver e ouvir do que para estabelecer pistas e mostrar resultados.

Cristianismo y Poder en América Latina - Juan José Tamayo
La actividad política de los obispos, teólogos, sacerdotes y religiosos es una constante en América Latina desde los inicios de la conquista hasta nuestros días. Y no sólo ni siempre del lado de conquistadores y colonizadores, sino, con más frecuencia de lo que se conoce, del lado de los sectores marginados. Casos emblemáticos del compromiso liberador durante la conquista fueron: el obispo y teólogo Bartolomé de Las Casas, que criticó la modernidad incipiente, defendió de manera incansable los derechos de los indios, pisoteados por los conquistadores, e influyó decisivamente en la elaboración de las Leyes de Indias de 1542; el sacerdote dominico Antonio Montesinos, que en un famoso sermón de adviento de 1511 denunció a los encomenderos acusándoles de estar en pecado mortal; el obispo Vasco de Quiroga, que condenó la guerra de conquista y la esclavización de los indios, y llevó a cabo una loable experiencia de educación de indígenas que tenía su base en el mestizaje.

Paradigma ecológico y teología - Juan José Tamayo
Resulta innegable la importancia de la ecología en el actual debate en torno a los diferentes modelos de desarrollo, en las relaciones Norte/Sur, así como en la búsqueda de las alternativas de vida y de sociedad, tanto a nivel regional y nacional, como continental y planetario. Pero la ecología no debe entenderse como un movimiento verde con tonalidad turística ni como un movimiento que busca sólo preservar las especies en extinción. Se trata de una nueva cosmovisión con una profunda inspiración ética y religiosa, que cuestiona de manera radical el modelo de civilización tecno-científica imperante y propone un paradigma alternativo capaz de salvaguardar armónicamente los derechos de la naturaleza y los de la humanidad.

Da Teologia da Libertação para uma teologia da cidadania como teologia pública - Rudolf von Sinner
A Teologia da Libertação se tornou conhecida mundialmente por sua “opção preferencial pelos pobres” e sua voz profética contra a opressão econômica e política. Desde o fim do regime militar no Brasil (1985) e a queda do muro de Berlim (1989), os teólogos estão tentando lidar com a pobreza, a exclusão e a marginalização continuamente assustadoras de setores muito grandes da sociedade dentro de um contexto cada vez mais complexo e uma diversidade de posições teóricas. Na sociedade civil, na política e na educação, “cidadania” se tornou o termo-chave para uma democracia participativa. Descrevendo o que têm sido os principais recursos da Teologia da Libertação e como a situação nova os está desafiando, este artigo explora propostas teológicas de autores brasileiros que assumiram a preocupação pela cidadania, afirma a necessidade de uma teologia da cidadania e mapeia o campo para vinculá-la a um crescente debate internacional sobre a teologia pública, que é um termo não comumente usado no Brasil até agora.

The Bible Poses Problems for Theoecology - Randall C. Bailey
Liberation Theologies have long argued for utilizing traditional sources for constructing theologies, most particularly Scripture, Tradition, doctrines of the Church, supplemented by and read through the experiences of struggles of oppressed people. These theologies have argued for their places at the Christian Table by allegiance to Christocentric constructions and orthodoxy in many respects. It appears that these theologies have sought to hold high the “authority of Scripture” as a means of validating the authenticity of their claims as to “what God is doing in the world” (theology) and “what God wants us to do as followers of Jesus the Christ” (ethical imperatives). This has been the case for Black, Latin American, and South African Liberation Theologies.

Wäwa Culture: A ‘topos’ for Theology of Water in Sri Lanka - Shirley Lal Wijesinghe
The water culture in ancient Sri Lanka is marked by a departure from a river-valley civilization to a Wäwa civilization. The Wäwa system is a unique system of reservoir making. The hydro-dynamics include a complicated system of sluice gates including mud sluices.

Earth, Water & Theology - Jessie Nesakumar
Already existing earth or the land is created by God for a purpose before any other creatures is considered a star among many is the only one earth and is the creation of God. Planet earth has special mission to fulfill in the universe. Earth alone of the entire planet is situated in relation to the sun and moon to keep the seas in life giving motion. Human beings were made out of the earth. Land includes not only soil, water, Plants Mountains and al other living beings on it. Yet without soil nothing can exist. Land or the earth is seen as any part of earths surface which can be owned as property and everything attached to it and therefore land has an intrinsic value attached to it. For Tribes and Advisees indigenous people land is sacred and their faith is not centered on a shrine, temple or a church, but for them the earth is sacred and holy and the whole earth is the temple who they worship God and depend upon the fertility of the soil. They develop respect for the earth.

Eco-theological dimension of embodiment - Michel J.F. Dubois
L’approche présentée ci-après a cela de spécifique qu’au lieu d’être théologique, et je ne me permettrais pas d’empiéter sur le territoire des théologiens, étant moi-même d’abord un scientifique et un philosophe, elle est fondée sur l’analyse des connaissances scientifiques actuelles. Cette analyse ne peut être scientifique par elle-même, mais surtout philosophique. Elle a pour but de montrer que, derrrières les connaissances acquises par l’approche scientifique, des questionnements nouveaux sont apparus durant le 20ème siècle. En particulier, l’indéterminisme, jadis considéré comme éliminable par la science, est au contraire absorbé par elle. Mais cette absorption ouvre un espace nouveau à la pensée philosophique, métaphysique et théologique.

God is Creation: Womanist Theology and the Earth - Linda E. Thomas
From its inception Black and Womanist liberation theology in the United States has not given attention to environmental issues or concerns about earth-keeping. It is significant to note, however, that in 2001 James H. Cone published an article that suggested that the motive for abusing nature is the same motive that leads to complex and profound forms of white supremacy around the world. “People who fight against white racism but fail to connect it to the degradation of the earth are anti-ecological— whether they know it or not.” (Cone 2001:23). Cone links environment concerns and our call to be earthkeepers with the values and agenda of global liberation theology and commitment to righteousness. He continues, “The fight for justice cannot be segregated but must be integrated with the fight for life in all its forms” (23).

Holistic Health & Healing: “Environmental Racism & Ecological Justice” - Dwight N. Hopkins
The environmental movement in the U.S. is comprised of at least two major sectors. One is known to the public because of its emphasis on the preservation and conservation of mother earth; and Greenpeace is usually the face of this grouping. The second important dimension of environmental concerns is the struggle against environmental racism and for ecological justice. Here poor and working class communities of African Americans, Latino-Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans have taken the lead against sickness in human bodies, social relations, and nature.

Indigenous Peoples’ Ecological Theology of Liberation - Liberation for the Environment: An Inherent Ethical Responsibility - Marcus Briggs-Cloud
For Indigenous Peoples who embrace holistic lifeways including philosophies that express our equal relationships to all living elements, particularly in the space where our respective societies are fixated or reside, we recognize the urgency of protecting a vital component to the efficacy of our Indigenous being. I am speaking of our natural environment, our mother, who requires an intimate relationship rooted in unconditional reciprocity. The discourse formulated in the West, and furthermore filtered down to the colonized world through religious institutions, regarding the sanctity of life has forever excluded the natural environment. We are all familiar with the classic precedents of this euro-centric framework found in biblical verses such as: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the face of all the earth.”1

Indigenous Theology: Land and the Nation-State - Andrea Smith
[Theology] is the place from which we are free to raid and return. We are in Indian Territory. . .To dwell within Indian Territory. . .we must necessarily resort to tactics–the tactics of the “outlaw” of the “native.”1

Liberation Theologies for the Twenty-First Century — A Mujerista Prolegomenon — Ada María Isasi-Díaz
There are several core elements of liberation theologies that must be clarified and sharpened for these ethical-theological enterprises to remain vital and relevant in the 21st century.

Missio Dei and Creation - Richard Twiss
The outworking of the life of the community of Christ-followers must never be restricted or determined by a singular theological imperative of “winning souls” to the neglect of the rest of creation. It must be seen as forever flowing from the “village of creation” of the Creator as the main current in the eternal stream of the creation story.

Response to a Global crisis - Rohan Silva
Global issues are many but by far the most pressing are those that relate to our environment. Today, the environment crisis is no longer considered to be a matter of concern for only a select few, but for everybody. It concerns global survival. But each local context has its own problems and every responsible individual today is aware of the need to be involved in one way or the other.

Searching for Theological Treasures: Theological Education as Mining for the Mother Lode - Rosetta E. Ross
Because it maintains faith with Christianity, liberation theology may be said to have optimism that something valuable to the lives of marginalized people is lodged within this tradition. Since, in my context, the backdrop of liberation theology so often is related to the academy, the task of (search for) that “valuable something” is deeply related to theological education. Black persons in the United States, share with native peoples across the globe the legacy of Christianity as an ambiguous element of our identity. Sorting through this ambiguity to find relevant and useable theological treasures is an important task we confront in black religion and as liberation theologians engaged in theological education. With other liberationists, we hold out hope that there are treasures in the Christianity we hold in our hearts, but with our liberationist colleagues we maintain that it is a treasure which must be sifted and separated from or dug out of the stone and other debris that surrounds and is mixed in with it. During these few moments of response, I want to reflect on the nature of theological education for black persons in the United States as sometimes digging through the debris for the jewel or refining away the dross to reach the gold. In her book African Voices of the Atlantic Slave Trade, appropriately.

TIERRA Y AGUA, VIDA DESDE Y EN EL VIENTRE DE LA PACHAMAMA - Víctor Bascopé Caero
En una mirada andina desde la visión de la totalidad existencial, apreciamos a nuestra Pachamama como la Madre de toda la existencia universal. Como la Madre del Pacha. En este sentido, el nombre Pachamama, se compone de dos términos fundamentales, a saber: Pacha y Mama. El término Pacha, como palabra propio en los idiomas andinos, el qhishwa y el aymara, expresa la totalidad del tiempo y el espacio universal. Expresa y significa la totalidad existencial de la vida. Y el término Mama, como palabra más conocida en los diferentes pueblos y sus idiomas, significa, directamente el sentido de ser Madre. En este sentido, debemos comprender la expresión del nombre Pachamama como el ser Madre de toda la existencia vital y universal: Pachamama.

WATER, EARTH AND THEOLOGY FOR AN ALTERNATE WORLD - Marlene Perera
During the last five years the Sri Lankan government had made at least three attempts to privatize the water resources of the country. However, the bill was defeated each time it had been presented in parliament due to the mass opposition of the people who had been conscientized by MONLAR, Movement on National Land and Agricultural Reform.