The Religious Opium of Liberation: Redemption Politicised?

Abstract

In considering the historic writings of Marx, the article seeks to show that as religion has become institutionalised in the form of the Catholic Church it becomes simply another component of the edifice of the superstructure. This position is challenged chiefly through the emergence of the Liberation Churches. The roots, institutionalisation, and establishment of the present‐day church are described. The role of the Liberation Churches in serving those suffering oppression is also discussed in comparison with Marxist thought, and in some areas the two views are seen to be irreconcilable.

Citation

Thorpe, A. (1989), "The Religious Opium of Liberation: Redemption Politicised?", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 16 No. 12, pp. 14-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/03068298910133160