In the movie Romero, Archbishop Oscar Romero is depicted as an advocate of justice for all as he organizes protests against the injustices perpetuated by a rogue military regime. Through involvement in political and civic matters, Oscar Romero applied his religious faith to fight for the rights of the poor and oppressed. In his preaching and daily life, Oscar Romero is shown to advocate for the oppressed and underprivileged population at the expense of his own life, which has several advantages and disadvantages.
The life events and teachings of Archbishop Romero synch with the real-world perspective of liberation theology. He was born in El Salvador and got an education in Rome. Later, he was ordained and appointed a bishop in 1974, which cleared his path to become a Salvadoran archbishop and spokesman (Gandolfo 2022). While he did not seem to care much about injustices at an early age, Romero’s determination for fair treatment of all heightened when the persecution of his friends, priests, and other innocent individuals increased (Gandolfo 2022). The unfairness was depicted in a number of ways, including economic, social, and political injustice that widened the gap between the poor and the rich.
The life of Oscar Romero is a reminder that those with authority should speak for their voices as Jesus Christ did during his time by advocating for the poor and underprivileged. In 1970, Oscar Romero started his service as a Bishop in El Salvador. Violence heightened in the country during the 1970s, with the government and the army mistreating the poor and anyone who demanded their rights. The ruling elite and the wealthy believed Romero would be the best choice of archbishop in San Salvador as he was less likely to encourage others to advocate for the rights of the poor (“Romero Film 1989” 0:11:22-0:11:50). However, events and perspectives changed when a close of Romero, Father Rutilo Grande, was killed.
The archbishop received firsthand experience of the injustices perpetuated against innocent and poor individuals. Romero depicted liberation Christology by speaking publicly against murders and oppression as he received death threats (“Romero Film 1989” 1:03:14-1:05:04). Further, he stayed determined to change how the government approached land ownership to enable the poor to live better lives. In his discourses, he always appealed to the political leaders to end extra-judicial killings and reform exploitative laws to allow fairness to prevail for all. The archbishop was shot dead while celebrating mass in March 1980 by the military.
Liberation Christology has several advantages and disadvantages, depending on those involved. It offers an alternate objective and role for religious experience by allowing the prophetic capacity of individuals to surpass theory and venture into real-world events that affect the socio-political and economic needs of citizens. Liberation Christology helps keep authorities in check and advocates for the voiceless. However, the practice is linked to the division of people due to the differing perspectives of those involved in the process. For instance, some Christian leaders may be led by personal objectives to fight for the rights of specific individuals and ignore others who have similar needs because there are no guidelines on how liberation theology should be practiced. Additionally, the lives of individuals involved in the practice are likely to be in danger from those who oppose their views.
In conclusion, Archbishop Romero is an excellent example of selfless liberation Christology practice. In his sermons, Romero appeals for changes to end killings and remove laws that oppress the poor and the underprivileged. Without fear of retaliation, the archbishop publicly mentions the evil deeds of the government and the military and presents his quest for fairness and justice, which leads to his death through shooting. Liberation Christology allows a religious practice to have an actual and direct impact on people’s lives; however, it can be ridiculed with criticism that Christian leaders’ objectives are selfish.
Work Cited
“Romero Film 1989.” YouTube, uploaded by Clásico Films, Web.
Gandolfo, Elizabeth O’Donnell, and Laurel Marshall Potter. Re-membering the Reign of God: The Decolonial Witness of El Salvador’s Church of the Poor. Vol. 6. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.