Boff, Leonardo (1938–)

A former Franciscan priest, Leonardo Boff was a preeminent force in the development of liberation theology in its expression in Latin America. Like that of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, his work had two foci: taking seriously theological concerns such as eschatology and Christology while meeting the pastoral concerns of the communities in which he lived. His work was woven around the concept of “a preferential option for the poor”—that the role of the church is to take seriously the needs of the oppressed, learn from their struggles, and participate fully in dialogue and practical solidarity with forces of radical social transformation.

Liberation theology, for Boff, was not a discipline but a process—one did liberation theology, not study it. Its most visible expression was in the Base Ecclesial Community movement, which involved grassroots activists in the study of scripture and church documents through the lens of challenging the oppressive structures in which they lived and worked. The role of theologians was to give shape to this experience, as a mirror of a transforming social force.

Boff's approach to theology is closer to a social science approach than a religious one, and more dialectical than descriptive. It is analytical in approach, being informed by the struggles for justice and, directly or indirectly, applying this knowledge in ways that work toward a radical reconstruction of society in harmony with the strands within Christian tradition and Christian scripture that call for justice.

His early work was a direct response to the changes of Vatican II, and particularly the call to renew the church in true partnership with all the voices within the church. In Brazil, with the support of the institutional [Page 254]church, he studied doctrines such as grace and the nature of the incarnation of Jesus in a spirit of radical openness to previously unheard voices within the church and worked to ensure that the church itself found ways to be in active solidarity with the poor and oppressed.

In mid-career, his work took on a directly political note. He more clearly and openly called for open support of movements for social transformations outside of those initiated or controlled by church bodies. Moreover, he clearly challenged the institutional church, which led to his temporary silencing by the Vatican in 1985. The silencing was primarily in response to his book Church: Charisma and Power, which looked at the institutional church through the same lens with which transnational corporations and oppressive institutions of the nation state were examined.

In more recent times, his work has often taken on a more mystical bend, responding to the ecological crisis of modern times with a blending of liberation theology and gaia spirituality. His perspective is still that of a preferential option for the poor; the lens is still that of the experience of the oppressed. However, there is greater emphasis on the spiritual and creative and somewhat less on analysis and dialectics. The preservation and healing of creation is linked to ensuring the dignity and autonomy of individuals and local communities bound together through shared experiences.

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