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Liberating the Oppressed
by Major Robert Evans
Over the
past fortnight I watched two very powerful movies depicting
unthinkable violence and oppression from opposite sides of the
globe, evoking two opposing responses from leaders in the
church to end the conflict.
The first film, Machine
Gun Preacher (2011), tells the story of Sam Childers, a
transformed ex-biker gang member and former drug dealer who
responded to a calling to rescue kidnapped and orphaned
children in war-torn Sudan.
Outraged by the horrors of Sudan where children are
forced to become child soldiers, Sam Childers took up arms to
join the fight against the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army)
militia group and opened an orphanage to care for the children
he helped to liberate.
The second film, Romero
(1989), tells the story of Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El
Salvador who could no longer look upon the suffering of the
Salvadoran people who were being oppressed by the aristocracy
and murdered by the government.
He spoke out against the violence and started a
revolution without guns to fight for peace and justice in his
country. He
called for love not violence, freedom not repression, pleading
with both church and state to end the blood shed and free his
people.
Two confronting stories
about two men who fought in the name of Jesus Christ to
liberate vulnerable people from tyranny.
One man resorting to violence, the other raising his
voice. Both
refusing to turn their backs on people who could not defend
themselves.
These films, based on
true stories, raise challenging questions about the ethics and
application of liberation theology which has been described as
"an interpretation of Christian faith through the poor's
suffering, their struggle and hope, and a critique of
society...and Christianity through the eyes of the poor."
Is it right to fight for justice through any means?
Does the ends justify the means?
While
these questions are complex and challenging, I default to the
example set by the One whose name is often used to justify the
struggle - Jesus Christ!
In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus
declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has
anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed
free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus mission was clear, but His methods defied the
expectations of those wanting to overthrow an oppressive
government. He
preached to the crowd, "Love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44); He taught the religious,
"God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him." (John 3:17); He rebuked
His followers and accusers, "Am I leading a rebellion, that
you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?" (Mark
14:48); He referred to a higher authority when questioned by
the officials, "But I say to all of you:
In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at
the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of
heaven." (Matthew 26:64); He sought forgiveness for those who
executed Him, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing." (Luke 23:34).
Jesus
chose to serve not to be served - "the Son of Man did not come
to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
for many." (Matthew 20:28)
Jesus did not find power
in position - "...Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider
equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in
human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death - even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave
him the name that is above every name, that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)
Jesus
brought salvation through sacrifice - "Grace and peace to you
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave
himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age,
according to the will of our God and Father." (Galatians
1:3-4)
In a world
where the struggle for justice and liberation continues, only
by submitting to the message, mission and methods of Jesus
Christ can real salvation be found from and for those who
would oppress God's children.
- See more
at:
http://ephesiansfour12.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/liberating-oppressed.html#sthash.Wmwz7KwZ.dpuf
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