A Tale of Two Theologians: Treatment of Third World Theologies

A discussion of the challenges of liberation theology and religious pluralism, in dialogue with two leading Third World theologians.

In A Tale of Two Theologians, Ambrose Mong's observant new work, he examines the writings of the Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez and the Indian theologian Michael Amaladoss, and gives fresh attention to their main concerns regarding evangelisation and the poor. Why, he asks, is Gutiérrez's liberation theology now accepted and celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church while Amaladoss's Asian theology with a liberation thrust is threatened with censorship? Mong argues that the dwindling threat of Communism has made the Marxist overtones of Latin American liberation theology more palatable to the Catholic hierarchy, while the challenge of religious pluralism in Asia is as complex and emotive as ever.
How can the Church learn to balance the need for dialogue between religions with their duty to proclaim the Gospel? How can the Church inculturate itself in Asia while maintaining its identity? Ambrose Mong tackles these questions with the shrewd, clear-eyed view of an active priest and scholar, exploring the long, troubled relationship the Church has with liberation theology and offering guidance for the future.

Ambrose Mong, PhD, is assistant parish priest at St Theresa’s Church, Hong Kong and part-time lecturer and research associate at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is also the chaplain to Spanish-speaking inmates at Hong Kong correctional institutions. His books include Purification of Memory: A Study of Modern Orthodox Theologians from a Catholic Perspective, Accommodation and Acceptance: An Exploration in Interfaith Relations, Guns and Gospel: Imperialism and Evangelism in China and Dialogue Derailed: Joseph Ratzinger’s War Against Pluralist Theology.