Vatican Lifts Silence Order on Liberation Theologian

The Vatican has confirmed lifting a penalty of silence it imposed on Father Leonardo Boff, and the Brazilian priest was quoted Tuesday as saying that the Roman Catholic Church has indicated greater acceptance of liberation theology by lifting the order.

The church put the theologian under “penitential silence” last May for his writings, particularly the 1981 book, “Church: Charisma and Power,” in which he criticized the church for “elitism” and for not taking a stronger stand in defense of human rights.

He was informed Saturday that the order has been lifted, and the Vatican confirmed it Tuesday.

The newspaper Jornal do Brasil quoted the Franciscan friar as saying in an interview, “The Vatican has come to accept liberation theology as serious, orthodox and necessary, and realized that it is not the result of reflections by a ‘vanguard theologian.’ ”

Leading Exponent

Boff is considered the leading exponent of liberation theology, which links spiritual freedom to economic and social issues. The Vatican objects to what it views as elements of Marxist class-struggle analysis and justifications for violent methods in some versions of the theology.

Boff says he is not a Marxist, but believes the church should actively seek to end poverty and social injustice. He was quoted in the interview as saying that the church leadership now understands that position.

“Poverty in the world is so great that today Rome is giving more importance and emphasis to the social mission of the church, and relations between the church and society,” Boff said, according to Jornal do Brasil.

Widened His Vision

The decision to suspend his penitential silence “was made personally by Pope John Paul II, who in his travels around the world has widened his vision of the peculiarities and plurality of the church,” he was quoted as saying.

“Rome saw two things,” he said, according to the newspaper report: “First, that my attitude in writing and preaching about liberation theology was not rebelliousness. I accepted all the recommendations about silence. Second, that liberation theology is a doctrine taken seriously in the Latin American church.”

John Paul summoned Brazilian bishops to a three-day meeting at the Vatican last month. In his opening remarks, the Pope expressed qualified support for the concept of liberation theology, church officials said in Rome.

New Document Due

The Vatican order prohibited Boff from writing or speaking on church policy. In confirming that it has been lifted, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Holy See will issue a major document on liberation theology Saturday to help guide local churches in promoting social justice and human rights.

Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, archbishop of Sao Paulo and one of Boff’s main defenders, called the Vatican decision “an Easter present.”

Ephraim Ferreira Alves, a collaborator with Boff, said the priest would be “more moderate” in future writings.

“He will be more prudent in criticizing the structure of the church,” said Alves, an editor of the Brazilian Ecclesiastic Magazine in Petropolis, a mountain city near Rio where Boff lives and works.