| This dissertation examines dependence thought as a social-analytical tool in Latin American liberation theology for the purpose of exploring the relationship between the social sciences and theology. As liberation theology develops, dependence, the original description of the Latin American reality, disappears from the work of most theologians. Originally defined as the correlative of liberation, as that reality from which liberation must occur, dependence is replaced by broader concepts such as poverty, domination, and oppression. In doing so, the theologians move in four different methodological directions.;Having recognized the inadequacies of dependence thought, the theologians either utilize alternative mediations as an alternative to social analysis, embark on their own social analyses, expand the types of social analysis from which they are willing to draw, or develop new mediations grounded in the particular experiences of the poor. This study concludes that Latin American liberation theology has moved into a new stage of its development characterized by a broader approach that better addresses the complexity and particularity of the poor.;Five trends emerge from this analysis. First, the theologians simplify dependence thought itself and integrate approaches into a single paradigm. Second, several theologians expand the meaning of dependence to include multiple arenas of life beyond the economic. Third, the theologians do not address the questions that arise regarding the relationship between dependence and Marxism. Fourth, as the methodological approaches broaden to include a variety of social analytical approaches and alternative mediations, there is a decreasing emphasis on ideological concerns, which may reflect a shift in the understanding and role of ideology. The fifth trend defines the coincidence between the increasing criticism from within the Roman Catholic hierarchy, the demise of dependence thought, the broadened approaches to social analysis and mediations, and the emergence of new participants in Latin American liberation theology over whom the hierarchy has little or no authority.;The dissertation concludes that these trends indicate that several methodological, ideological, and ecclesiological issues emerge in the course of this development. In addition, it concludes that the social sciences require the collaboration and confirmation of additional sources of knowledge when applied to the process of doing theology. |
