'Kairos' and liberation: A critical comparison of the theologies of history of Paul Tillich and selected Latin American liberation theologians

This work attempts a critical comparison of the theologies of history of Paul Tillich and the liberation theology of Latin America, as represented by Gustavo Gutierrez, Jose Miguez Bonino, and Jon Sobrino. Arguing that the interpretation of history is the central concern of both theological projects, this study examines the similarities and differences on the basis of comparison of Tillich's concept of kairos and the Latin American theologians' concept of liberation. It finds that these two categories express most concretely the respective conceptions of the nature of a theological interpretation of history, compress what is most characteristic in these analogous, yet distinctive understandings and provide a means of assessing the unique contributions that each makes toward a constructive theological interpretation of history.;The study begins by examining the peculiar status of a theological interpretation of history and proposes that myth is a necessary interpretive principle for a theology of history. After setting both theological projects within their context, it proceeds to an examination of the function of the myths of kairos and liberation within the respective theologies in relation to the task of historical interpretation, the ontological foundations of history, and the relation of God to the historical process. Tillich's concept of kairos, expressive of Tillich's insistence upon the non-objectifying nature of the presence of the divine to history, contrasts sharply with liberation theology's insistence upon the liberating nature of divine action in history.;Attention is then turned to the specific theological understandings of history as expressed in the Christological and eschatological paradigms found in each. Tillich's understanding of Christ as New Being is compared to liberation theology's view of Christ as Liberator. The relation between history and eschatology is then explicated with special attention given to Tillich's dialectical interpretation of the symbol of Kingdom of God and liberation theology's use of the concept of utopia.;Finally, each view is assessed and evaluated in light of their strengths and weaknesses and suggestions are made concerning the necessary elements for a theological interpretation of history.