Tohir Solomons

Towards a New Liberation Theology – Reflections on Palestine

Posted on the November 2nd, 2005 under Uncategorized by Tohir

This Islamic Human Rights Commission conference took place in June this year, but I found the slide by key note speaker, Dr. Saied Reza Ameli, extremely informative, particularly in the way it should inform our approach to the Palestinian issue.

To quote from the slides:

• Religion can not be neutral even if it is secular?!
• Religion exists to save people from any deprivation and life disturbance.
• Religion has to solve individual as well as social problems
• It should by dynamic, otherwise it will die

• Science can not be neutral even if it is secular – science is alive if it reduces the pain

• Liberation theology is a response towards two important local and global nostalgias;
• The first and the most important one is nostalgia for justice.
• The second one is nostalgia of metaphysical values.

How would Liberation Theology work Universally and be Effective for Palestine

• Liberation theology requires three major elements to work as a Universal Solution:
1. Return to God
2. Selflessness
3. Centrality of Justice

The presentation can be downloaded from the conference website. Whilst you are on the site, dont forget to vote for your Islamophobe of the Year 2005!