And the Word Became Indigenous… Indigenous Christian Theology Today

Abstract

Among the strong criticisms made to the Catholic Church is the ideological and religious imposition over centuries on the native peoples, which, as a consequence, undermines their culture, worldview and religiosity. During the second half of the 20th century, some Catholic sectors changed their perspective and began to understand indigenous peoples' religious diversity and defend these values and cultural traits. Despite the opposition among the most conservative sectors of the Church, this movement is still in force; it is called Indigenous Christian Theology (ICT). It is essential to discuss and analyze the origin and current relevance of ICT so we understand this topic. Consequently, based on a recent literature review which is complemented by one example of religiosity of indigenous Chuj people in Chiapas, Mexico, this paper explores the emergence of ICT, demonstrates ICT as a pastoral care movement that recognizes indigenous identity through dialogue, respect for religious diversity, and the assertion of the right to non-discrimination. As a result, we try to present a broader perspective of current ICT as a movement that empowers ethnic identity and indigenous religious expression, that allows indigenous religiosity and Christianity to coexist in parallel and, therefore, promotes interreligious and intercultural dialogue.