Liberation Theology is Not the Gospel
Morgan Freeman, a well-known and accomplished black actor, said in a 60-Minutes interview in 2005 that black history month is an “insult” and “ridiculous.” “You’re going to relegate my history to a month?” he famously quipped. Freeman emphasized the reality that black history is intertwined into American history and criticized the concept for celebrating separation.
When I taught history at a Wisconsin private school, I was asked what I was going to focus on for the month of February. When I stated that I would be teaching what was presented in the history book, I was met with criticism. I responded by stating, “Regardless of the month, I am teaching through the history curriculum. When I come to a section on George Washington Carver and we’re in the month of October, I teach on it. I don’t need a month to segregate my history lessons.” I still stand by that belief today.
Since the Civil Rights era (and perhaps before), serious theological problems became apparent in the “black church.” What is known as “liberation theology” originated in South America through the work of Roman Catholic priest Gustavo Gutierrez; however, liberation theology is the dominant view in black churches throughout the United States today. At its core, liberation theology holds that God’s salvation in Christ is primarily not to be set free from sin and judgment. On the contrary, God’s salvation is primarily experienced in freedom from slavery and oppression this side of heaven, and true salvation by God comes in the form of social, economic, and political liberation. This theology, however, is not consistent with the gospel nor is it consistent with the New Testament’s teachings on slavery.
Take, for instance, Paul’s letter to Philemon about his runaway slave, Onesimus. After fleeing from Philemon, Onesimus met up with the apostle Paul, where he apparently became a believer in Christ. Rather than bring about Onesimus’s complete liberation socially, economically, and politically, Paul does the unthinkable: he sends Onesimus back to Philemon, “no longer as a doulos but more than a doulos” (1:16). Doulos in the Greek is a slave, a bondservant, someone indebted to another. Paul tells Philemon that his doulos is coming back to him, but that he should view him not only as a slave, but also as a brother in Christ. Paul does not reprimand Philemon for owning a slave, but exhorts him to treat him well because he is a brother in Christ and a co-heir of salvation.
Likewise, we read this exhortation by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus:
Bondservants (doulos), obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. (Ephesians 6:5-9)
If the gospel of our Lord was chiefly concerned with liberating all people from social, economic, and political injustice, then Paul didn’t get the memo. Instead, Paul himself admits that he has learned the secret of being content in all circumstances, whether he had a little or a lot, whether in prison or free (Philippians 4:10-13). No one in this world will ever be completely free from injustice or earthly troubles. Instead, Paul encourages people in all positions they find themselves in to be content and look to Christ for salvation.
The gospel does not promise us freedom from societal injustice, economic inequity, or political prejudice. Not even our Lord received liberation from the evils of men and their society. “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Instead, the gospel promises freedom from slavery to sin, the Holy Spirit to help us in our trials and battles against temptation, and a future home in heaven with God forever.
Sadly, the “black church” has fallen prey to the devil’s lies – and not many are publicly talking about it.
Only a few weeks ago, in February 2026, First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Maryland displayed African flags in the front of their sanctuary during the entire month. Additionally, each Sunday worship service was interrupted with a short video featuring “A Moment in Black History.” On one particular Sunday, the segment was dedicated to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Allow me to summarize Jackson’s career for you, dear reader: In 1968, Jackson founded PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) to promote social, economic, and political advancements of black people. In 1996, PUSH combined with Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition. Later, Jackson supported and included the rights of LGBT+ people along with blacks. While Jackson was married to Jacqueline, he had an illegitimate child with a woman named Karin Stanford, a staff member on the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. In short, his life legacy is one of leftist activism and immorality.
Is this a man worth upholding to the church as an example of Christian fidelity? Can it be rightly said of Jesse Jackson, “imitate me as I imitate Christ”? I think not. Why not? Are you racist? I don’t care if the man is purple with pink polka dots; his lifestyle and mission did not bear witness to gospel transformation, that’s why.
But if one is a product of liberation theology, Jackson’s gospel integrity can be and should be overlooked because he fought for social, economic, and political equality. That is why he is to be praised. His gospel witness really doesn’t matter because his fight for civil liberty was more important, say the theologically liberated.
The same argument can be made for men like Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK was involved in numerous adulterous relationships, was not committed to Christian orthodoxy, and even denied Christ’s bodily resurrection; yet he is heralded as one of the greatest Christians of our day, and if anyone questions his effectiveness and Christian witness – well, watch out.
Back at FBC-Glenarden, after the video celebrating Jesse Jackson, a woman appeared on stage. She said the following:
Hallelujah! Praise God for our rich history and all of those who have paved the way for us to be where we are today. What a blessing. Let’s celebrate God for our history. Amen. Amen.
Who is excluded from this portion of the Lord’s day worship service? The Lord. Oh, and also any brother or sister who is not a black American, such as a Chinese Christian or a Native American Christian. It is often stated in “white churches” that “Sundays are the most segregated days of the week,” heaping “white guilt” upon the backs of many of Christ’s beloved – as if white Christians are the only ones complicit in this segregation. However, liberation theology has created serious problems and is itself a form of racism and segregation in its own way. In short, celebrating black history month does not maintain unity in the body of Christ that we are commanded to uphold (Ephesians 4:1ff).
Liberation theology has built a new dividing wall of hostility between members of the family of God. What Christ tore down, proponents of liberation theology have striven desperately to rebuild. It is only by reclaiming the true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles, that all God’s people can be truly free, free at last.
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