To Set the Captives Free: Liberation Theology in Canada

Henry G. MacLeod teaches sociology at both Trent University and the
University of

Waterloo.

For many Canadian churches, the Year 2000 is a Year of Jubilee, a time
to identify with and proclaim the liberation of the oppressed in Canada
and the world. To Set the Captives Free examines the potential
effectiveness of liberation theology for Canadian Christians in their
struggle for social justice. It is a timely book given the declining
fortunes of the radical left and the NDP Party in Canada and the shift
to the right in new as well as established political parties.

The author provides an excellent summary of biblical radicalism and its
historical survival throughout Christian history, from the liberation of
the Hebrews in Egypt to contemporary women’s liberation movements. He
takes a strong theological position that the church should be actively
involved in reforming the world, but without addressing significantly
any opposing theological traditions.

His study also provides an excellent introduction to the nature of
injustice resulting from the concentration of wealth and economic power
in global corporate capitalism. While most readers may agree that the
poor and marginalized are severely oppressed in Canada, and may be
sympathetic to women and other groups they regard as oppressed, they may
have difficulty viewing their incomes from corporate capitalism as
oppression and the prosperous middle class as oppressed. Cole-Arnal does
recognize that this is a key concern. His chapter on liberating the
oppressed makes a highly useful contribution by giving historical
examples of the power of churches and activist movements to influence
social and economic change. He makes a strong case that Canadians are
not powerless to deal with global corporations.

Readers expecting an introduction to liberation theology may be
disappointed. Cole-Arnal is more concerned with developing insights
based on liberation theology than with offering a description. He
concludes his book by calling for more intense Christian
consciousness-raising groups committed to social justice and greater
solidarity among Christians, trade unionists, and other coalitions.