Liberation Theologian To Be Silenced By Vatican

Reports say that the Vatican will silence Spanish-born liberation theologian, Jon Sobrino, who works in El Salvador and who narrowly escaped death in a 1989 massacre that killed six fellow Jesuits, after he allegedly failed to affirm Christ's divinity.

Confirming a report that had first appeared in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo last week, Archbishop Fernando Saenz Lacalle of San Salvador told reporters that Fr Sobrino has been barred from teaching at any Catholic university or publishing his theological works, Catholic World News reports.

Fr Sobrino who taught at the University of Central America was disciplined by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for his failure to affirm that Jesus Christ is divine, according to the report.

The Congregation reportedly found that his theological works placed an undue emphasis on the figure of Jesus as a human actor involved in social causes, neglecting his divinity and his unique role in Redemption.

Speaking on Sunday after celebrating Mass in the cathedral at San Salvador, Archbishop Saenz said that the Vatican had been in dialogue with Fr Sobrino for several years, warning the Jesuit theologian about the problems in his approach.

Ultimately, he said, when Fr Sobrino declined to revise his work, the Vatican concluded that his thoughts were incapable with Church teaching.Informed sources say that the Vatican will announce the disciplinary measures later this week. Fr Sobrino has declined to comment.

According to El Mundo, it is expected that Fr Sobrino will be barred from teaching in Catholic schools and instructed not to publish written works.

Jesuit headquarters in Rome declined to comment on the case until the Vatican issues its findings, Pravda adds.

The Jesuit press office described the newspaper report as being "mistaken" on several points, but declined to be specific.

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