Abstract:
This thesis, Liberation Theology in the Colombian Armed Insurgency, analyzes the
participation of the priest and theologian, Camilo Torre Restrepo and of a group of
Christian theologians which gave continuity to his set of ideas in the Colombian conflict
within the armed insurgency, the FARC-EP and the ELN. It is questioned if the
participation of these people in the armed struggle could be considered a praxis of
Liberation Theology. It seeks to understand if they built a theological theory as an
interpretation of their praxis in the armed struggle. It also seeks to comprehend how they
related to the Marxist-Leninist social theory of the insurgent organizations and to
characterize the Colombian political context in which this social phenomenon took place. In
the same way, this search could list elements about the practice of this group of theologians
which would show if their proposal is, politically, still valid. In the first chapter, an analysis
is made of the historical trajectory of the Colombian State and of the Churches as political
actors. In the second chapter, one seeks to analyze the works of Camilo Torres and his
revolutionary praxis. In the third chapter we work with the group of theologians who
followed Camilo Torres steps and who gave continuity to his set of ideas. The research
shows that Camilo Torres created a theological proposal which is inside liberation theology,
and is called Effective Love and permits one to ally oneself with Communist sectors and
even to connect oneself to the armed insurgency through taking on Marxist-Leninism as a
social theory and method. After his death a broad movement was generated of Catholic and
Protestant Christians, called Camilismo, and they continued with the praxis of Effective
Love, connecting themselves to the insurgent organizations of the ELN or of FARC. One
is able to affirm that a valid liberation theology exists within the Colombian armed
insurgency. This proposal, since it is theological and political, could help in overcoming
the Colombian armed conflict.
