The meanings of “freedom”: The Change from Liberation Theology to Market Liberalization in El Salvador

The concept of “governance” has been criticised as reductionist, i.e., making the person nothing more than a rational, economic being. Governance studies have undermined the role of religions in society’s perception on their knowledge of government, its attributes, and duties. This paper explores the role of Catholic Social Teachings and how they affect an individual’s governmental epistemological positions. Focusing on religious agents, particularly the Catholic Church in El Salvador, the research shows how these agents have continuously shaped a society’s knowledge of “the self,” “community” and “govern-ment,” and how religious institutions and discourses have produced different views of the citizens’ own development to the point of violence. Between 1977 and 1992, the Catholic Church and the government of El Salvador have fought against each other and within their own ranks in the name of “freedom.” In fact, they were advancing specific ideologies. The understanding of “freedom” moved beyond the political realm to become integrated in the branch of the Catholic Church dealing with the moral doctrine of how Catholics must carry their lives in their socio-economic relations. The Church continues to maintain a privileged status in Latin America’s societies both in recognition and influence despite El Salvador’s removal of Catholicism from its constitution and its government claim of maintaining a secular state. Given these contradicting ideologies of freedom the relationship between religion and politics cannot be ignored. Questions arise concerning the extent to which the meanings of ‘freedom’ established by the Catholic Church influence the language of governance in El Salvador, and how this language has been used to encompass an understanding of the individual self and of community, and an understanding of how the government should function. -- Relevance to Development Studies -- This paper addresses the politics of Religion and Development. In the name of “freedom,” the Catholic Church and the government of El Salvador have fought against each other and within their own ranks in order to advance specific ideologies about “freedom,” “development,” and “governance.”