Michael Clemente, University of Notre Dame
“Orthodoxy vs. Orthopraxis: The Development Effects of Peru’s Divided Church”
Bio: Mike Clemente, is a senior at the University of Notre Dame pursuing majors in both the Program of Liberal Studies and Spanish. Mike enjoys international travel and has a particular affinity towards Latin America. He has taken four trips to Latin America, cumulating in six months of time, and seven countries visited. The majority of his time though, has been spent in Peru where Mike hopes to return to with a Fulbright Scholarship. Some of Mike’s other interests are: Liberation Theology; Theology of disabilities; Spanish fiction; 19th century continental philosophy; and not getting into another bike accident.
Abstract: In contemporary Peru, Catholicism has become so intimately interwoven into the way of life that it is almost invariably inseparable, sometimes unnoticeable, but always present in Peruvian societal structures. The result of this theological pervasiveness is that any sincere talk of development or social change within Peru must take into account the Catholic influence. Understanding this Catholic influence in Peru today means exploring the divisive tension within the Peruvian Church between “conservative” and “liberal” sects. The results of qualitative research shows that contemporary Peru is marked by the dissonance of contending “liberal” and “conservative” branches of the Catholic Church. The cause of the current tension between these different camps is rather complicated and impossible to label as one specific issue. This tension has been the impetus of frequent disputes, the closing of social programs, the expulsion of religious orders, and many other jarring events showing the effect of the theoretical on the practical. The controversy, however, goes far beyond a difference in theological epistemology. The division touches upon economic issues, racial issues, and quite notably, political issues. From Archbishop Cipriani’s alleged closeness with the criminally convicted former president Alberto Fujimori to the accusations of liberation theologians being the instigators of socialist uprisings, politics plays a considerable role in the controversy.
