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Leonardo Boff 1

Leonardo Boff

Professor Leonardo Boff

Leonardo Boffwas born 14 December 1938 in Concrdia, Santa

Catarina state, Brazil. He is a theologian and writer, known for his

active support for the rights of the poor and excluded.

He currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Ethics, Philosophy of

Religion and Ecology at the Rio de Janeiro State University.

Studies as a priest

Boff entered the Franciscan Order in 1959 and was ordained a

Roman Catholic priest in 1964. He spent the following years

studying for a doctorate in theology and philosophy at the

University of Munich, which he received in 1970. Boff's doctoral

thesis studied in what measure the church can be a sign of the

sacred and the divine in the secular world and in the process of

liberation of the oppressed. He has since published his thesis as a

book available in German, entitled Die Kirche als Sakrament im

Horizont der Welterfahrung.

Liberation theology

He became one of the best known supporters (along with Gustavo

Gutirrez) of the early Liberation theologians. He was present in the first reflections that sought to articulate

indignation against misery and marginalization with promissory discourse of the faith, leading to Liberationtheology. He continues to be a controversial figure in the Catholic Church, primarily for his sharp criticism of the

church's hierarchy, which he sees as "fundamentalist", but also for his past critical support of communist rgimes.

Political views

He is critical of secular power as well of American foreign policy. He opposed the Iraq War and considered George

W. Bush and Ariel Sharon's leadership to be similar to that of "fundamentalist terrorist states." He also criticizes

despotic rulers in the Middle East: "Those [emirs and kings] are despotic, they do not even have a constitution.

Though extremely rich, they maintain the people in poverty."[1]

In November 2001, discussing the September 11 attacks with an interviewer for "Comunit Italiana", Boff said:[1]

For me, the terrorist attack of September 11 represents the shift towards a new humanitarian and world model.

The targeted buildings sent a message: a new world civilization cannot be built with the kind of dominating

economy (symbolized by the World Trade Center), with the kind of death machine set up (the Pentagon) and

with the kind of arrogant politics and producer of many exclusions ... For me the system and culture of capital

began to collapse. They are too destructive.

In the same interview he said that "One of the worst fundamentalisms is that of neoliberalism".[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Comunit%C3%A0_Italianahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=September_11_attackshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Middle_Easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ariel_Sharonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_W._Bushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_W._Bushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Communisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catholic_Churchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liberation_theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liberation_theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Faithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miseryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liberation_theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gustavo_Guti%C3%A9rrezhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gustavo_Guti%C3%A9rrezhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=German_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Munichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doctoratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Priesthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roman_Catholichttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Franciscan_Orderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universidade_do_Estado_do_Rio_de_Janeirohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Writerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theologianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brazilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Catarina_%28state%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Catarina_%28state%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Conc%C3%B3rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ALeonardo_boff.jpeg

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Leonardo Boff 2

Break from Roman Catholic Church

Authorities in the Roman Catholic Church did not appreciate his criticism of the church's leadership. They also felt

his human rights advocacy had "politicized everything" and accused him of Marxism. In 1985, the Congregation for

the Doctrine of the Faith, directed at that time by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), silenced him

for a year for his book Church: Charism and Power.[citation needed] He later accused Ratzinger of "religious

terrorism".[1]

He was almost silenced again in 1992 by Rome, this time to prevent him from participating in the Eco-92 Earth

Summit in Rio de Janeiro, which finally led him to leave the Franciscan religious order and the priestly ministry.

Boff joined the international group of Catholic Scholars who in 2012 issued the Jubilee Declaration on reform of

authority in the Catholic Church.[2]

For most of his life Boff has worked as a professor in the academic fields of theology, ethics and philosophy

throughout Brazil and also as lecturer in many universities abroad such as University of Lisbon, University of

Barcelona, University of Lund, University of Oslo, University of Torino and others.

He commented on the election of Pope Francis in March 2013: "I am encouraged by this choice, viewing it as a

pledge for a church of simplicity and of ecological ideals."[3]

He said the new pope was conservative in manyrespects but had liberal views on some subjects as well.

[4]

Works

Evangelio del Cristo csmico. 2009. ISBN 978-84-9879-087-0

El guila y la gallina. Una metfora de la condicin humana. Cuarta edicin 2006. ISBN 978-84-8164-514-9

Ecologa: grito de la Tierra, grito de los pobres. Cuarta edicin 2006. ISBN 978-84-8164-104-2

Femenino y masculino. Una nueva conciencia para el encuentro de las diferencias. 2004. ISBN

978-84-8164-689-4

La voz del arco iris. 2003. ISBN 978-84-8164-589-7

El cuidado esencial. tica de lo humano, compasin por la Tierra. 2002. ISBN 978-84-8164-517-0

Mstica y espiritualidad, junto a Frei Betto. Tercera edicin 2002. ISBN 978-84-8164-102-8

tica planetaria desde el Gran Sur. 2001. ISBN 978-84-8164-412-8

Gracia y experiencia humana. 2001. ISBN 978-84-8164-498-2

El despertar del guila. 2000. ISBN 978-84-8164-409-8

La dignidad de la Tierra. Ecologa, mundializacin, espiritualidad. 2000. ISBN 978-84-8164-363-3

La opcin-Tierra: la solucin para la tierra no cae del cielo. 2008. ISBN 978-84-293-1762-6

Los sacramentos de la vida. 1977. ISBN 978-84-293-0491-6

Notes[1] Interview to the Comunit Italiana (http://www.comunitaitaliana.com.br/Entrevistas/boff. htm): "[Os USA] fizeram alianas esprias com

os emires e reis. Estes so despticos, sequer possuem constituio. Embora riqussimos, mantm o povo na pobreza." November 2001

Cox, Harvey (1988). The Silencing of Leonardo Boff: The Vatican and the Future of World Christianity.

Meyer-Stone Books. ISBN 0-940989-35-2. OCLC 18193194 230967924 (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/

18193194+230967924).

External links

Official home page (http://www.leonardoboff. com/)

Works by or about Leonardo Boff (http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n79-43691) in libraries (WorldCat

catalog)

Right Livelihood Award (http://www.rightlivelihood. org/recip/boff.htm)

http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/boff.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WorldCathttp://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n79-43691http://www.leonardoboff.com/http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/18193194+230967924http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/18193194+230967924http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=OCLChttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:BookSources/0-940989-35-2http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harvey_Coxhttp://www.comunitaitaliana.com.br/Entrevistas/boff.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frei_Bettohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pope_Francishttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Torinohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Oslohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Lundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Lisbonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ethicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Franciscanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rio_de_Janeirohttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Earth_Summithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Earth_Summithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holy_Seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pope_Benedict_XVIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Congregation_for_the_Doctrine_of_the_Faithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Congregation_for_the_Doctrine_of_the_Faithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marxismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Advocacyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Human_rights

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Leonardo Boff 3

Interview to the Comunita Italiana (http://www.comunitaitaliana.com.br/Entrevistas/boff.htm) (in

Portuguese)

http://www.comunitaitaliana.com.br/Entrevistas/boff.htm

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