12 R.E: Interplay Between Religion and Life (Oscar Romero)

define interplay

• refers to the dynamic interaction between the social, cultural, political and religious factors in shaping a person’s life and actions

• these elements influence one another and produce unique outcomes

• in studying a religious figure, interplay highlights how their personal life, historical context, and faith interact and transform one another

examples of factors involved in interplay

• Family background – the composition and experiences of the family into which the person was born, raised, and related throughout life.

• Influence of significant others – parents, friends, teachers, mentors, or role models who shaped the person’s development.

• Key life experiences – specific events or defining periods that influenced the person’s character or mission.

• Cultural context – the traditions, values, and norms of the society in which the person lived.

• Historical context – important people, issues, and events from both the past and during the person’s lifetime.

• Religion’s role in society – how religion functioned publicly and institutionally in that context.

• Perceptions of religion – how individuals or groups in society generally viewed or engaged with religion.

• Social disadvantage or hardship – poverty, inequality, poor health, violence, war, or other struggles in society or in the person’s life.

• Prevailing social attitudes and philosophies – dominant ideas, ideologies, or worldviews held by society at the time.

• Political context – developments, policies, leaders, or movements that shaped the person’s environment.

• Inspirations and influences – people, movements, or ideas that inspired and shaped the person’s beliefs or actions.

• Religious–cultural encounter – the interaction or tension between religious beliefs and broader cultural values.

identify one significant religious person in a religion and outline the factors that make this person significant

• Archbishop Oscar Romero (1917-1980)

• Archbishop of San Salvador (1977-1980) who became known as the ‘voice for the vioceless’

• publicly defended the poor, oppressed and marginalised campesinos during a time of military dictatorship and oligarchic control

• spoke out against human rights abuses, violence and corruption in both government and military

• integrated Catholic Social Teaching into action - preferential option for the poor, human dignity and solidarity

• his sermons, broadcasted via radio, gave hope to the poor and exposed injustices

• martyr for his faith - assassinated in 1980 while saying Mass

• canonised as a saint in 2018, symbolising his global significance as a model of Christian discipleship

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• transformed the role of the Catholic Church in El Salvador during a time of severe political oppression and social inequality

• was initially regarded as a conservative and cautious bishop, however his leadership took on a prophetic character after the assassination of his friend Fr. Rutilio Grande in 1977

• this event catalysed his commitment to defend the poor, denounce injustice, and call for peace

• his weekly homilies, which reached across the nation via radio, gave voice to those silenced by violence and fear

• he embodied Catholic Social Teaching by emphasising the dignity of every human life, the preferential option for the poor, and the demand for justice

• his significance also lies in his martyrdom - he was assassinated while celebrating Mass in 1980, a death that symbolised the ultimate sacrifice of faith in action

• his canonisation in 2018 further highlights his enduring legacy as a model of holiness, courage and prophetic witness

describe the major events during the life of the significant person

• 15 August 1917: born in Ciudad Barrios, El Salvador, to a poor Catholic family

• entered the seminary at 13

• 1937-1942: studied theology in Rome during WWII

• 1942: ordained as a priest

• 1944-1967: served in San Miguel Diocese - pastoral work, catechism, visiting prisons, supporting Caritas

• 1967: made Monsignor, transferred to San Salvador

• 1970: consecrated Bishop

• 1974: Bishop of Santiago de Maria - rural diocese, exposed to poverty

• 1977: appointed Archbishop of San Salvador, was initially conservative

• 12 March 1977: his friend, Jesuit priest Fr Rutilio Grande assassinated for defending campesinos - this shifted Romero’s focus to public advocacy for justice

• 1977-1980: weekly radio homilies condemned government repression and defended human dignity, spoke against injustice, boycotted political events

• 1980: wrote to US President Jimmy Carter to stop military aid to El Salvador

• 23 March 1980: final homily - called soldiers to obey God over unjust orders

• 24 March 1980: assassinated while saying Mass after openly denouncing violence and injustice

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• Romero’s life is marked by several major events that shaped his mission and legacy

• born in 1917 to a modest family in Ciudad Barrios, El Salvador, Romero grew up acquainted with poverty and hardship, which later nurtured his empathy for campesinos

• he was ordained in 1942 and served as a parish priest, gaining a reputation for pastoral care and devotion

• his appointment as Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977 was initially welcomed by the elite, who viewed him as apolitical

• however, that same year, the assassination of Fr. Rutilio Grande deeply affected him, awakening his awareness of systemic injustice

• from then on, Romero used his platform to challenge the violence and repression of the military regime

• his sermons, broadcast on national radio, not only offered spiritual teaching but also documented human rights abuses

• in March 1980, one day after appealing to soldiers to obey God’s law over unjust human commands, Romero was assassinated while saying Mass

• these events crystallised his role as a martyr for justice and faith

explain Romero’s personal, social, religious and political context

• personal context:

  • grew up in poverty, family lacked money, education and basic utilities

  • shaped his compassion for the poor through firsthand experience of poverty

  • joined the seminary at age 13

• social context:

  • El Salvador has extreme inequality

  • 14 families controlled wealth (oligarchy) while over 50% lived in poverty and 90% on minimum wage

  • class system discriminated against campesinos and indigenous

• religious context:

  • El Salvador was strongly Catholic but divided

  • conservative hierarchy supported the status quo whereas progressive priests, influenced by Vatican II and liberation theology, sided with the poor

  • deeply traditional priest, initially conservative, committed to prayer and obedience

• political context:

  • El Salvador ruled by military dictatorships backed by an oligarchy of 14 families

  • fraudulent elections, suppression of opposition, violent repression and death squads

explain the factors that influenced their life, including religious influences

• family poverty and early experiences of hardship shaped Romero’s empathy for the poor

• Catholic upbringing and seminary training shaped strong personal faith

• studies in Rome exposed him to global Catholic thought, including Vatican II reforms

• friendship with Fr. Rutilio Grande influenced his conversion toward social justice, pushing him toward bold prophetic leadership

• Catholic Social Teachings (preferential option for the poor, human dignity, solidarity, Beatitudes, works of mercy) became the foundation of his preaching

• the violence/suffering of the campesinos and assassinations of priests forced Romero to confront injustices directly

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• Romero’s personal experiences, religious convictions and historical context combined to shape his prophetic leadership

• personally, his humble upbringing gave him firsthand knowledge of poverty and the struggles of ordinary Salvadorans

• religiously, his training as a priest instilled in him a deep love for prayer, tradition and obedience to the Church

• early in his ministry, he leaned towards conservatism, preferring order and caution, but his faith later deepened into a prophetic witness shaped by events around him

• a pivotal influence was the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) and the Latin American Episcopal Conference at Medellín (1968), which called the Church to engage with the social realities of poverty and oppression

• the assassination of Rutilio Grande was the turning point that forced Romero to see the Gospel as inseparable from justice

• Catholic Social Teaching, especially the dignity of the human person and the preferential option for the poor, provided the theological framework for his mission

explain how their life (personal context), the context of their life (political, economic and social context) and religion interact

• Romero’s personal experience of poverty allowed him to empathise with campesinos

• the political oppression and violence he witnessed forced him to take a public stance

• social inequality left the poor voiceless

• his religious convictions - shaped by Vatican II, Catholic Social Teaching and liberation theology - provided the framework for his activism in defending human dignity

• Romero embodied this interplay: his religious convictions were shaped by his context, and his response in turn shaped El Salvador’s history by inspiring resistance, solidarity, and international awareness

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• Romero’s life is a striking example of the interplay between personal, social, political and religious factors

• personally, his experience of growing up in poverty allowed him to empathise deeply with the campesinos, who suffered landlessness and exploitation

• politically, El Salvador was dominated by a repressive military government that used violence to suppress dissent and protect the wealth of elites

• economically, vast inequality left the majority of the population in extreme poverty while a small oligarchy controlled land and resources

• socially, fear and violence permeated daily life, with death squads targeting anyone who opposed the status quo

• religion, particularly Catholicism shaped by Vatican II and Medellín, demanded that the Church stand with the poor and defend human dignity

• Romero embodied this interplay - his personal empathy and faith merged with the demands of his context, resulting in his role as a prophetic leader who gave voice to the voiceless

describe the factors that influenced the interplay between the person, their context and religion

• political oppression:

  • violence against campesinos (military juntas, death squads, fraudulent elections) forced Romero to respond

• social and economic inequality:

  • pushed Romero to speak for campesinos who lacked education, voice and rights

  • widened the gap between rich and poor, making the Church’s social teaching urgent

• religious renewal:

  • Vatican II and the 1968 Medellín Conference stressed justice, influencing Romero’s interpretation of his role

  • Fr. Grande

  • liberation theology - theological approach originating in 1960s Latin America that emphasises the liberation of the oppressed from poverty and systemic injustice

• personal experiences:

  • the assassination of Fr. Grande catalysed Romero’s transformation from a cautious cleric to a bold advocate

• this interplay created a religious leader who embodied the Church’s mission to uphold human dignity

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• the interplay between Romero, his context, and his faith was influenced by many factors

  1. political oppression in El Salvador created an environment of systemic violence that demanded a moral response

  2. economic inequality, with wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, highlighted the urgency of the Church’s social mission

  3. the influence of Vatican II and the Medellín Conference redefined the Church’s role, encouraging a “preferential option for the poor”

  4. personal experience, particularly the murder of his close friend Rutilio Granda, pushed Romero to act decisively

  5. the global Cold War context shaped the conflict, with the US supporting El Salvador’s military against leftist guerrilla, adding complexity to Romero’s appeals for peace and justice

  6. together, these factors intertwined, shaping Romero’s actions and showing how religion, personal conviction and social context continually influenced one another

identify some important issues from the past that have involved religion

• Christianity under the Roman Empire

• the Crusades

• colonisation

• the Enlightenment

• anti-semitism

• world wars

• oppression of the poor in El Salvador (1960-1980)

outline the nature of a particular historical issue

• the oppression of the poor in El Salvador (1960-1980)

• rooted in history since El Salvador’s independence from Spain in 1821

• marked by economic exploitation, political repression, and systemic violence

• a small oligarchy controlled wealth and land, while campesinos suffered poverty, hunger, and voicelessness

• protests were met with repression, death squads, and assassinations

• this systemic injustice sparked civil unrest and eventually civil war

• economic oppression:

  • exploited labour, no access to education, women and children confined to low-paying informal work

• political oppression:

  • fraudulent elections, rule of oligarchy and military dictators, no voice for reform movements

• social oppression:

  • deep class system, indigenous marginalisation, widespread violence and denial of basic rights

  • this oppression created cycles of violence - repression by state → armed resistance by poor → retaliatory death squads (peasant uprisings, guerrilla warfare, brutal repression by the government)

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• the oppression of the poor in El Salvador between the 1960s and 1980s was a profound historical issue

• a small landowning elite controlled the country’s economy, while the majority of Salvadorans (the Campesinos) lived in poverty, lacking access to land, education or political power

• calls for reform were suppressed by a military dictatorship, which used violence, intimidation and death squads to silence opposition

• human rights abuses, disappearances, and massacres became common

• the Catholic Church, once aligned with elites, increasingly found itself at a crossroads - remain silent and complicit, or speak out in defence of justice

• this situation highlighted the clash between structures of oppression and movements of liberation, setting the stage fir figures like Romero to play a transformative role

describe how a religion became involved and interacted with this issue

• the Catholic Church initially aligned with elite

• over time began shifting toward siding with the poor, especially after Vatican II

• priests like Fr. Grande organised base communities, empowering campesinos with education and solidarity

• Romero and other clergy publicly condemned injustice, using Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching to denounce violence

• the Church’s involvement made it a target - many priests and lay workers were persecuted, exiled or killed

• the Church also became a source of hope, with Romero’s sermons broadcast nationwide as spiritual and political resistance

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• Catholicism became deeply involved in the struggle against oppression in El Salvador

• historically allied with the elite, the Church underwent renewal after Vatican II and Medellín, which emphasised justice, liberation, and the defence of human dignity

• grassroots initiatives like Christian base communities gave campesinos education, solidarity, and spiritual strength to challenge injustice

• priests like Rutilio Grande organised communities to demand land reform and dignity, often at great personal risk

• Romero, as Archbishop, used his weekly homilies to denounce human rights abuses and call for peace, reaching millions through radio

• he also wrote letters to international leaders, including U.S. President Carter, urging them to stop military aid that fuelled violence

• in this way, Catholicism became both a spiritual refuge and a prophetic voice, directly confronting structures of injustice

explain the interplay between a religion and the issue in its historical context

• the Church’s shift from conservatism to solidarity with the poor represented an interplay with El Salvador’s oppression

• Catholic Social Teaching (preferential option for the poor, human dignity) gave the Church a theological basis for siding with campesinos

• Romero embodied this interplay - his sermons became both religious reflections and political critiques

• the Church’s advocacy challenged the oligarchy and military, making the Church both a spiritual refuge and a political threat

• the issue of oppression reshaped the role of Catholicism in El Salvador from passive observer to active defender of justice

• Romero’s leadership symbolised this interplay: his personal faith, the Church’s teachings, and El Salvador’s social injustices came together in a prophetic witness that challenged systemic evil

• his martyrdom revealed both the risks and the power of religion in confronting oppression

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• the interplay between Catholicism and the oppression of the poor in El Salvador reveals how faith and historical context shape one another

• the lived reality of widespread poverty and political violence pushed the Church to move beyond traditional roles of ritual and charity toward active solidarity with the oppressed

• in turn, Catholic theology — especially liberation theology and Catholic Social Teaching — provided a language of justice, dignity, and hope that inspired resistance

• Romero embodied this interplay: his personal faith, the teachings of Vatican II, and the brutal political situation converged to shape his prophetic mission

• his assassination symbolised the cost of living out the Gospel in a violent world but also strengthened the Church’s witness to justice

• this dynamic relationship shows how religion does not exist in isolation but constantly interacts with historical realities, producing transformation both in society and within the Church itself

Describe the key features of one significant religious event and/or issue from the past

• The Oppression of the Poor in El Salvador (1960–1980)
  The oppression of the poor in El Salvador between the 1960s and 1980s was marked by systemic inequality, political repression, and human rights abuses. A small oligarchy of 14 families controlled most of the arable land and the nation’s wealth, while over half the population lived in poverty. The rural poor, or campesinos, lacked access to land, education, and healthcare, creating a rigid social hierarchy.

• Politically, El Salvador was ruled by military dictatorships that manipulated elections and violently repressed opposition movements. Protests and calls for reform were met with death squads, assassinations, and disappearances. Socially, inequality bred frustration and resistance, while the United States’ military support of the Salvadoran government during the Cold War further entrenched the violence.

• The Catholic Church, long aligned with elites, began to experience a shift following the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) and the Medellín Conference (1968), which called for the Church to side with the poor. This set the stage for figures like Archbishop Oscar Romero to emerge as moral and spiritual leaders advocating for justice.

Using a detailed example, explain the significance of this religious event and/or issue

• The oppression of the poor in El Salvador was significant because it transformed the relationship between religion and society. The Catholic Church shifted from a conservative institution aligned with power to a prophetic voice for justice and human dignity.

• Through the leadership of figures such as Archbishop Oscar Romero, the Church embraced the principles of Catholic Social Teaching — particularly the preferential option for the poor, human dignity, and solidarity. Romero’s radio-broadcast homilies condemned state violence, exposed human rights abuses, and gave hope to the voiceless.

• This issue was significant not only for El Salvador but globally, as it demonstrated how faith could become a catalyst for social transformation. Romero’s assassination in 1980 while saying Mass symbolised the ultimate sacrifice for justice and made him a martyr for faith and human rights.

Describe the historical context of this issue

• The historical context of El Salvador’s oppression was shaped by centuries of inequality and authoritarian rule. After independence from Spain in 1821, power became concentrated in the hands of a small elite that controlled the economy through land ownership and export agriculture (mainly coffee).

• By the 1970s, over 50% of Salvadorans lived in poverty while the oligarchy maintained political and economic dominance. Fraudulent elections in 1972 and 1977 deepened instability, while the rise of social movements and guerrilla groups reflected the poor’s desperation for reform. The government responded with military violence, enforced disappearances, and massacres, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.

• Internationally, the conflict was influenced by Cold War politics, with the U.S. providing military aid to suppress leftist uprisings. This era of violence and repression formed the backdrop for the Church’s growing involvement in defending human rights.

Discuss the interplay that occurred between this issue and a religion

• The interplay between the Catholic Church and the oppression of the poor in El Salvador demonstrates the dynamic relationship between religion and historical context.

• Initially conservative, the Church had long supported the elite. However, the realities of injustice forced many clergy to re-evaluate their mission in light of Vatican II and the Medellín Conference, which called the Church to engage with the suffering of the poor.

• Priests like Fr. Rutilio Grande organised Christian base communities to educate campesinos and advocate for reform, while Romero, as Archbishop, gave the Church a prophetic voice. The Church’s use of Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching provided a theological framework for social action.

• As the Church became a defender of justice, it was increasingly seen as a political threat, leading to persecution, assassinations, and martyrdoms. This interplay revealed how religious conviction could confront and transform unjust social structures

Outline the personal context of one significant religious person

• Saint Oscar Romero (1917–1980) was born in the small mountain town of Ciudad Barrios, El Salvador, into a poor Catholic family. His parents could not afford education beyond primary school, and at age 13 he entered the seminary to pursue priesthood.

• His upbringing in poverty instilled deep empathy for the poor, while his studies in Rome nurtured his devotion to traditional Catholic faith and obedience to Church authority. Initially conservative, Romero valued order and spiritual discipline over political involvement.

• However, his personal experiences with the suffering of the poor and the assassination of his close friend Fr. Rutilio Grande in 1977 profoundly transformed him, awakening his prophetic mission to defend human dignity and justice.

Explain the interaction that occurred between this person and their social and/or historical context

• Romero’s ministry unfolded amid rampant inequality, violence, and repression in 1970s El Salvador. As Archbishop, he witnessed the brutal suffering of campesinos and the Church’s persecution by the military regime.

• This context compelled Romero to act — his sermons, broadcast nationwide, publicly denounced killings, torture, and exploitation. He refused to attend government ceremonies and wrote letters to international leaders urging peace and an end to military aid.

• Thus, Romero’s faith-driven response interacted directly with the injustices of his time. The violence and poverty around him transformed his spirituality into a public mission of advocacy and solidarity.

Discuss the interplay that occurred between this person’s life, their social and/or historical context, and religion

• The life of Saint Oscar Romero exemplifies the interplay between personal faith, historical circumstances, and religion’s social mission.

• His personal background of poverty fostered compassion; the political violence of El Salvador demanded moral courage; and Catholic Social Teaching provided the theological grounding for his activism.

• The Second Vatican Council and Medellín Conference encouraged Romero to reinterpret faith as active commitment to justice. The assassination of Fr. Grande deepened this conviction, turning Romero from a cautious cleric into a prophetic leader.

• Through this interplay, Romero’s faith and context shaped each other — his beliefs inspired social change, while the injustices of his time deepened his understanding of the Gospel. His martyrdom symbolised the transformative power of this dynamic relationship.