Romero (1989) - Religion film analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Romero (1989) - Religion film analysis - Essay Example Archbishop Oscar Romero depicted a great hero of the liberation struggle in Latin America during a period referred to as the ‘long dark night’ which lasted from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. To this end, one of the main themes that emerge pertains to liberation theology since Archbishop Romero is depicted as the ‘voice of the oppressed in El Salvador when he reached the pinnacle of the Roman Catholic hierarchy’. Interestingly, Romero achieves the archbishop status at a time when El Salvador is embroiled in injustice and violence. The military forces of El Salvador are fighting against the Marxist guerrilla forces within the country. Incidentally, the ongoing fight against Communism is only oppressing the poor. To this end, the theme of suffering and oppression is evident in the dramatic movie. The image of Romero is of an emboldened man of God who comes out as the voice of the voiceless and oppressed in El Salvador. An example of his brevity is his stance following the assassination of a colleague by the name of Richard Jordan, the torturous murder of another priest by the name of Alejandro Bracho and the murder of a young lady who is a leader of the Christian base community in Lucia Reina. Incidentally, the film shows that Romero begins his role as bishop with the backing of the powerful and rich ruling Catholics in El Salvador such as Ana Alicia who is the wife of the Minister of Agriculture. Representation of Religion in the Film The aspect of religion is evident through the life of Archbishop Romero as he gradually evolves into liberation theologian. Evidently, the film projects the faith in religion even in the face of terror. This is evident in the scene where Archbishop Romero returns with his colleague to the church that was occupied by the military in order to recover the Eucharist. The Eucharist was a symbol of the blood and body of Christ among the Catholics in El Salvador. Furthermore, the Eucharist represented th e dignity of the El Salvadorian community. In this regard, the act of retrieval was a religious and socially significant event by Archbishop Romero. Interestingly, the potential of ultimate liberation of the EL Salvadoran populace is hinged on the capacity to redeem themselves from religiously instigated persecution by their political opponents. Moreover, religion played a pertinent role in the selection of Romero as the archbishop. In this regard, the short period in which Romero served was characterized by political unrest. To this end, those who opposed the radical right section were deemed as Marxist communists and ideal targets for execution. In this regard, the Catholic leadership were comfortable with the appointment of Romero as the archbishop. The Catholic religious leaders wanted a church leader for El Salvador who would not elicit any negative focus towards the Catholic Church. This would essentially guarantee their safety and enduring support for the government. However, following Romero’s appointment, he became more aware of his political duties pertaining to the plight of the lower class in El Salvador. To this end, he experienced increased difficulties in balancing duties of rallying support from his powerful religious colleagues and the helpless poor in society. Comparison of the film with class readings Gutierez in the ‘the task and content of liberation,’ delves into the struggle of Latinas in the liberation struggle during the 1960’s. Evidently, Gutierez focuses on the liberation process for the poor by grassroots Christian communities. In this regard, the author focuses on a theological perspective pertaining to the liberation role of the Roman Catholic Church in Latin populace. In comparison to the film