Cuando la fe cristiana se politiza: una lectura teológica sobre su instrumentalización

Abstract

This research analyzes the theological implications that emerge from the instrumentalization of the Christian faith in the political arena of the Urabá subregion of Antioquia between 2016 and 2025. The problem arises from the observation that the language, symbols, and narratives of the Christian faith have been used at various points in public debate as resources for political legitimation and electoral mobilization, generating tensions between the mission of the Church and its participation in political life. The objective of this study is to analyze these theological implications in dialogue with the political theology of Johann Baptist Metz and with the contributions of Latin American and Caribbean theology, particularly those of Ignacio Ellacuría and Jon Sobrino. Methodologically, the research employs a qualitative approach with documentary input and adopts the theological method of see-judge-act. In the see phase, concrete dynamics of the instrumentalization of the Christian faith in political processes are described; in the judge phase, a theological discernment is carried out based on theoretical frameworks; and in its application, pastoral guidelines for responsible political participation are proposed. The results show that the Christian faith can be used as a resource to legitimize political projects, and it is concluded that the Christian faith possesses a legitimate public dimension capable of inspiring ethical commitments to the common good. However, when the Christian faith is subordinated to the interests of political power, its prophetic character is distorted. From the perspective of political theology and Latin American theology, the proposal is to recover a public presence of faith that, instead of legitimizing power projects, takes a critical stance and contributes to building a more just and reconciled society.