Clodovis and Leonardo Boff, Separated Brethren

The liberation theology that once united them now divides them. The former criticizes it at its roots, and has passed over to the Ratzinger camp, while the latter continues to defend it, and feels betrayed. The complete texts of the dispute by Sandro Magister

Curiously, it was the man who replaced Clodovis Boff as theology professor in Rio, Filippo Santoro, an Italian who today is bishop of Petrópolis and a member of Communion and Liberation, who most inspired and most closely followed his "conversion," which took several years and was finally expressed in the essay published in the "Revista Eclesiástica Brasileira."

When it was published, the essay by Clodovis Boff made a strong impression only in Brazil. But when, last May, his brother Leonardo published his reply, the dispute echoed all over the world...