The sociology of religion network between Latin America and Europe, scientific project and social commitment: the case of the International Research Federation (FERES, 1958-1976)

Abstract

 In this article, we explore the contributions of FERES - the International Federation for Socio-religious Research, founded in 1958 between Belgium and Switzerland in the context of research on the state of the Church in Latin America - to the development of the premises of liberation theology. We assume that FERES, the Latin American centres for the sociology of religion that participated in this research (or even founded on this occasion) and its Latin American headquarters based in Bogotá from 1964 onwards, contributed to the formation of a progressive ecclesial and social consciousness in Latin America, as a continuation of the action of CELAM - first generation. The publication of a synthesis of the 40 volumes of this research for the conciliar bishops also allowed for a wide dissemination and awareness of the shortcomings of the Latin American Catholic Church and the Latin American socio-economic contexts. We will assess how the work of FERES contributed to this awareness and put on the agenda the central themes of the future liberation theology. In particular, we will study the contributions of the two sociologists of religion at the heart of FERES' work in Latin America: the Belgian, François Houtart, and the Colombian, Gustavo Pérez. We will base our study on the FERES archives kept in the Houtart collection at the Catholic University of Louvain.