Conspirituality – Bonus Sample: US vs Liberation Theology (Part 2)

Hosts: Matthew Remski (A), Derek Beres, Julian Walker
Date: November 3, 2025
Summary by section and timestamps

Episode Overview

In this Patreon bonus episode, Matthew Remski continues his deep dive into the intersections of U.S. foreign policy, evangelical Christianity, and liberation theology, particularly focusing on how U.S.-engineered religious movements have influenced both Latin America and contemporary American politics. Building on Part 1, Remski examines the “evangelical boomerang”—the cycle where U.S. religious and political manipulation abroad returns to reshape American society, ultimately empowering authoritarian and capitalist interests. He contrasts this with liberation theology’s challenge to empire and hints at recent Catholic responses to social injustice in the U.S.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Evangelical Boomerang" and U.S. Strategy

[00:03–01:32]

• Definition: Remski coins the term "evangelical boomerang," describing a process where U.S. Cold War efforts exported evangelical Christianity to Latin America as a counterweight to leftist, community-focused Catholic liberation theology. This individualized, prosperity-focused Christianity was later re-imported back into the U.S., shaping current right-wing religious and political movements.

• Main Example: Jair Bolsonaro’s public baptism in the Jordan River by a Brazilian evangelical leader symbolizes the decades-long U.S. influence on Latin American spirituality and politics, rooted in anti-communist, anti-liberation theology agendas.

• Conspirituality Connection: The hosts connect these religious movements to the podcast’s core theme—the merging of conspiracy culture (‘conspirituality’) and hierarchical, authoritarian religious influence.

"Evangelicalism’s focus on individual sin, salvation and prosperity happens to be perfect for capitalist and imperialist impulses. It directs faith away from collective struggle and towards personal obedience and discipline and seeking dignity through accumulating wealth."
— Matthew Remski [01:05]

2. U.S. Soft Power and “Individualized, Depoliticized Christianity”

[01:32–02:18]

• Engineered Religions: Remski argues that U.S. state actors expanded evangelical Christianity in Latin America not as an organic movement but as a form of “soft power” to fight communism and maintain economic control.

• Modern Example: By 2030, half of U.S. citizens from Latin American backgrounds may be evangelical; in 2024, about two-thirds of Latin American Protestants in the U.S. voted for Trump—a sign of the boomerang’s impact.

"US exported through its state apparatus, an individualized, depoliticized Christianity that eventually came roaring back home, fueling Trump’s fusion of self-help religion, capitalist piety and fascist myth."
— Matthew Remski [01:35]

3. The “Reverse Boomerang” and Liberation Theology’s Resurgence

[02:19–02:54]

• Papal Response: Remski references Pope Leo XIV, shaped by experiences in Peru, who has released a new document calling for solidarity with the poor—seen as a theological strike back against right-wing religious manipulation in the U.S.

• Liberation Theology’s Core: Liberation theology, as developed by figures like Gustavo Gutierrez (author of A Theology of Liberation, 1971) and influenced by Camilo Torres Restrepo, views poverty as a political issue, not a divine mandate.

• Praxis Over Rhetoric: Gutierrez advocates for a practical, honest “seeing, judging and acting,” unapologetically highlighting structural violence.

"For [Gutierrez], describing the violence of liberation wasn’t an endorsement of it—it was just honesty about history’s terms. But honesty terrified the powerful."
— Matthew Remski [03:03]

4. U.S. and Vatican Opposition to Liberation Theology

[02:55–03:37]

• Backlash: In the 1980s, both the Vatican (via Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI) and the CIA condemned liberation theology, labeling it as dangerous, Marxist, and inciting violence.

• Core Threat: The threat of liberation theology to empire is not military, but its belief in “taking the poor seriously.”

"A theology that took the poor seriously was more dangerous to empire than any army."
— Matthew Remski [03:31]

5. Preview of Episode Continuation

[03:38–04:21]

• Remski signals the next segment will examine “following the money”—tracking financial and political flows between U.S. evangelical groups, Latin American politics, and back.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Evangelicalism’s focus on individual sin, salvation and prosperity happens to be perfect for capitalist and imperialist impulses." — Matthew Remski [01:05]

• "US exported through its state apparatus, an individualized, depoliticized Christianity that ... came roaring back home, fueling Trump’s fusion of self help religion, capitalist piety and fascist myth." — Matthew Remski [01:35]

• "For [Gutierrez], describing the violence of liberation wasn’t an endorsement of it—it was just honesty about history’s terms. But honesty terrified the powerful." — Matthew Remski [03:03]

• "A theology that took the poor seriously was more dangerous to empire than any army." — Matthew Remski [03:31]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03 — Introduction; recap of Part 1 and the “evangelical boomerang”
• 01:05 — Analysis of evangelism and capitalist/imperialist compatibility
• 01:35 — Discussion of U.S. exporting religion and the Trump-era fusion
• 02:19 — Mention of Pope Leo XIV and “reverse boomerang”
• 03:03 — Gutierrez’s “honesty” about violence as essential for liberation
• 03:31 — The conceptual threat of liberation theology
• 03:38 — Teaser for the financial angle to come in full episode

Tone and Style

Remski’s delivery is clear, analytical, and urgent, blending historical research, current data, and philosophical critique. He uses memorable phrasing (“evangelical boomerang,” “capitalist piety,” “dangerous to empire”) to underscore the stakes of his arguments.

Conclusion

This episode snippet sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of how spiritual movements are shaped by geopolitical interests and wielded as tools of power. Remski highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between hierarchical, individualized religion and the radical, collective vision of liberation theology. The coming segments promise a deeper investigation into the financial entanglements underpinning these movements.