Base Ecclesial Communities
Small, lay-led Christian communities primarily in Latin America that combine biblical study, conscientisation, and social action. These grassroots groups represent liberation theology's organizational expression and exemplify the 'church of the poor' prioritizing community-based faith and social justice.
Real World
In Brazil during the 1970s military dictatorship, Base Ecclesial Communities provided the only safe space for poor communities to organise against oppression; by the 1980s Brazil had over 80,000 such communities with millions of members.
Exam Focus
Use CEBs as concrete evidence when evaluating liberation theology's practical impact; avoid describing them as just 'Bible study groups' — emphasise the praxis dimension.
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