August 12, 2008 

Renowned theologian Orlando Fals Borda dies

Dr. Orlando Fals Borda died on August 12 of this year, at the age of 83, in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. He was born in Barranquilla and grew up as a member of the First Presbyterian Church of that city. His parents were active members there and Orlando, became a leader of the youth group and the church choir. In his church he acquired a basic knowledge of music and composition, which later on in college he would further develop. He graduated from high school from the Presbyterian Colegio Americano in Barranquilla.  

He traveled to the United States to do university studies. He got his bachelor's and master's degrees in English Literature from Dubuque University and from the University of Minnesota, respectively. In 1955 he earned his Ph.D. in Sociology, from the University of Florida.

It was in the field of sociology that Dr. Fals Borda made a lasting and remarkable contribution to Colombia and to Latin America as a whole. Upon return to his native country he published two seminal works, a direct result of his academic studies: Campesinos de los Andes (1955) and El hombre y la tierra en Boyacá (1957).  These publications led to his appointment to the Ministry of Agriculture of Colombia (1959–1961). Together with Father Camilo Torres Restrepo he founded the Faculty of Sociology of the National University of Colombia, where he was the first academic dean (1959–1967).

Fals Borda moved away from the structural-functionalism in his methodology that he learned in the States to a form of critical Marxism, creating his own method, which he named “Investigación Acción Participativa (IAP)” [Research and Involved Activity].  This method led to international recognition for him a social scientist.  Following this methodology, together with Dr. Gonzalo Castillo Cardenas and Dr. Augusto Libreros, both ordained Presbyterian ministers, Fals Borda founded the “Rosca de Investigación y Acción Social,” which he directed from 1970 to 1975.  This initiative was supported and partially financed by the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Much research was done following this methodology and several major works were published, among which stands out the monumental Historia doble de la Costa (1979) [4 vols.].

But Fals Borda was not a mere researcher.  His methodology demanded active participation in the transformation of the situations and concrete realities. Thus, participation in politics was needed. Through his life he embraced several political initiatives: in 1964-65 with Camilo Torres he participated in the “Frente Unido” and in the 1980s he was a member of the “Alianza Democrática M-19,” being active in the “Asamblea Constituyente” [the process for the new constitution in Colombia] in 1991. In the last few years he participated in the formation of the “Democratic Pole,” of which he was the honorary president till his death.

Unfortunately, for Fals Borda as for the Protestant Church in the continent, a separation took place between him and the Presbyterian Church of Colombia. This sociologist had moved way ahead, in the lines of the thought that was later to be expressed by the theology of liberation and was rejected by his church. However, he continued to be a Presbyterian and radical Christian during his entire life.  The writers of these lines were privileged to hear Fals Borda reaffirm his Presbyterian Christianity from the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church of Barranquilla in 1992. This was restated by his joy at the performance of his musical pieces “El tercer día” (on the theme of resurrection) and “Mensaje a Colombia” (religious and political message of hope), a performance that took place on January 16, 2002, at the First Presbyterian Church of Barranquilla.

Other important works:
Subversion and Social Change, New York, 1969
From Marginal to Significant Change in Latin America, London, 1969
La violencia en Colombia [with other authors], 1977

Rev. Dr. Edgar Moros Ruano     
Rev. Dr. Donna Laubach Moros
Mérida, Venezuela
August 18, 2008