Mary and Human Liberation
Date: 1994 - 1998
Region: Asia
Subject: Religious
Medium: Literature
Artist: Tissa Balasuriya (b. 1924)
Confronting Bodies: The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), and other Catholic authorities
Dates of Action: 1994-1998
Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Description of Artwork: Balasuriya was known for challenging the Catholic Church in his book, Mary and Human Liberation.
The Incident: In Mary and Human Liberation Balasuriya argued that the myth of Eve's temptation of Adam, to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge, is merely a denigration of women; different religions offer different paths to God; and that there should be no objection to a "black, brown, white, or yellow Pope." Church officials found these comments unacceptable and excommunicated Balasuriya in 1997. He refused to sign a "Profession of Faith" to prevent his excommunication.
Results of Incident: In 1998, Balasuriya withdrew the statements that the Vatican found most offensive. He was permitted back into the Catholic Church.
Source: Censorship, A World Encyclopedia, ed. D. Jones