Gustavo Gutiérrez Book order

In my judgment, the ecclesial and theological movement that began after the Second Vatican Council in Latin America under the name 'liberation theology," . . . is one of the most significant currents of Catholic theology in the 20th century."--Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller For many years the theology of liberation, which emerged from Latin America in the 1970's, was viewed with suspicion in Rome. It was the subject of a critical notification from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and many of its leading proponents were disciplined or silenced. Now, an historic exchange between Gustavo Gutierrez, author of the seminal work A Theology of Liberation, and Cardinal Muller, the current Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Fiath, signals a new chapter in this ongoing dialogue. Cardinal Muller, a former student of Gutierrez who spent many summers working in Peru, writes with deep feeling and conviction about the contributions of liberation theology to church teaching--particularly in articulating the preferential option for the poor. In his contributions, Gutierrez lays out the essential ideas of liberation theolgoy, its ecclesail location, and its fresh enunciation of the gospel for our time.

A selection of the most important writings of Gustavo Gutierrez, one of the founders of liberation theology.

The characteristic mission of Christians is proclaiming the gospel, the good news of the gratuitous love of God for every person but preferentially for the poor and excluded . . . Our greatest wish is that these pages will be useful to those who seek to meditate on the Lord's word and to share it with others . . . . Gustavo GutiŽrrez, the renowned Peruvian theologian, here shares the wisdom of a pastor and homilist in opening up the riches of scripture through the liturgical year. Covering all three cycles (A-B-C) GutiŽrrez offers penetrating reflections on each of the Sunday lectionary readings. With brief exegesis and homiletic guide, GutiŽrrez offers a perspective on sacred scripture that continually emphasizes its themes of liberation and love, and draws connections to the challenge of faithfulness in our time.

The book features eight major essays that explore Gustavo Gutierrez's evolving theological insights, emphasizing the role of the poor in shaping history. As a leading figure in Latin American liberation theology, Gutierrez delves into the intersection of faith and social justice, highlighting the transformative power of marginalized communities. Through these essays, he articulates a vision of theology that is deeply rooted in the struggles and experiences of the impoverished, offering a profound critique of traditional theological perspectives.

Exploring the life and ideas of Bartolome de Las Casas, a sixteenth-century Dominican priest and advocate for Indigenous rights, this work highlights his role as a prophet and Defender of the Indians in the New World. Set against the backdrop of the 500th anniversary of the conquest of the Americas, the author seeks to uncover a history rooted in compassion and a gospel free from violence and exploitation, offering a profound reflection on contemporary social justice issues.

This is the credo and seminal text of the movement which was later characterized as liberation theology. The book burst upon the scene in the early seventies, and was swiftly acknowledged as a pioneering and prophetic approach to theology which famously made an option for the poor, placing the exploited, the alienated, and the economically wretched at the centre of a programme where "the oppressed and maimed and blind and lame" were prioritized at the expense of those who either maintained the status quo or who abused the structures of power for their own ends. This powerful, compassionate and radical book attracted criticism for daring to mix politics and religion in so explicit a manner, but was also welcomed by those who had the capacity to see that its agenda was nothing more nor less than to give "good news to the poor", and redeem God's people from bondage.