Gustavo Gutiérrez, Father of Liberation Theology:
A Profound Religiopolitical Movement with a Controversial Legacy
Evan Collins
Historical Paper
Senior Division
Word Count:
“If there is no friendship with them (the poor) and no sharing of the life of the poor, then there is no authentic commitment to liberation, because love exists only among equals.”
-Gustavo Gutiérrez (A Theology of Liberation 31)
ABSTRACT
Gustavo Gutiérrez is a Peruvian theologian and Dominican priest deemed as the primary founder of liberation theology, a religiopolitical movement that strives to fight poverty through the incorporation of Christian teachings and political activism. Emerging in the 1960s in Latin America, liberation theology surfaced in an
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At its core, this form of contextual theology serves the purpose of providing a “preferential option for the poor” through approaching Christian life in a “more radical, total, and efficacious” manner. When the movement’s most famous piece of literature, A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation, was introduced, its goal was to “abolish the current unjust situation and to build a different society” within the Latin American community (A Theology of Liberation 13). Liberation theologians believe that if the Gospel is interpreted from the perspective of the poor and governmental bodies align their policies in conjunction with these philosophies, this goal can be achieved (Duncan 2). Therefore, Gutiérrez, who was the author of A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation, does not believe in the separation of religion and politics, which contradicts most modern secularist …show more content…
This indicates that we are on the threshold of a new epoch in the history of Latin America. It appears to be a time of zeal for full emancipation, of liberation from every form of servitude, of personal maturity and of collective integration. (qtd. in Duncan 59-60)
Although these numerous events laid down the foundation of this movement, it was truly Gustavo Gutiérrez who propounded this idea in 1971 with the release of his seminal text, A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation (A Theology of Liberation 4). This book allowed the movement to gain public attention, for it provided a written copy of his philosophy. Filled with its ethical and emotional appeals, this book greatly enraptured the public by providing a “preferential option for the poor” (“Remembering the
Wright, theologians in Barth and Calvin, and a practical theologian in Gustavo Gutierrez. I was first introduced to Gutierrez in my systematic theology course at Princeton Theological Seminary. Gutierrez primarily cares for God’s interaction with the poor and expresses how the Church needs give a preferential option for the least of society, just as Christ has given a preferential option for the world. I believe God spoke through Gutierrez’ writings to remind me that I am here on this earth to be light for the Gospel and to show the love of Jesus
Models for post-revolutionary Latin American government are born of the complex economic and social realities of 17th and 18th century Europe. From the momentum of the Enlightenment came major political rebellions of the elite class against entrenched national monarchies and systems of power. Within this time period of elitist revolt and intensive political restructuring, the fundamental basis for both liberal and conservative ideology was driven deep into Latin American soil. However, as neither ideology sought to fulfill or even recognize the needs or rights of mestizo people under government rule, the initial liberal doctrine pervading Latin American nations perpetuated racism and economic exploitation, and paved the way for all-consuming, cultural wars in the centuries to come.
Rigoberta Menchu, a Quiche Indian woman native to Guatemala, is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for politically reaching out to her country and her people. In her personal testimony titled “I, Rigoberta Menchu” we can see how she blossomed into the Nobel Prize winner she is today. Following a great deal in her father’s footsteps, Rigoberta’s mobilization work, both within and outside of Guatemala, led to negotiations between the guerrillas and the government and reduced the army power within Guatemala. Her work has helped bring light to the strengths of individuals and citizen organizations in advocacy and policy dialogue on the world scale. In a brief summary of the book, I will explore why Rigoberta Menchu is important to Guatemalan development, what she did, and how she helped her people overcome the obstacles thrown their way.
From the time of its colonization at the hands of Spanish Conquistadors in the early 1500’s, Guatemala has suffered under the oppression of dictator after dictator. These dictators, who ruled only with the support of the military and only in their own interests, created a form of serfdom; by 1944, two percent of the people owned 70 percent of the usable land. The Allies’ victory in WWII marked democracy’s triumph over dictatorship, and the consequences shook Latin America. Questioning why they should support the struggle for democracy in Europe and yet suffer the constraints of dictatorship at home, many Latin Americans rallied to democratize their own political structures. A group of prominent middle–class Brazilians opposed to the continuation of the Vargas dictatorship mused publicly, “If we fight against fascism at the side of the United Nations so that liberty and democracy may be restored to all people, certainly we are not asking too much in demanding for ourselves such rights and guarantees.”
Charity handouts did not necessarily help feed a poor family, but aimed to “... produce most beneficial results to [the] community” (Shi 60). This meant that the wealthy didn’t directly give citizens money, but built free public utilities. Among these free services were libraries and and centers for scientific research. Without a doubt, these buildings do not help put food on the table. They do, however, create a sense of hope for educational and social improvement for the working class.
James H. Cone is the Charles A. Briggs Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Dr. Cone probably is best known for his book, A Black Theology of Liberation, though he has authored several other books. Dr. Cone wrote that the lack of relevant and “risky” theology suggests that theologians are not able to free themselves from being oppressive structures of society and suggested an alternative. He believes it is evident that the main difficulty most whites have with Black Power and its compatible relationship to the Christian gospel stemmed from their own inability to translate non-traditional theology into the history of black people. The black man’s response to God’s act in Christ must be different from the whites because his life experiences are different, Dr. Cone believes. In the “black experience,” the author suggested that a powerful message of biblical theology is liberation from oppression.
From these convictions, the idea of black liberation theology was created. Blacks relate Christianity to the struggles they have endured, therefore it has to be black. “In a society where men are defined on the basis of color of the victims, proclaiming that the condition of the poor is incongruous with him who has come to liberate us.”
Indigenous people of the world have historically been and continue to be pushed to the margins of society. Similarly, women have experienced political, social, and economical marginalization. For the past 500 years or so, the indigenous peoples of México have been subjected to violence and the exploitation since the arrival of the Spanish. The xenophobic tendencies of Spanish colonizers did not disappear after México’s independence; rather it maintained the racial assimilation and exclusion policies left behind by the colonists, including gender roles (Moore 166) . México is historically and continues to be a patriarchal society. So when the Zapatista movement of 1994, more formally known as the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación National (Zapatista Army of National Liberation; EZLN) constructed a space for indigenous women to reclaim their rights, it was a significant step towards justice. The Mexican government, in haste for globalization and profits, ignored its indigenous peoples’ sufferings. Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, consisting of mostly indigenous peoples living in the mountains and country, grew frustration with the Mexican government. It was in that moment that the Zapatista movement arose from the countryside to awaken a nation to the plight of indigenous Mexicans. Being indigenous puts a person at a disadvantage in Mexican society; when adding gender, an indigenous woman is set back two steps. It was through the Zapatista movement that a catalyst was created for indigenous women to reclaim rights and autonomy through the praxis of indigeneity and the popular struggle.
As the Latin American nations set out to construct a new government and society in the 1800´s, two opposing models aroused regarding which one would best benefit the countries. ¨Civilization vs. Barbarism¨ by Domingo Sarmiento, a recognized Argentinean revolutionary, contrasts Jose Marti´s ¨Our America¨ ideology which critiques U.S. capitalism and focuses on developing a good government based on the needs of the nations and each nation´s autochthony. Contrastingly, Sarmiento, guided by his beliefs in democratic principles, declares his preference towards the European urbanized way of life as the key to progress and stability for the nations. Despite the differences in the models proposed by Marti and Sarmiento for the New Nations to follow,
Explain the meaning and significance of the following statement by Gutiérrez, and demonstrate its relationship to a comprehensive view of liberation, (including the danger of reductionism), and the importance of the preferential option for the poor : "The present life is considered to be a test: one’s actions are judged and assessed in relation to the transcendent end. The perspective here is moralistic, and the spirituality is one of flight from this world" (p. 84).
"God of the Oppressed" is a history of the African American Struggle through the complex account of its author, James H. Cone. Written in 1975, "God of the Oppressed" is the continuation of Cone’s theological position, which was introduced in his earlier writings of, "Black Theology and Black Power," (1969) and "A Black Theology of Liberation" (1975). This final account was put together and published as a response to the continuous dismissal of Black Theology. This response shows Cone’s use of personal experiences, knowledge, and faith to explain the actual God of the oppressed found in Black Theology. The importance of the chosen title is maintained through all ten of Cone’s chapters because every detail leads the reader to a further understanding of the God of the oppressed. The 1975 publication date also proves of importance because it assisted in shaping Cone’s extreme religious position. This extremist position came from a time period when there was a universal dismissal of Black Theology and at the peak of Black Power movement.
Emmanuel McCall, "Black Liberation Theology: A Politics of Freedom," Review and Expositor 73 (Summer 1976):330; cf. C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya, The Black Church in the African American Experience (Durham: Duke University Press, 1990), 352.
Paul Hawken, in the chapter “Blessed Unrest,” records the people of a new social movement, as well as their ideals, goals, and principles. He writes how they are connected, along with the diversity and differences they bring to make the social movement unique. Hawken communicates to the readers the various social, environmental, and political problems they will encounter in today’s world as well as similar problems of the past. Problems that these groups of organizations are planning to undertake with the perseverance of humanity.
The Story of Christianity is a very informative summation; a continuation of Volume 1 which covered the beginning of the church up to the Protestant Reformation, while Vol. 2 dealt with the Protestant Reformation up to more modern time period. This author delivers a more comprehensive and deeper look into the development of Christianity, which includes particular events which had transpired throughout the world; particularly how Christianity has expanded into Central and South America. Gonzalez opens up this book with the “Call for Reformation,” where he shares with his readers the need for reform; the papacy had started to decline and was corrupt, in addition to the Great Schism, which had further weakened the papacy (p.8). The author explains how the church was not the only issue but that the church’s teachings were off track as well, seeing that the people had deviated from...
" Political Theology 10.2 (2009): 287-303. Academic Search Complete. Web. The Web. The Web.