Gustavo Gutiérrez
Gustavo Gutiérrez is a prominent Peruvian theologian, recognized as the father of "liberation theology," a significant movement within Catholic theology that emerged in Latin America during the 1970s. Born in 1928 in Lima, Peru, Gutiérrez faced health challenges in his youth due to a bone disease, which ultimately shaped his compassionate approach to theology and social issues. He initially studied medicine before shifting his focus to theology, studying at various prestigious institutions in Europe. His experiences with poverty in Peru led him to publish "A Theology of Liberation" in 1971, arguing that a commitment to social justice is central to Christianity.
Gutiérrez emphasized the importance of political action in addressing the suffering of the poor and critiqued traditional views that romanticized poverty. While his integration of Marxist ideas sparked controversy within the Roman Catholic Church, he maintained that a theologically inspired socialism could benefit Latin America. Throughout his career, Gutiérrez has received numerous accolades for his work, including the French Legion of Honor. His influence persists today, particularly with the recent openness to discussions about liberation theology under Pope Francis, highlighting ongoing dialogues about poverty and justice in the church. Gutiérrez's dedication to the plight of the poor has made him a transformative figure in contemporary Catholic thought.
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Subject Terms
Gustavo Gutiérrez
Peruvian Catholic theologian
- Born: January 8, 1928
- Place of Birth: Lima, Peru
Education: National University of Peru, Catholic University of Leuven, Catholic University of Lyon, Gregorian University.
Significance: Gustavo Gutiérrez is considered the father of "liberation theology," an important if controversial branch of Catholic theology that arose in Latin America in the 1970s.
Background
Gustavo Gutiérrez, who was part Hispanic and part Quechua Indian, was born in 1928 in the Monserrat barrio of Lima, Peru. For most of his teenage years—from the age of 12 to 18—he suffered from the bone disease osteomyelitis, which left him confined to bed. He related that family, friends, prayer, and reading made it possible for him to feel hope during his illness. When he finally recovered, Gutiérrez decided to study medicine, and in 1950 he earned a medical degree from the University of Peru in Lima. However, the prayers and reading that had sustained him while bedridden led to his desire to pursue the priesthood. He studied philosophy and psychology in Belgium at the Catholic University of Leuven, and then focused on theology at the Catholic University of Lyon in France, and the Gregorian University in Rome.
When Gutiérrez returned to Lima, he found that his education had not prepared him for dealing with the hardship and suffering faced by the poor in Peru. It was at this point that he began to search for answers, and his study of the Bible led him to the realization that God cared deeply for the poor. Gutiérrez saw this caring as the basis for his ideas of social and political action in the struggle to relieve the suffering of the poor. This led, in 1971, to the publication of what many consider his seminal work, A Theology of Liberation.
Life’s Work
Gutiérrez has spent his entire career focused on trying to help the poor. At the time A Theology of Liberation was published, he was a parish priest for the Iglesia Cristo Redentor in Rimac, a historic district in the province of Lima, Peru. In 1974, he founded and directed the Bartolomé de Las Casas Institute in Lima, as an instrument of aiding the poor of the city.
His writing was motivated by his desire that no one could plead ignorance to the hardships associated with poverty. Gutiérrez stated, "Real, material poverty—this less-than-human situation in which most human beings live today—is a challenge which no Christian is free to overlook." He recognized that the clear message of the Bible was justice and concern for the poor, but he felt this goal needed to be politicized.
As much as Gutiérrez valued the Bible, his writing and ideas were also influenced by Karl Marx, seen clearly in calls for the "liberation of the oppressed classes," and it was this that caused the Roman Catholic Church to reject the new theology. Marxism-socialism, with its repression and state control, had failed the poor in Latin America, and the Vatican was not open to a theology that appeared to embrace it. However, Gutiérrez’s liberation theology argued that a new form of socialism, a theologically motivated socialism, could work for Latin America.
Gutiérrez continued to write and lecture. In 1985, Gutiérrez received a PhD in theology from the Catholic University in Lyon. As his work became more widely read, more honors were accorded him. In 1993, the French government awarded him the Legion of Honor in recognition of his work to elevate human dignity and life in Latin America and in developing nations worldwide. Gutiérrez also received honorary degrees from many other universities. Though a priest since the 1970s, in the 1990s, he joined the Dominican order, motivated largely by his study of the life of Bartolomé de Las Casas, but also influenced by friendships with many Dominican theologians
Gutiérrez was, among other positions, a principal professor at the Pontifical University of Peru, and he has been a visiting professor at universities throughout North America and Europe. In 2001, he became the John Cardinal O’Hara Professor of Theology at Notre Dame University in Indiana, though he continues to travel and lecture internationally.
When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, the door was opened to discussion of Gutiérrez’s focus, if not his theology. Francis, also from Latin America, understood the problems created by poverty in developing nations. While the negative impact of Marxism in Latin America made the Roman Catholic Church cautious about "liberation theology," the Vatican acknowledged the need for a greater focus on the poor. In 2013, Gutiérrez met with Pope Francis, and in 2015, Gutiérrez was again welcomed to Rome, although it was debatable as to whether the Roman Catholic Church would ever fully accept Gutiérrez’s theology.
Impact
Gutiérrez created a new strain of Catholic theology that challenged the traditional idea that there was special virtue in poverty while also insisting that political and social action were vital. He created what has become an important movement in the Catholic Church—some say one of the most important theological trends of the twntieth century. His "liberation theology" gained enough influence that Pope Francis acknowledged its importance, though not fully embracing it.
Personal Life
As a priest, marriage and family were not an option for Gutiérrez. He put all his energy into studying, writing, teaching, trying to understand the best way to help the poor and suffering, and traveling the world, working to raise awareness of the issues related to poverty.
Bibliography
Brown, Robert McAfee. Gustavo Gutiérrez: An Introduction to Liberation Theology. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1990. Print.
Guardado, Leo. "50 Years Later, Gustavo Gutiérrez's 'A Theology of Liberation' Remains Prophetic." America, 17 Aug. 2023, www.americamagazine.org/faith/2023/08/17/theology-liberation-gustavo-gutierrez-245850. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.
"Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P." Department of Theology. University of Notre Dame, 2016. Web. 25 Jan. 2016. <https://theology.nd.edu/people/faculty/gustavo-gutierrez-o-p/>.
Hartnett, Daniel, S.J. "Remembering the Poor: An Interview with Gustavo Gutiérrez," America.America Press, 2 Feb. 2003. Web. 25 Jan. 2016. <http://americamagazine.org/issue/420/article/remembering-poor-interview-gustavo-gutirrez>.
Kirchgaessner, Stephanie, and Jonathan Watts. "Catholic church warms to liberation theology as founder heads to Vatican." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 11 May 2015. Web. 25 Jan. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/11/vatican-new-chapter-liberation-theology-founder-gustavo-gutierrez>.
McElwee, Joshua J. "Pope meets with liberation theology pioneer." National Catholic Reporter. National Catholic Reporter, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Jan. 2016. <http://ncronline.org/news/theology/pope-meets-liberation-theology-pioneer>.
Nickloff, James B., ed. Gustavo Gutiérrez: Essential Writings.Maryknoll: Fortress, 2009. Print.
Santella, Andrew. "The Poor’s Prophetic Voice." Niebuhr Medal Recipients. Elmhurst College, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016. <http://www.elmhurst.edu/niebuhrmedal/recipients/gutierrez/59048227.html>.