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.

"My desire is that this book may help readers to know more fully the God of biblical revelation and, as a result, to proclaim God as the God of life". Who is God? Where is God? How are we to speak of God? Gutierrez looks at these classic questions through a review of the Bible, and his answers challenge all Christians to a deepening of faith.

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.

Pilar Hogan Closkey and John Hogan have brought together the annual Archbishop Oscar Romero Lectures (2001-2007) to consider the life and death of Archbishop Romero and the daily struggles of the poor in our world, especially in the city of Camden, New Jersey-one of America's poorest cities. Romero's 'dangerous memory' provides the background, while urban poverty and the option for the poor are the foreground. Romero's commitment to the poor compels us to look at ourselves, and the authors of each chapter remind us of Romero's dangerous memory and his undying hope in the promised future. Taken as a whole, the book reminds us of the tough questions behind the real meaning of the 'option for the poor.' Can we as a faith community and institution move beyond high-sounding slogans and really opt for the poor? What are the costs? What are the risks? Especially in these difficult times of war, terrorism, and scandal, can we in the Church rebuild trust and be a sign of a future of justice and peace announced by Jesus?

One of this century's most eminent theologians addresses the eternal questions of the relationship of good and evil, linking the story of Job to the lives of the poor and oppressed of our world.

Pilar Hogan Closkey and John Hogan have brought together the annual Archbishop Oscar Romero Lectures (2001-2007) to consider the life and death of Archbishop Romero and the daily struggles of the poor in our world, especially in the city of Camden, New Jersey-one of America's poorest cities. Romero's 'dangerous memory' provides the background, while urban poverty and the option for the poor are the foreground. Romero's commitment to the poor compels us to look at ourselves, and the authors of each chapter remind us of Romero's dangerous memory and his undying hope in the promised future. Taken as a whole, the book reminds us of the tough questions behind the real meaning of the 'option for the poor.' Can we as a faith community and institution move beyond high-sounding slogans and really opt for the poor? What are the costs? What are the risks? Especially in these difficult times of war, terrorism, and scandal, can we in the Church rebuild trust and be a sign of a future of justice and peace announced by Jesus?

This is a powerful, first-hand account of a religious ministry that reaches out to console, heal, and build the lives of poor and desperate immigrants who come to the United States in search of a better life. Daniel G. Groody talked with immigration officials, 'coyote' smugglers, and immigrants in detention centers and those working in the fields. The picture that emerges starkly contrasts with the negative stereotypes about Mexican immigrants: Groody discovered insights into God, family, values, suffering, faith, and hope that offer a treasury of spiritual knowledge helpful to anyone, even those who are materially comfortable but spiritually empty. This book has a message that reaches across borders, divisions, and preconceptions; it reaches all the way to the heart.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492, there began a new way of the cross, traced for five hundred years in the lives of the poor and oppressed peoples of the Americas. These short meditations on the stations--by such figures as Gustavo Guiterrez, Enrique Dussel, Leonardo Boff, Helder Camara, Elsa Tamez, and Jon Sobrino--reflect on the passion of Christ against the background of conquest. They write, as Virgil Elizondo says in his preface, to "invite our readers to take this journey with us, to share our suffering, to experience our crucifixion, and to taste in anticipation our Easter joy. We invite all--rich and poor, black and brown and white, clerics and lay people--to a profound conversion that will stimulate us to build a better world in the Americas, a world of the new humanity enjoying justice, freedom, and love."

Renowned Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez opens up the riches of scriptures as they unfold through the liturgical year. Covering all three cycles (A, B and C), Gutierrez offers penetrating reflections on each of the Sunday lectionary readings. He constantly stresses the biblical themes of liberation and love, and points to the challenges inherent in living the life of faith in our own times.

This book will fill a long-felt need, at a time when the authority and relevance of preaching is coming under the spotlight. It combines, uniquely, the profound thinking of a theological giant with the accessibility of a handbook. This combination will make it a key resource for anyone who preaches on Sundays, for anyone who wishes to live the liturgical year through their own scriptural reading, and for anyone who has ever asked themselves how the gospels can be good news for our troubled world today.

Exploring the nature of Christian salvation, known as soteriology, and its relation to Christian action, this insightful account thoroughly discusses theologian and martyr Ignacio Ellacuria's perspectives on the character of Christian discipleship and controversies over liberation theology. Recognizing philosophical, Christological, and ecclesiological dimensions, the volume carefully analyzes the complexities of topics that include praxis as real discipleship, transforming realities and contesting orthodoxies, and the impact of Ellacuria's theological legacy.