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birdy1luv's review
3.0
Really, really wanted this book to be great. The introduction had me thinking, "This is the book I've been waiting for!"
Like many other books whose introductions excite me, I was deeply disappointed. Mostly observations and sketches about a possible spirituality of liberation (which he warns about upfront). But I found his writing to be confusing and inscrutable at times.
Like many other books whose introductions excite me, I was deeply disappointed. Mostly observations and sketches about a possible spirituality of liberation (which he warns about upfront). But I found his writing to be confusing and inscrutable at times.
fdes_817's review
4.0
Gutierrez proposes a way of thinking about Christian spirituality that fits within a liberation framework. The first couple of chapters are fairly confusing and difficult to discern what exactly he is saying. However, as the book advances it becomes a really great read and Gutierrez ultimately accomplishes what he sets out to do.
lukenotjohn's review
4.0
This started very strong, with a beautiful introduction from Henri Nouwen and a compelling first section establishing a theology of the poor that eschews privileged constructs of holiness and individualized spirituality in favor of communal solidarity. However, oof, Part 2 was a real slough for me to get through, and I had a hard time tracking how it related to the objective here. I wondered if Gutiérrez was going to share examples of scriptural engagement a la [b:The Gospel in Solentiname|8380798|The Gospel in Solentiname|Ernesto Cardenal|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348958781l/8380798._SY75_.jpg|349434], but instead it was mainly his own analysis at a pretty dense and heady level. There was some good stuff in that bit, particularly his exegesis of the Exodus (say that 3 times fast) emphasizing the inclination to want to return to Egypt, but as a whole I found myself skimming through. Thankfully I kept going, because the third section and final 40 pages of the book are really stunning.
Gutiérrez reimagines a number of theological concepts here in light of the experiences he is immersed within in Latin America. Breaking away from "conversion" being understood as a one-and-done moment of individualized salvation, he presents it as the ongoing journey towards solidarity, and in particular a solidarity with the poor that is borne from genuine love and tenderness among equals rather than duty to those "less than" (the writing around this on page 104 is really moving). "Joy" is recontexualized as something inherently paschal, "born of the conviction that unjust mistreatment and suffering will be overcome!" This ripples out to his view of the resurrection, which is regarded as both testimony to God's character as a God of life so much so that life is in excess beyond deathliness, as well as an eschatological promise that inspires hope not for the life to come but for efforts to combat the forces of death here and now. Lastly, the "spiritual childhood" that Jesus says is required to enter the Kingdom of God is regarded as the humility one needs to enter the world of the poor, which is the context where the Kingdom of inbreaking now and where we learn await, participate in, and receive it. While of course poverty comes with many struggles and he debunks the romanticism projected onto the poor, he also affirms that "Being poor is also a way of feeling, knowing, reasoning, making friends, loving, believing, suffering, celebrating, and praying. The poor constitute a world of their own. Commitment to the poor means entering, and in some cases remaining in, that universe with a much clearer awareness; it means being one of its inhabitants, looking upon it as a place of residence and not simply of work" (125). So friggin' good!!!
Gutiérrez reimagines a number of theological concepts here in light of the experiences he is immersed within in Latin America. Breaking away from "conversion" being understood as a one-and-done moment of individualized salvation, he presents it as the ongoing journey towards solidarity, and in particular a solidarity with the poor that is borne from genuine love and tenderness among equals rather than duty to those "less than" (the writing around this on page 104 is really moving). "Joy" is recontexualized as something inherently paschal, "born of the conviction that unjust mistreatment and suffering will be overcome!" This ripples out to his view of the resurrection, which is regarded as both testimony to God's character as a God of life so much so that life is in excess beyond deathliness, as well as an eschatological promise that inspires hope not for the life to come but for efforts to combat the forces of death here and now. Lastly, the "spiritual childhood" that Jesus says is required to enter the Kingdom of God is regarded as the humility one needs to enter the world of the poor, which is the context where the Kingdom of inbreaking now and where we learn await, participate in, and receive it. While of course poverty comes with many struggles and he debunks the romanticism projected onto the poor, he also affirms that "Being poor is also a way of feeling, knowing, reasoning, making friends, loving, believing, suffering, celebrating, and praying. The poor constitute a world of their own. Commitment to the poor means entering, and in some cases remaining in, that universe with a much clearer awareness; it means being one of its inhabitants, looking upon it as a place of residence and not simply of work" (125). So friggin' good!!!
alj24's review
Can't give this one a rating because it was too theology-y for me. Couldn't get into it or understand how it was different than the the theology I had heard before. Overall, I'm guessing I should dabble in the less academia side of theology writings.