The God of Life

Overview

Who and where is God? How are we to speak of God? In his most accessible work to date, Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez looks at these classic questions by reviewing the entire Bible from the standpoint of the struggling poor: those who hunger both for God and for bread. His answers challenge all Christians to a deepening of faith and a commitment to action.

Gutierrez identifies God as the God of life, as the One who confront the idols of death – greed and corruption, oppression and violence – and liberates us to enter the fullness of life. The God of the Bible is the defender of the poor who enters into the relationship of loving commitment with all people. Where do we find this God? In our practice, in the project of Jesus, in the life of faithful solidarity and witness to life.

Not since his much-acclaimed We Drink from Our Own Wells has Gutierrez reach so clearly and accessibly into the heart of faith: a love of God inseparable from a love of neighbor.

Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928-2024) a Peruvian priest and Dominican theologian, was widely regarded as the father of liberation theology. His groundbreaking work, A Theology of Liberation, was published in 1971 (in English 1973), and it inspired a whole library of books from Latin America, and in time from around the world. His many works (all translated by Orbis Books) include We Drink from Our Own Wells, The Power of the Poor in History, On Job, The Truth Shall Make You Free, and The God of Life. Fr. Gutiérrez served for many years as a parish priest in Rimac, Peru. He also taught at many universities, and served as Cardinal John O’Hara Professor at the University of Notre Dame. His many honors, included induction into the Peruvian Academy of Language, the Legion of Honor from the French government, and the Prince of Asturia award in Spain. Upon his death he was recognized by Pope Francis as “A man of the Church who knew how to be silent when he had to be silent, who knew how to suffer when it was his turn to suffer, who knew how to carry forward so much apostolic fruit and so much rich theology.”