Gustavo Gutiérrez Quotes

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.

The poverty of the poor is not a call to generous relief action, but a demand that we go and build a different social order.

So you say you love the poor? Name them.

If I define my neighbor as the one I must go out to look for, on the highways and byways, in the factories and slums, on the farms and in the mines, then my world changes.

Liberation from every form of exploitation, the possibility of a more human and dignified life, the creation of a new humankind - all pass through this struggle.

In the Bible poverty is a scandalous condition inimical to human dignity and therefore contrary to the will of God.

The future of history belongs to the poor and exploited.

The denunciation of injustice implies the rejection of the use of Christianity to legitimize the established order.

Once causes are determined, then there is talk of "social injustice" and the privileged begin to resist.

[Neighbor is] not he whom I find in my path, but rather he in whose path I place myself, he whom I approach and actively seek.

Theology is reflection, a critical attitude. The commitment of love, of service, comes first. Theology follows; it is the second step.

Human history is in truth nothing but the history of the slow, uncertain, and surprising fulfillment of the Promise.

Is the Church fulfilling a purely religious role when by its silence or friendly relationships it lends legitimacy to dictatorial and oppressive government?

The God of Exodus is the God of history and of political liberation more than he is the God of nature.

To hope does not mean to know the future, but rather to be open, in an attitude of spiritual childhood, to accepting it as a gift.

The building of a just society means overcoming every obstacle to the creation of authentic peace.

There are not two histories, one profane and one sacred, 'juxtaposed' or 'closely linked.' Rather there is only one human destiny.

The imbalance between developed and underdeveloped countries - caused by the relationships of dependence - becomes more acute if the cultural point of view is taken into consideration.

As we progress, various shades of meaning and deeper levels of understanding will complement this initial effort.

Reason has, especially today, many other manifestations than philosophical ones.

The complete encounter with the Lord will mark an end to history, but it will take place in history.

Through the persons who explicitly accept his Word, the Lord reveals the world to itself.

Christendom is not primarily a mental construct. It is above all a fact, indeed the longest historical experience the Church has had. Hence the deep impact it has made on its life and thought.