The Rev. Dr. Gustavo Gutiérrez is regarded as the father of liberation theology. I remember Gutiérrez giving a lecture series which I attended many years ago. He was wise, insightful, and had a sense of humour. He reminded me a lot of the president of our seminary, the Rev. Dr. William Hordern, like Hordern he had a strong theology of grace. For more on Gutiérrez, read the following tribute here.
“Love your enemies?! You must be crazy," said the corrupt President.
The tortured, imprisoned woman replied, “I do love you, even though you are a billionaire by stealing countless properties of the poor; taxing the working poor to death and abolishing all taxes for the rich; and extending the death sentence to all religious organizations, environmentalists, and non-violent human rights advocates.”
“Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” —“The Purpose of Education” from Morehouse College student newspaper, The Maroon Tiger, 1947
“Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives [human beings] knowledge, which is power; religion gives [human beings] wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals.” —“A Tough Mind and a Tender Heart” sermon, August 30, 1959
“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” -—"Letter from Birmingham Jail," April 16, 1963
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” —Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, Norway, 1964
“We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now because I've been to the mountaintop... I've looked over and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.” —“I've Been to the Mountaintop” speech, April 3, 1968
The following video highlights the work of Canadian Lutheran World Relief, the Lutheran World Federation, and the Government of Canada amongst South Sudan women in an Uganda refugee camp. They provide socio-psychological support, they also provide them with training to become more self-sufficient in order that they can provide for their children. The media here in Canada rarely provides coverage of situations like this in several of the African countries. So hopefully you find this video helpful and encouraging, and perhaps it will inspire you to give generously to organizations like CLWR and LWF, which offer two-third's world peoples opportunities to improve their standard of living.
