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The Violence Of Love
These selections from the sermons and writings of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador share the message of a holy prophet of modern times. Three short years transformed Archbishop Oscar Romero from a conservative defender of the status quo into one of the church's most outspoken voices of the oppressed. Though silenced by an assassin's bullet, his spirit--and the challenge of his life--lives on. He was beatified by Pope Francis in 2015.
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1980
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About the author
Oscar A. Romero
32 books28 followersÓscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez (15 August 1917 – 24 March 1980) was a prelate of the Catholic Church in El Salvador, who served as the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador. He spoke out against poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture. In 1980, Romero was assassinated while offering Mass in the chapel of the Hospital of Divine Providence.
Pope Francis stated during Romero's beatification that "His ministry was distinguished by a particular attention to the most poor and marginalized." Hailed as a hero by supporters of liberation theology inspired by his work, Romero, according to his biographer, "was not interested in liberation theology", but faithfully adhered to Catholic teachings on liberation, desiring a social revolution based on supernatural interior reform. His spiritual life drew much from the spirituality of Opus Dei
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 March as the "International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims" in recognition of the role of Archbishop Romero in defence of human rights. Romero actively denounced violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable people and defended the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.
In 1997, Pope John Paul II bestowed upon Romero the title of Servant of God, and a cause for beatification and canonization was opened for him. The cause stalled, but was reopened by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He was declared a martyr by Pope Francis on 3 February 2015, paving the way for his beatification, which took place on 23 May 2015.
As the canonization process continues, Latin American church groups imbued in pastoral care proclaim Romero an unofficial patron saint of the Americas and/or El Salvador; Catholics in El Salvador often refer to him as "San Romero". Even outside of Catholicism, Romero is honored by other Christian denominations, including Church of England and Anglican Communion through the Calendar in Common Worship, as well as in at least one Lutheran liturgical calendar. Archbishop Romero is also one of the ten 20th-century martyrs depicted in statues above the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey in London. In 2008, Europe-based magazine A Different View included Romero among its 15 Champions of World Democracy.
Pope Francis stated during Romero's beatification that "His ministry was distinguished by a particular attention to the most poor and marginalized." Hailed as a hero by supporters of liberation theology inspired by his work, Romero, according to his biographer, "was not interested in liberation theology", but faithfully adhered to Catholic teachings on liberation, desiring a social revolution based on supernatural interior reform. His spiritual life drew much from the spirituality of Opus Dei
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 March as the "International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims" in recognition of the role of Archbishop Romero in defence of human rights. Romero actively denounced violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable people and defended the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.
In 1997, Pope John Paul II bestowed upon Romero the title of Servant of God, and a cause for beatification and canonization was opened for him. The cause stalled, but was reopened by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He was declared a martyr by Pope Francis on 3 February 2015, paving the way for his beatification, which took place on 23 May 2015.
As the canonization process continues, Latin American church groups imbued in pastoral care proclaim Romero an unofficial patron saint of the Americas and/or El Salvador; Catholics in El Salvador often refer to him as "San Romero". Even outside of Catholicism, Romero is honored by other Christian denominations, including Church of England and Anglican Communion through the Calendar in Common Worship, as well as in at least one Lutheran liturgical calendar. Archbishop Romero is also one of the ten 20th-century martyrs depicted in statues above the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey in London. In 2008, Europe-based magazine A Different View included Romero among its 15 Champions of World Democracy.
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October 26, 2016
What would Jesus be like if he lived in the 20th century? Archbishop Oscar Romero incarnated Christ in a way that few others have. His message of love, peace, and reconciliation was not well-received in a country torn by violence and corruption. His call for social justice, land reform, and rights for the poor was attacked and dismissed as a form of communism. He was ignored by the government, betrayed by his fellow bishops, and subject to constant harassment. Yet he inspired the people of El Salvador to persevere in the midst of brutal repression.
This story does not have a happy ending. Romero was assassinated in the middle of a church service in 1980. El Salvador today is still wracked by violence, corruption, and exploitation of the poor. El Salvador, like all places and people suffering grave injustice, awaits the resurrection and renewal of all things. It is a mystery how long it will take for things to be put right, but each day that passes is an opportunity for more people to repent of wrongdoing, to discover the immeasurable love of God, and to commit to living in an entirely new way.
To learn more about the life of Oscar Romero, I strongly recommend the movie Romero. It is wonderful and heartbreaking. Once you've seen the movie, it really helps his words recorded in this book to come alive.
This story does not have a happy ending. Romero was assassinated in the middle of a church service in 1980. El Salvador today is still wracked by violence, corruption, and exploitation of the poor. El Salvador, like all places and people suffering grave injustice, awaits the resurrection and renewal of all things. It is a mystery how long it will take for things to be put right, but each day that passes is an opportunity for more people to repent of wrongdoing, to discover the immeasurable love of God, and to commit to living in an entirely new way.
To learn more about the life of Oscar Romero, I strongly recommend the movie Romero. It is wonderful and heartbreaking. Once you've seen the movie, it really helps his words recorded in this book to come alive.
December 29, 2011
Oscar Romero was a Roman Catholic bishop in El Salvador in the 1980s. When he began his ministry in El Salvador he was a supporter of the political and economic status quo. In the span of three years, as he came into contact with the real, struggling people of his parish, he was transformed into a man determined to speak out against the oppressors and in favor of the oppressed poor who comprised his parishoners. He was publically attacked and slandered during this time, his church was persecuted and burned to the ground, his radio station was attacked, and finally, on March 24th, 1980, he was assassinated.
Though many in the American Church remember Romero, if they remember him at all, they remember him as a socialist, a revolutionary, a communist, someone linked up arm-in-arm with the political Marxist revolutionaries and liberation theology of the period in South America. It becomes self-evident, however, upon reading Romero’s The Violence of Love, a collection of quotations and exhortations to his church in the few years running up to his assassination, that nothing could possibly be further from the truth. Dozens of times, countless times, innumerable times, Romero makes it very clear he did not support the revolutionary ideology rampant in his country of El Salvador. A typical statement of his on the subject is this:
It would be worthless to have an economic liberation in which all the poor had their own houses, their own money, but were still sinners, their hearts estranged from God. What good would it be? There are nations at present that are economically and socially quite advanced, for example those of northern Europe, and yet how much vice and excess! (p. 8 )
As Christians formed in the gospel you have the right to organize and, inspired by the gospel, to make concrete decisions. But be careful not to betray those evangelical, CHristian, supernatural convictions in the company of those who seek other liberations that can be merely economic, temporal, political. (p. 2)
Such comments are typical of Romero, whose intention was to overturn the language of his enemies, to confound them by turning their terms against them.
We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into sickles for work. (p. 12)
By so doing, Romero confused and infuriated his opponents on the right and the left by taking their language – “violence” “liberation,” etc. – and using them in new ways that undercut the agendas they intended. He did so with wit and verve, leaving no injustice unturned because it was uncomfortable to expose. No sacred cow was too sacred to get thrown from the temple if it did not serve the Living God.
Perhaps most shocking of all is Romero’s tone throughout the book. He is not the furious prophetic rebel shouting down the tyrants with vein-popping jeremiads, as we might be forgiven for expecting. He simply said it, simply spoke the truth, and the perpetrators of violence and hatred went apoplectic. Perhaps it was precisely this tone of declaration, not of raging against the system, that terrified and confused them even more than they otherwise might have been. When someone says that something is an offence to the Living God and does so without rage or anger or defiance, but simply states it like a self-obvious truth, it is often more disquieting than all the self-righteous rage in the world.
The Violence of Love is unique for another reason. Romero’s powerful quotes and statements have been rendered into poetic lines, giving his comments a lyrical, almost Psalmist feel that renders them even more stirring and inspiring. I frequently wanted to underline the best bits, but – much like with Chesterton – I soon found that if I continued to underline the best of the book, I might as well just underline everything. There were some stretches towards the middle that struggled to interest me, but beyond this small quibble (perhaps they are of greater interest to others) the book managed an extraordinary sense of even-ness. There was a flow to it that built nicely and worthy of giving Romero, giving us a spectacular cross-section of this little-known martyr of God’s Church.
http://atrossbooks.com/2011/12/23/the...
Though many in the American Church remember Romero, if they remember him at all, they remember him as a socialist, a revolutionary, a communist, someone linked up arm-in-arm with the political Marxist revolutionaries and liberation theology of the period in South America. It becomes self-evident, however, upon reading Romero’s The Violence of Love, a collection of quotations and exhortations to his church in the few years running up to his assassination, that nothing could possibly be further from the truth. Dozens of times, countless times, innumerable times, Romero makes it very clear he did not support the revolutionary ideology rampant in his country of El Salvador. A typical statement of his on the subject is this:
It would be worthless to have an economic liberation in which all the poor had their own houses, their own money, but were still sinners, their hearts estranged from God. What good would it be? There are nations at present that are economically and socially quite advanced, for example those of northern Europe, and yet how much vice and excess! (p. 8 )
As Christians formed in the gospel you have the right to organize and, inspired by the gospel, to make concrete decisions. But be careful not to betray those evangelical, CHristian, supernatural convictions in the company of those who seek other liberations that can be merely economic, temporal, political. (p. 2)
Such comments are typical of Romero, whose intention was to overturn the language of his enemies, to confound them by turning their terms against them.
We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into sickles for work. (p. 12)
By so doing, Romero confused and infuriated his opponents on the right and the left by taking their language – “violence” “liberation,” etc. – and using them in new ways that undercut the agendas they intended. He did so with wit and verve, leaving no injustice unturned because it was uncomfortable to expose. No sacred cow was too sacred to get thrown from the temple if it did not serve the Living God.
Perhaps most shocking of all is Romero’s tone throughout the book. He is not the furious prophetic rebel shouting down the tyrants with vein-popping jeremiads, as we might be forgiven for expecting. He simply said it, simply spoke the truth, and the perpetrators of violence and hatred went apoplectic. Perhaps it was precisely this tone of declaration, not of raging against the system, that terrified and confused them even more than they otherwise might have been. When someone says that something is an offence to the Living God and does so without rage or anger or defiance, but simply states it like a self-obvious truth, it is often more disquieting than all the self-righteous rage in the world.
The Violence of Love is unique for another reason. Romero’s powerful quotes and statements have been rendered into poetic lines, giving his comments a lyrical, almost Psalmist feel that renders them even more stirring and inspiring. I frequently wanted to underline the best bits, but – much like with Chesterton – I soon found that if I continued to underline the best of the book, I might as well just underline everything. There were some stretches towards the middle that struggled to interest me, but beyond this small quibble (perhaps they are of greater interest to others) the book managed an extraordinary sense of even-ness. There was a flow to it that built nicely and worthy of giving Romero, giving us a spectacular cross-section of this little-known martyr of God’s Church.
http://atrossbooks.com/2011/12/23/the...
September 8, 2020
A convicting read.
March 25, 2022
excellent, everyone should read
January 31, 2019
Too much CS Lewis on your shelf? Put up this humbling compilation of Saint Romero’s words instead. In the words of Henri Nouwen, “Romero does not speak from a distance. He does not hide his fears, his brokenness, his hesitations. It is as if he puts his arm around my shoulder and slowly walks with me. He shares my struggles. There is a warmth in his words that opens my heart to listen.”
April 30, 2015
Amazing that so much of what Archbishop Romero stated continues to be striking and relevant today and in our country.
May 31, 2020
An incredible collection of writings and sermons from a man who mirrors so closely the teachings of Jesus Christ. His story and teachings line up so closely to those of the Bible particularly Stephen in Acts, so it is fascinating to get a sense of what that looks like almost 2000 years later in more modern times. Oscar Romero was assassinated for preaching against the injustices of his society through powerful messages firmly rooted in the teachings of Christ. Until his death, Romero valiantly and humbly used his love of Christ, fellow believers, and even those who wanted him dead as his weapon. MLK Jr. and Oscar Romero stand out as two of the most significant martyrs of the 20th century and this book gives tremendous insight to the teachings of a man so dedicated to following the Spirit.
March 22, 2009
This is a collection of excerpts from Romero's radio broadcasts/homilies over a period of 3 years and ending with his last before his assassination. It's an interesting way of understanding what Liberation Theology and the preferential option for the poor meant to the Archbishop. I've assigned it for my Latin American history classes and my students have loved it. Many of them have used this book as a devotional, but they are especially drawn to the message of social justice and spiritual liberation.
April 24, 2019
Beautiful, penetrating reflections on the nature of poverty, history, the church, and faith. The equivalent of a Catholic spiritual pump-up mix -- which is of course a painfully inelegant description and yet one that best reflects my reading experience over lent.
March 4, 2023
Compelling. Honest. Challenging.
December 17, 2021
A beautiful, powerful, challenging read. It's made even more prescient by the giving of his own life.
I walked away with a profound sense that true liberation cannot just be economic or societal. It must also be spiritual and moral, the freedom from sin and death that Jesus gives. Liberation means reconciliation: between man and man and God and man.
I walked away with a profound sense that true liberation cannot just be economic or societal. It must also be spiritual and moral, the freedom from sin and death that Jesus gives. Liberation means reconciliation: between man and man and God and man.
December 20, 2013
Have you ever felt or seen something that made you so uncomfortable that it compelled you to take action? Well if you were to ask Archbishop Oscar Romero this same question, his answer would be a definite yes. After observing countless infractions of human rights, Romero began to speak out on behalf of the poorer people of his country and the people who were subject to the oppression. Though his speaking out caused quite a ruckus in El Salvador, Romero would not stop until justice was served to his people. On March 24, 1980, he spoke out against the US militia support of the El Salvadoran tried to stop soldier from shooting innocent civilians. On this day, Oscar Romero was assassinated while leading a mass at a chapel in a hospital. During his life, he wrote many things. The Violence of Love, foreword by Henri Nouwen and compiled and translated by James R. Brockman, S.J. is a book that is a collection of excerpts of letters and homilies written by Archbishop Oscar Romero. I believe that this book’s main goal was to highlight and bring to attention Romero’s spirituality. The words that Romero spoke were so moving that after I read I felt inspired. His quotations made me think of spirituality and humanity in a completely different way. I would definitely recommend this book to those who are seeking spiritual guidance or are interested in the words of a man who really stood up for what he believed in. I found it a little difficult to read at first because I could not get set into a straightforward plot. This would also be a great book to read in intervals or every so often when you are looking for some inspiration.
April 16, 2019
This book is a compilation of select portions of Oscar Romero's thoughts and words. Reading this book totally changed how I understood Romero. Until this time, I only knew Romero as a "Liberation Theologian" in a perjorative sense. I had read and heard Catholic and Protestant criticisms of Liberation Theology as being something akin to communism, antithetical to good Christian teaching. Learning about his life and reading his words, I came to realize that Romero was one of the few Christians of the 20th century who embodied the life of Christ. This book came into my life at just the right time, for I am presently outside the institutional church. I have been questioning a great deal of what it means to be the church, the body of Christ. In the face of church scandals and failures, I suspect that I am not alone. Romero burns away all the chaff and reduces Christian life to its essence. As Romero put it:
"The poor have shown the church the true way to go. A church that does not join the poor, in order to speak out from the side of the poor against the injustices committed against them, is not the true church of Jesus Christ."
He lived that out at the cost of his own life. Reading Romero's words compiled in this book will mess with your head and your heart. Don't read it unless you are willing to be challenged.
I found the best way to read this book was as a devotional rather than a narrative. Most of the passages are less than a page long. I read it one passage at a time and meditated on what I had read.
"The poor have shown the church the true way to go. A church that does not join the poor, in order to speak out from the side of the poor against the injustices committed against them, is not the true church of Jesus Christ."
He lived that out at the cost of his own life. Reading Romero's words compiled in this book will mess with your head and your heart. Don't read it unless you are willing to be challenged.
I found the best way to read this book was as a devotional rather than a narrative. Most of the passages are less than a page long. I read it one passage at a time and meditated on what I had read.
December 28, 2011
Read this for the first time last year, and it utterly changed my conception of what Christianity is. Currently re-reading with a neighborhood group. - Finished sometime in November, 2011. Romero has become incredibly important to me. The Violence of Love is a selection of his homilies during his tenure as Archbishop of El Salvador, which, at the time, was in the throes of violent civil war. The general populace (Romero's congregation) was caught between the fear campaigns of the ruling oligarchy and leftist guerrilla groups. Torture and disappearances were commonplace. In this setting, Romero metamorphosed from a conservative apologist for the status quo into a radical advocate for the common Salvadoran, and was ultimately assassinated for his stand. He views the maddening complexity and desperation of political and religious systems of injustice through the lens of Christ-inspired love: Straight-up 1st Corinthians 13 stuff. He tears down the veil of man-made Christian tradition to expose the true call within Christianity, the call to the conversion of the heart. For Romero, no injustice, no violence is tolerable, because it always creates victims of individuals who are the image of God, namely, for Romero, the poor of El Salvador. This book is a wake up call for any self-proclaimed Christian, and an encouragement to Christians who are sick of being misrepresented by hate language and repressive tendencies in popular strains of western Christianity.
April 1, 2026
[ENG-US first] [PT-BR depois]
A really brilliant work in matters of liberation theology and the ability to see the duty of a Christian in the midst of facing an oppressive regime (or multiple).
Being from Latin America makes these sorts of readings quite interesting, especially considering how often nowadays many right wing Christians not only refuse to believe we've ever been under oppressive regimes, but some go as far as to call the tortures, persecution and killings 'beneficial', because it 'eliminated adversaries'. I've grown up in a Latin America country that had, technically, purged all effects of dictatorship from it, but as oppressive regimes usually do, this one lingered.
When Romero speaks of the Church's mission not to side either with the left or with the right, I admit, I struggle to believe in the full correspondence of both sides, although I do understand his point. Christ Himself cannot be 'owned' by a political side or party, that much is obvious, and can't be argued with. But even as I read these sermons, I can't help but realize how disproportionate the comparisons between the left and the right were. At some point, during the sermons, Romero said we, as the Church, cannot endorse or justify violent revolution, because it goes against Christ' command for us, which I fully agree with. He goes on to say we also cannot condemn those revolutions, because he saw, around him, no attempt to correct the evil and the oppression that led the urge for revolution to arise. Again, hard agree. And then, much later on in the sermons, he mentions that the Church's radio station, which was used to preach the Gospel, preach forgiveness and peace, defend the poor and the oppressed, was burned by an ultraright group. Which group? He couldn't be sure, because more than one tried to take credit for it. So, no, I do not believe Christ belongs to a side, neither do I believe the Church should call itself either left wing or right wing, but I do wish we'd work with caveats regarding what each side signifies. Romero says the Church's duty is, above all, to see what's wrong and what's right on each side, and even if he's technically correct in that assertion, it does call for noticing that the left and the right are not proportionally powerful, neither are they proportionally violent or condemnable when times arise for it.
Most of all, I enjoy reading books (or sermons) like this because they remind me that our memory isn't failing us. These oppressive regimes, these attempts at subduing the poor and the marginalized, they are well-documented, and unlike what many people would have us think, they were happy to turn on the Church the moment it showed its true colors: defending the poor, standing up for the oppressed, fulfiling the calling of Christ.
Um trabalho genuinamente brilhante no que diz respeito a teologia de libertação e a habilidade de ver o dever de um Cristão quando se está encarando um regime opressor (ou vários).
Ser da América Latina torna essas leituras muito interessantes, especialmente considerando o quão frequentemente hoje em dia muitos Cristãos da direita não apenas se recusam a acreditar que nós um dia vivemos sob regimes opressores, mas alguns vão até mais longe, afirmando que as torturas, perseguições e mortes foram 'benéficas', porque 'eliminaram adversários'. Eu cresci em um país da América Latina que já tinha, tecnicamente, expurgado todos os efeitos da ditadura nele, mas como regimes opressores geralmente fazem, ele deixou rastros.
Quando Romero fala sobre a missão da Igreja de não ficar nem do lado da direita nem do da esquerda, eu admito, tenho dificuldade de acreditar na correspondência dos dois lados, embora eu entenda o ponto dele. Cristo não pode ser "propriedade" de um lado ou partido político, isso é óbvio, e não dá pra discutir. Mas mesmo enquanto eu leio esses sermões, não consigo evitar o pensamento do quão desproporcional as comparações entre a esquerda e a direita foram. Em algum momento, durante os sermões, Romero disse que nós, enquanto Igreja, não podemos apoiar ou justificar a revolução violenta, porque ela vai contra o comando de Cristo pra gente, o que eu concordo totalmente. Ele continua dizendo que também não podemos condenar essas revoluções, porque ele estava assistindo, ao redor dele, como não havia nenhuma tentativa de corrigir o mal e a opressão que causavam a ânsia por revolução. De novo, concordo plenamente. E aí, muito mais tarde nos sermões, ele menciona que a estação de rádio da Igreja, que era usada pra pregar o Evangelho, pregar perdão e paz, defender os pobres e oprimidos, foi queimada por um grupo da ultradireita. Qual grupo? Ele não podia ter certeza, porque múltiplos deles tentaram tomar o crédito pelo ocorrido. Então, não, eu não acredito que Cristo pertença a um lado, e também não acredito que a Igreja deva se chamar de direitista ou esquerdista, mas eu queria que nós pudéssemos trabalhar com mais nuances a respeito do que cada lado significa. Romero diz que o dever da Igreja é, sobretudo, ver o que há de errado e certo em cada lado, e mesmo que essa afirmação esteja teoricamente correta, deve ser notado nela que a esquerda e a direita não são proporcionalmente poderosas, e nem proporcionalmente violentas ou condenáveis quando chega a hora.
Acima de tudo, eu gosto muito de ler livros (ou sermões) como esse porque me lembram de que nossa memória não está falhando conosco. Esses regimes opressores, essas tentativas de subjugar os pobres e os marginalizados, eles estão bem documentados, e ao contrário do que muitas pessoas preferem que pensemos, eles se viravam facilmente contra a Igreja no momento em que ela revelava seu verdadeiro eu: defender os pobres, ficar ao lado dos oprimidos, cumprir o chamado de Jesus Cristo.
“All bloodshed, all suffering, every injury caused to another person becomes an echo of God's curse before the crime of Cain: “What have you done? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground. You are under a curse.”
A really brilliant work in matters of liberation theology and the ability to see the duty of a Christian in the midst of facing an oppressive regime (or multiple).
Being from Latin America makes these sorts of readings quite interesting, especially considering how often nowadays many right wing Christians not only refuse to believe we've ever been under oppressive regimes, but some go as far as to call the tortures, persecution and killings 'beneficial', because it 'eliminated adversaries'. I've grown up in a Latin America country that had, technically, purged all effects of dictatorship from it, but as oppressive regimes usually do, this one lingered.
When Romero speaks of the Church's mission not to side either with the left or with the right, I admit, I struggle to believe in the full correspondence of both sides, although I do understand his point. Christ Himself cannot be 'owned' by a political side or party, that much is obvious, and can't be argued with. But even as I read these sermons, I can't help but realize how disproportionate the comparisons between the left and the right were. At some point, during the sermons, Romero said we, as the Church, cannot endorse or justify violent revolution, because it goes against Christ' command for us, which I fully agree with. He goes on to say we also cannot condemn those revolutions, because he saw, around him, no attempt to correct the evil and the oppression that led the urge for revolution to arise. Again, hard agree. And then, much later on in the sermons, he mentions that the Church's radio station, which was used to preach the Gospel, preach forgiveness and peace, defend the poor and the oppressed, was burned by an ultraright group. Which group? He couldn't be sure, because more than one tried to take credit for it. So, no, I do not believe Christ belongs to a side, neither do I believe the Church should call itself either left wing or right wing, but I do wish we'd work with caveats regarding what each side signifies. Romero says the Church's duty is, above all, to see what's wrong and what's right on each side, and even if he's technically correct in that assertion, it does call for noticing that the left and the right are not proportionally powerful, neither are they proportionally violent or condemnable when times arise for it.
Most of all, I enjoy reading books (or sermons) like this because they remind me that our memory isn't failing us. These oppressive regimes, these attempts at subduing the poor and the marginalized, they are well-documented, and unlike what many people would have us think, they were happy to turn on the Church the moment it showed its true colors: defending the poor, standing up for the oppressed, fulfiling the calling of Christ.
“Todo derramamento de sangue, todo sofrimento, toda ferida causada a outra pessoa se torna um eco da maldição de Deus diante do crime de Caim: “O que você fez? O sangue de seu irmão está clamando a mim do chão. Você está sob uma maldição.”
Um trabalho genuinamente brilhante no que diz respeito a teologia de libertação e a habilidade de ver o dever de um Cristão quando se está encarando um regime opressor (ou vários).
Ser da América Latina torna essas leituras muito interessantes, especialmente considerando o quão frequentemente hoje em dia muitos Cristãos da direita não apenas se recusam a acreditar que nós um dia vivemos sob regimes opressores, mas alguns vão até mais longe, afirmando que as torturas, perseguições e mortes foram 'benéficas', porque 'eliminaram adversários'. Eu cresci em um país da América Latina que já tinha, tecnicamente, expurgado todos os efeitos da ditadura nele, mas como regimes opressores geralmente fazem, ele deixou rastros.
Quando Romero fala sobre a missão da Igreja de não ficar nem do lado da direita nem do da esquerda, eu admito, tenho dificuldade de acreditar na correspondência dos dois lados, embora eu entenda o ponto dele. Cristo não pode ser "propriedade" de um lado ou partido político, isso é óbvio, e não dá pra discutir. Mas mesmo enquanto eu leio esses sermões, não consigo evitar o pensamento do quão desproporcional as comparações entre a esquerda e a direita foram. Em algum momento, durante os sermões, Romero disse que nós, enquanto Igreja, não podemos apoiar ou justificar a revolução violenta, porque ela vai contra o comando de Cristo pra gente, o que eu concordo totalmente. Ele continua dizendo que também não podemos condenar essas revoluções, porque ele estava assistindo, ao redor dele, como não havia nenhuma tentativa de corrigir o mal e a opressão que causavam a ânsia por revolução. De novo, concordo plenamente. E aí, muito mais tarde nos sermões, ele menciona que a estação de rádio da Igreja, que era usada pra pregar o Evangelho, pregar perdão e paz, defender os pobres e oprimidos, foi queimada por um grupo da ultradireita. Qual grupo? Ele não podia ter certeza, porque múltiplos deles tentaram tomar o crédito pelo ocorrido. Então, não, eu não acredito que Cristo pertença a um lado, e também não acredito que a Igreja deva se chamar de direitista ou esquerdista, mas eu queria que nós pudéssemos trabalhar com mais nuances a respeito do que cada lado significa. Romero diz que o dever da Igreja é, sobretudo, ver o que há de errado e certo em cada lado, e mesmo que essa afirmação esteja teoricamente correta, deve ser notado nela que a esquerda e a direita não são proporcionalmente poderosas, e nem proporcionalmente violentas ou condenáveis quando chega a hora.
Acima de tudo, eu gosto muito de ler livros (ou sermões) como esse porque me lembram de que nossa memória não está falhando conosco. Esses regimes opressores, essas tentativas de subjugar os pobres e os marginalizados, eles estão bem documentados, e ao contrário do que muitas pessoas preferem que pensemos, eles se viravam facilmente contra a Igreja no momento em que ela revelava seu verdadeiro eu: defender os pobres, ficar ao lado dos oprimidos, cumprir o chamado de Jesus Cristo.
April 8, 2012
Description: This book is a collection of short excerpts from Salvadoran bishop Romero’s writings and preaching.
Source: Free for kindle
Writing style: The book was difficult to read because it was excerpts. I find it difficult to read writing that doesn’t sustain thoughts at length and doesn’t really shape the narrative.
Audience: Those who are interested in liberation theology. I know a little about it, but hadn’t read any. I feel like this book was an introduction to it, but again, not an organized one as such.
Major ideas: The Church exists to bring about God’s kingdom by proclaiming justice to the poor, and nothing should stop it. (For those who don’t know, Romero was martyred for his activism on behalf of the poor.)
Wrap-up: Romero’s words were powerful in many cases, and I highlighted many passages in this book. It’s tough to find a place for it, though. It’s not really what I would consider devotional, nor can you really read straight through it. I ended up reading bits at a time over several months. 3/5*
Source: Free for kindle
Writing style: The book was difficult to read because it was excerpts. I find it difficult to read writing that doesn’t sustain thoughts at length and doesn’t really shape the narrative.
Audience: Those who are interested in liberation theology. I know a little about it, but hadn’t read any. I feel like this book was an introduction to it, but again, not an organized one as such.
Major ideas: The Church exists to bring about God’s kingdom by proclaiming justice to the poor, and nothing should stop it. (For those who don’t know, Romero was martyred for his activism on behalf of the poor.)
Wrap-up: Romero’s words were powerful in many cases, and I highlighted many passages in this book. It’s tough to find a place for it, though. It’s not really what I would consider devotional, nor can you really read straight through it. I ended up reading bits at a time over several months. 3/5*
September 26, 2013
These snippets from his homilies are, to me, like the Essais from Montaigne. They are as revealing as an autobiography, just in a drastically different format. I will admit to not being 100% with him on such topics as the vicarious & substitutionary atonement of the Cross and the Virgin Birth, but his dedication to love, justice, equity, and fellowship was unmatched in his time -- considering today's climate, possibly even longer. Since many passages have been rearranged in stanzas, there is a lot of white space; it makes for an easy and quick read. I really tried to read only 10 pages a day, but Romero drags you along with deft and daring. He was a master at exposing economic and social injustice. He was and is to be admired. I recommend it, even to those who are not religious.
A LEGALLY free PDF can be had here: http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/uv/vi...
A LEGALLY free PDF can be had here: http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/uv/vi...
July 15, 2011
A great book for meditation as it includes excerpts from Archbishop Romero's homilies and speeches. The sections are both labeled by theme and arranged chronologically so it can be read in two ways: 1) As the story of the El Salvador Revolution through the words of Romero's weekly homilies and radio broadcasts or 2) As a reflection on different standards of social justice (i.e. the section "Option for the Poor"). In this way, you can flip to a section you are drawn to at that time and read Romero's passionate response to the horrors surrounding him.
In any case, Romero's words are truly beautiful and reflective of great insight in a confusing time and place. No wonder his words inspired so many people in and outside of his country.
In any case, Romero's words are truly beautiful and reflective of great insight in a confusing time and place. No wonder his words inspired so many people in and outside of his country.
February 9, 2017
Bishop Romero's homilies are appeals to goodness, truth, social justice, and reconciliation. They read like poetry, but with force and persuasion because the concern real events.
What it must have been like to be a bishop, surrounded by an indifferent church and a brutal government. They last one is the same day that he was assassinated...and in that moment, showed what being a true priest and father to his people can cost.
Now I have greater respect for the struggles in El Salvador, which like Argentina, had many people who were imprisoned, tortured, or forever "disappeared" under a corrupt government.
What it must have been like to be a bishop, surrounded by an indifferent church and a brutal government. They last one is the same day that he was assassinated...and in that moment, showed what being a true priest and father to his people can cost.
Now I have greater respect for the struggles in El Salvador, which like Argentina, had many people who were imprisoned, tortured, or forever "disappeared" under a corrupt government.
May 27, 2012
Honestly, it was amazing. So poignant. So beautiful. So powerful.
The book is composed of a priest's journal entries and snippets of his radio talks, so it's a very easy read... reads like poetry, almost. Simple, eloquent, and stirring. His steadfast commitment to the poor, his unswerving hope and faith in God's promises despite dire circumstances, and his unbelievable prayers and love for his enemies is remarkable. Even if you just flip through some of the entries, you won't regret picking up this book.
(P.s. The PDF version is available online for free!)
The book is composed of a priest's journal entries and snippets of his radio talks, so it's a very easy read... reads like poetry, almost. Simple, eloquent, and stirring. His steadfast commitment to the poor, his unswerving hope and faith in God's promises despite dire circumstances, and his unbelievable prayers and love for his enemies is remarkable. Even if you just flip through some of the entries, you won't regret picking up this book.
(P.s. The PDF version is available online for free!)
April 5, 2013
Excerpts from homilies preached by the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador Oscar Romero. These all come from the time he served as Archbishop. They're laid out chronologically and beomce increasingly focused on hthe need to speak out for justice for the poor. He makes it clear that he's not entering politics, but he recognizes that to speak prophetically, one will engage in political acts. But, he speaks from a perspective of faith.
One can read this in a free ebook from the The Plough Publishing Co. http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/uv/vi...
One can read this in a free ebook from the The Plough Publishing Co. http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/uv/vi...
December 5, 2016
So many of Romero's speeches are moving and inspiring and delve into a richer part of the Catholic religion and people's spirituality. The only problem that I had with this collection is wondering where each one was coming from, if it was part of a homily or the whole homily, what about the rest of the talk, etc. The bits and pieces were wonderful and maybe the other parts that were not included would have brought down the flow of the passages, but at least I would've liked to been able to make that decision for myself.
July 23, 2014
My five-star review is not so much for the quality of the writing. The words are mostly his spoken words. Anyway, he was a modern saint in the sense of the word that we need more of. He was a bureaucratic churchman, until he began to hear the voices of the poor and see their struggles against brutal government and vested interests. He began to speak for the people and, for that, was murdered/martyred. He is an inspiration to me.
February 26, 2019
Read for El Salvador study trip Spring 2019 with Yale Divinity School. This book contains snippets of sermons preached by Romero from the time he became archbishop until his assassination. There are many inspirational words to be found inside. I would recommend reading this as a supplement to another book because this book doesn't give any background or history about the events occurring in El Salvador. It would be hard to understand the context of his homilies without additional information.
September 29, 2009
The words of the man who waged a war of peace are challenging, provocative, and humbling. It helps me focus wandering thoughts I have about the difficult combination of my Christian faith and the problems it has caused in the world. They are the words of a true prophet.
July 21, 2014
I held my breath through these homilies, knowing what was coming and certain that Archbishop Romero knew too. That he persisted is inspiring. Even when he called out the worst crimes; torture, abductions, murder, his faith still inspired hope.
September 20, 2016
Holy cow! I had a tough time.getting through this book because I spent half my time writing down quotable passages. A beautiful call to solidarity and suffering with the poor. Poetic words backed up by courageous action. And at the root of it all - love.
June 14, 2017
Contains some very powerful and thought provoking passages, especially concerning the concept of Gods preferential option for the poor. Ultimately, however, it is best in short bursts as it quickly becomes a bit repetitive.
September 8, 2007
this is wonderful, but i need to read it in small pieces to process it. romero's amazing.
September 15, 2007
Romero's words and prayers are beautiful, poignant, and deeply moving. Everyone should read this.
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