“Poverty means death: lack of food and housing, the inability to attend properly to health and education needs, the exploitation of workers, permanent unemployment, the lack of respect for one's human dignity, and unjust limitations placed on personal freedom.”
—Gustavo Gutiérrez, A Theology of Liberation
In memoriam - Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez (June 8, 1928 – October 22, 2024)
With deep sadness, we lament the passing of Father Gustavo Gutiérrez, the beloved Dominican priest, theologian, and father of Liberation Theology, who passed away on October 22, 2024, in Lima at the age of 96. The news was shared by the Provincia Dominica San Juan Bautista del Perú. Gutiérrez was an untiring defender of the Church’s “preferential option for the poor” and a guiding light for countless scholars, clergy, and activists. His dedication to justice for the oppressed echoed the legacy of his admired Dominican predecessor, Bartolomé de las Casas, to whom he dedicated many studies.
In his reflections on Las Casas, Gutiérrez wrote with piercing insight:
“Las Casas asks with sharp clarity, 'If those who hear Christ say, “I was naked and you did not clothe me” are destined for eternal fire, what fate awaits those to whom He says, “I was clothed, and you stripped me?” For that is the true tragedy in the Indies—not merely failing to clothe the naked, but violently and unjustly stripping the poor of these lands. It is robbing the Indian of what is rightfully his, plundering the poor, and in them, robbing Christ Himself.'”
This poignant reflection encapsulates Gutiérrez's belief that injustice is not a natural occurrence but a man-made historical reality. For Gutiérrez, human freedom not only makes us responsible for injustice but also calls us to work toward redemption. Through his life and work, he consistently stood with the oppressed and fought—like Las Casas before him—for the elusive justice we are all called to pursue in this world.
Born in Lima, Gutiérrez initially studied medicine and literature in Peru before moving abroad to further his theological education. He pursued psychology and philosophy at the University of Louvain and later earned a doctorate in theology from the Institut Catholique in Lyon. His most influential work, A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, Salvation (1971), laid the foundation for the Latin American Liberation Theology movement, reshaping how the Church engaged with issues of poverty and social injustice.
Gutiérrez authored several other significant books, including Líneas pastorales de la Iglesia en América Latina (1969), the aforementioned and monumentally influential Teología de la liberación: Perspectivas (1971), Teología desde el reverso de la historia (1977), La fuerza histórica de los pobres (1979), Hablar de Dios desde el sufrimiento del inocente (1986), the revolutionary En busca de los pobres de Jesucristo (1992), Densidad del presente (1996), and ¿Dónde dormirán los pobres? (2002), among others
His work Las Casas: In Search of the Poor of Jesus Christ has profoundly shaped the fields of theology and Latin American history. In fact, our most recent book on Las Casas is dedicated to Father Gutiérrez in recognition of his profound impact on our work.
Father Gutiérrez’s influence extended far beyond his writing. He was a much-loved professor at the Pontifical University of Peru and a visiting professor at major universities across North America and Europe. Gutiérrez served as the John Cardinal O’Hara Endowed professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, where his presence was transformative. His wisdom and compassion shaped the lives of countless students, colleagues, and fellow priests.
In recognition of his tireless work for human dignity, justice, and life, Gutiérrez was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1993. He was also a member of the Academia Peruana de la Lengua and contributed to prestigious theological journals such as Theological Studies, La Revista Latinoamericana de Teología, and Concilium.
Father Gustavo Gutiérrez was not only a theological giant but also a beloved priest whose humility, wisdom, and compassion touched the hearts of all who knew him. His legacy will continue to inspire the Church and the broader fight for justice. May he rest in peace.