[CLASSICAL MUSIC] By way of introduction,
I could, of course, say that Gustavo Gutiérrez
needs no introduction at all, and that indeed would be
eminently true on this occasion. Yet it would not be
worthy of our gathering and of the blessing of
having Gustavo with us. Or I could simply go down the
listing of his groundbreaking books, like A Theology
of Liberation, of 1973, that launched a
movement not only in Latin America, but
throughout the world. We could focus on his
great spiritual classic We Drink From Our Own Wells
that grounds the spirituality of the praxis of
liberation, or his book On Job, a courageous facing
of the ultimate mystery of human suffering in the face
of a providence and loving God. The list of his publications
are going to go on and on, but you could look
them up on Google. I can also simply note that he
is a Dominican priest, a member of the Order of Preachers,
that he holds the John Cardinal O'Hara professorship of theology
at the University of Notre Dame, and is a member of
the Kellogg Institute there, that he's a member of the
Peruvian Academy of Languages, a recipient of the
Legion of Honour from the French government
for, and I'm quoting now, "his tireless work
for human dignity and against oppression,"
end of quote. And I could then list
his many other honors because this evening's that
we confer is only one of many. Instead, I want to
highlight for a moment and focus on the genesis of
the theology, spirituality, and praxis that has been brought
to center stage in our church by Pope Francis. Now there are many sources of
what we are witnessing daily in the pontificate
of Pope Francis, as he continues to
inspire the world with his evangelical values
and preferential option for the poor. What Pope Francis is
calling the church to imitate the poverty
and the practices of Jesus and decide with those to
whom life is most denied, his simplicity of
lifestyle his insistence that the shepherds smell
more like the sheep instead of incense,
that the church be a field hospital
in the battle of life, that it become an inclusive
community of hospitality for all, of boundless mercy and
compassion for the ones whom Francis names as the
throwaways of our society. And of course, here
at Boston College, we rightly highlight that his
Jesuit charism and spirituality is a prime source
of Pope Francis's commitments and faith,
but then how did he get to also be
such a Franciscan, and by his good preaching
a Dominican as well, like Gustavo? I propose that Pope
Francis and his pontificate comes out of the womb of
the Latin American church of the past 50 years, beginning
with the poor and pastoral church that was catalyzed
by the CELAM Conference at Medellin in 1968,
where Gustavo was a key advisor and architect. And again, Gustavo helped to
reiterate and deepen the CELAM Conference at Pueblo in 1979. And again with
Gustavo's influence that flowered most recently
at the CELAM conference of Aparecida. Indeed, Aparecida vividly
reflects a from-the-bottom-up approach to doing theology that
Gustavo has long championed and that now marks Pope
Francis's pontificate. The Theology of
Liberation, of course, has emerged from the grassroots
of the Latin American church. It has been the work of
countless hands and hearts, from poor peasants and
las comunidades de base and the Theology of
the People Movement, to many other great
scholars and theologians. And yet, all would agree that
no one has been more influential in shaping the Theology of
Liberation to emerge from the Church of Latin America
and now to the world stage with Pope Francis than
Gustavo Gutiérrez. It is no exaggeration to
say that to understand the pontificate of
Pope Francis, then look to the work of Gustavo. In September 2013, shortly
after his election, Pope Francis invited Gustavo to
the Vatican and L'Osservatore Romano noted at that
time, and I quote, "liberation theology
will no longer remain in the shadows to which it has
been relegated for some years." And perhaps in the
early years there were some misunderstandings
and perhaps misstatements on all sides,
but now the commitment of liberation theology,
and particularly its preferential option for the
poor has moved from the shadows to be a shining light to
the whole church and world. Such a miracle, of
course is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit. But grace most often works
through human instruments, and there have never been, and
there is none that have been more influential in this regard,
than Father Gustavo Gutiérrez. Would you please join me in
welcoming him to Boston College this evening. [APPLAUSE] First of all, I would like
to express my gratitude for this invitation. [INAUDIBLE] [SIDE CONVERSATION] I said very familiar for me
really in Boston College, and a surprise this evening
was to find so many friends, and even very old friends-- young persons, but old friends-- because I know some
of them in my country. And I am very happy to be here. Thanks for your reception also. Well, and about the
birth of new theology, new is too much to say-- the same opinions and points,
but from other points of view. Do you know how
many theologies are in the history of the Church? I don't know. [LAUGHTER] But you know, it's many, many. And the big theologies
in Thomas Aquinas are present until
now, and others also. Theology is a reflection
very linked to the time and for the questions
present in one moment. It is the case of
liberation theology also. Some circumstances were present
50 years ago, more or less. It's very difficult
to put dates, you know, on these questions. And I think this
theological perspective is the result of three
factors, three movements. The first one is
historical and is the new presence of the poor
in our world, in humanity. The presence of the
poor began probably in the 19th century
a little more 20th. But clearly in the middle
of the 20th century, it was very strong. It was the beginning. One example, or symbol,
of this was the meeting in Bandung International. It was a meeting of the poor
countries, Asian and African countries-- not Latin Americans
in the first meeting, but after that several
Latin American and Caribbean countries were
incorporated in this. This Bandung was 1956. It was for the interested and
intelligent persons something very important. For the first time, the poor
countries, for their reason, their association
was desperation also, the Third World-- because not capitalist and
not communist, was the idea-- and a Third World. Today we have only
two, and Latin America is part of the Second World. You know, it was the only one
proportion in so many years-- third to two. The situation is not the same,
but it's always difficult. I remember in the council
[SPANISH]---- you know this name, the Bishop of Recife,
a great personality. In one moment, he
was speaking about we need a Christian Bandung. Well-mannered to
speak, but you know, was very present in many,
many other things about this. And we have also
the decolonization of so many countries-- Asia, Africa, Caribe
also, and Latin America, at least in this continent. And new presence
in different ways-- it is not a question only in
our continent-- in Latin America and the Caribe-- but was
present also in the world, in other countries. You know in this
country there is the black movement
and black theology, more or less in the same dates,
or the movement of women. The other expressions--
and you know, I don't pretend to detail this-- but certainly it was
present in the world, above all in the poor countries,
and the minorities in the case of the black people. We call this-- in
Latin America also-- we have called this the
eruption of the poor. The poor were so present,
because historically they were absent of history-- absent. They were there physically,
but they were not subjects of their destiny-- for example, even today-- not fully at least. Well, this eruption of the poor,
this is an ongoing process. This is not finished. It started more or less in the
first part of the 20th century, above all in the second
part of the 20th century, even more and more. We have today other
expressions of the presence of the marginalized people. Well, this movement
put several questions to the annals of the Gospel. The question is not only
political or social. Our vision of this
new situation was to say we need to reflect about
the present message-- this is theology. Theology, we are going
to the source in order to answer the fights,
the challenges. This is the case. It's very important even today. Even today we revert
to one abstract manner to see this fact. We have tried to be
sensitive and close to this. Persons are speaking about this. There is new-- they are
asking for their rights. Well, this disposition is
expression of suffering-- suffering because poverty
in the last manner is this-- the people are living
in terrible conditions. And this challenge, this
eruption for the poor, it was for several
persons in Latin America-- theologians and pastors--
very ecumenical, you know, from the beginning. This theology was one who
is the work of Catholics and the evangelical
protestant theologians also. In several meetings,
we had these meetings that were not too
great in new theology, but to discuss about
this situation. I remember very well these
questions, these meetings. Well, I think suffering was
present, because we must-- you know, our interest is not
for poverty, but for the poor, as the Bible. The Bible is not
speaking about poverty-- a little bit. But it's speaking about
the poor persons-- persons. Well, I think this line-- this perspective was
very, very important and changing also the
notion of poverty. This point is very important
because it's not only to be challenged by the
fact of this new presence. But at the same time, poverty
was present more or less in a different manner. Even today, for
many persons poverty is a social issue, not human. Is this a human issue? It's the theological question. Poverty-- poverty is not
only an economical question. No, it is not so-- because the lives of
persons, the suffering of persons, the early deaths
of persons is very relevant. I would like to
indicate, at least to deepen this point, also two
points in this new perception of poverty. One is poverty is
a complex fact. It is not only
monetary in poverty. Even today, for many persons
it is the question of money-- it is the question of $1.15
is good or is extreme poverty, is poverty. Well, it's not the
case in the Bible. It is not the case
for Christians and not for liberation theology. From the very beginning-- very beginning-- the late
'60s, the first years of the '70s, this
question is present there. It is complex. What is the meaning of complex? It is complex because
it is not only economic. Poverty is not only a
question of economy. It is an economic
question also-- certainly, one aspect. But at the same time,
it's a complex reality. And it's a question of
culture, for example. In the first writings, we
were speaking about culture above all. From the inter-cultural
countries as Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia we have
different cultures-- at the same time,
many similarities, but the difference also. The Quechua people is--
millions of persons are speaking Quechua, in
Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru. I think they were despised
cultures for the other in the center of the country,
or for western mentality, and it is one aspect of poverty. Another is racial--
linked to culture, but there is racial also. The Latin American
people don't like to accept we are
racist people also. I regret we are racist because
I see this in my country and in my family, and as a
consequence about this mestizo family. Another question is the gender. Gender is a question also,
the sexual orientation of the people. You know, this philosopher
Hannah Arendt has said-- a very short sentence-- one expression about the poor. According to her,
the poor is a person who has not the
right to have rights. It is. It is the poor-- without rights. Well, without
rights is not money. To be accepted, to be-- and so for this reason I say
it's complex, very complex. First point-- you
know, it is not later. Sometimes it's after
you are speaking. No, no, no-- I have the text. I can say this in the verse. And also the question of
race, culture, and quickly, explicitly was present also. But more explicitly the question
of women as not rights also. We know this. And I know we have many
changes and some progress. This is true, but
it's not enough. All this is poverty. You know, it is for this
reason I say new perception, because even today it's
new for many persons. And the other point-- there are many others, but the
second is another very complex, very difficult also. And the reason of
many difficulties for us in liberation
theology is this-- poverty is the result
of human causes. Result-- we have made poverty. And for a long time in
humanity, in the church or outside of the church also,
poverty was a fact, a destiny. This is not true. Poverty is not a destiny. It's an injustice. This is. This injustice is
theological because justice is a central point in the
Bible, a central point. First testament and
second testament, justice is always there,
even in the second testament and the first
testament all the time. Well, I think it causes,
for what reason I have said, many difficulties from
this because people don't like to say you are-- you are a cause of poverty. And in this case, they say
no, no this is not Christian. I am a very good person
helping the poor. Good. It's very important,
but it's not enough. We cannot stop the condition,
the situation of poverty-- only helping the poor,
but changing structures. And it is said very clearly
by John Paul II, very clearly. The conflict, also number
11 of the Encyclical about the worker. The pope says the
big conflict today-- conflict today-- is the
conflict between the capital and the work. In addition, he says, it is
not only after questions. There are persons among
capital and persons in labor. Well this is the
question, and you know, many of our difficulties
were coming from this point-- even for the first one, for
the point of the poverty is a complex question because
it's speaking about racism, and so it's very complicated. Well, I would like to finish
with this first point. We need to know the realities,
and for this reason, we have employed in
theology social science. There the social science
were not so present at that time-- a
little bit, always. Today in theology,
full social science-- to read the Bible,
for example, full. But until 50 years
ago, strange-- strange. Social science is communism. [LAUGHTER] But how to read a
social situation without social science-- not because they
are the last word, but it's only a contribution. Philosophy it was never
the last work in theology, but it was very necessary to
employ philosophical notions in order to do theology. To finish this point, I say
the question of suffering is always present,
always present. I say this because I would
like to take this point after. Second line, in the
'60s also, Vatican II. Vatican II is the other-- without Vatican II we have
not liberation theology because we have above all
the person of John XXIII. John XXIII mutate the
question to only two points-- two contributions. One, about the Church. Faith in the
underdeveloped countries, the Church is and wants
to be the Church of anyone and especially the
Church of the poor. It was this sentence, a
very sentence, but very, very important. From the pope, we have
this goal to this. While trying to deepen
the meaning of these, the consequences were also very
helpful for one's reflection. The second point has also a
great presence in theology. In liberation theology, but not
only, but in general as well. It's the question of reading
the signs of the times. It is pay attention to
history because persons-- subjects of Christian life-- they are in history. They are-- we are them. And so it's one consequence
of our affirmation, the incarnation-- the Son of God made one oath
and one of the human history. Well it is very important. History is very important, even
from the Christian message. And well to pay attention
to the signs of the times-- this question is coming
from one text in Matthew, the Gospel of
Matthew, 16:2-3 verse. And it is there. And John XXIII take
this perspective. Well, very discussed
in the council. And you can take [INAUDIBLE]
with this verse number 4:11, another later. I don't know-- 14, 14:3-- I don't remember at this moment. Mentions of the
signs of the times. You know, it's very difficult
to do that, but it's necessary. And to more or less my
presentation of the first line was trying to do a reading
of the signs of the times. The signs of the times, not
are all of them positive. Very bad facts are
a sign of the times. Poverty, for example, is a
sign of the time but not good. It's not the sign of the times
are beautiful-- no, no, it's not beautiful. It's only challenge. Challenge the Christians
living in history. These two contributions
are very important. You know, in
liberation theology, Christian theology has
a critical reflection about the practice of persons,
especially Christians. And certainly we
have a great debt with this federation about
the signs of the times, but also about the
question of the poor are first and must be
first in our concern. The third one is different. It's very personal also for me. It comes from my
time as a student. I was a student in
theology in Lyon, France, coming from Leuven,
where I was studying philosophy and psychology. But I was very
interested in psychology because my first intention
was to become a psychiatrist. And I was doing some years
of medical studies for this. But you know reading theology
is more important, certainly for me. [LAUGHTER] In Lyon, my first year I
was working very much then. You know, curiously,
in one moment I say, this is beautiful, but for what
reason we are doing theology? What is the reason? It's beautiful, certainly. And at the same time
during this first year, in my readings I have seen
several quotations of one French theologian, a Dominican
called Marie-Dominique Chenu. And I say this is
very interesting. Really, the quotation
is better for the book. And I say, I would
like to read Chenu. But you know this book was in
the Index, the book of Chenu. Not today, you know. I wrote to my superior at
the seminary at [INAUDIBLE].. I said Father, I would
like to read this book. He says, for what reason? It seems very interesting. He told me, I need to ask
this to the Cardinal at Lyon. I am not sure he was
going to the cardinal. But I don't know. Well, in one week or two weeks-- I don't remember-- he had
this book in his own library, and he gave me this book. The book is this-- very
simple, very simple-- and for this reason
it's so good. The name of the book
is Le Saulchoir. Le Saulchoir was a theological
student of the Dominicans. Le Saulchoir, the
way to do theology and to teach theology
in Le Saulchoir. It is a book. Well, I am not speaking
about the whole book. It's very small. It's a very small book. But I can at least
underline this question. Chenu says it is a
bad question to ask which is the theology
behind this spirituality-- wrong. The true question is,
who is the spirituality behind this theology? You know, for me it was a light. Sorry, but for me it was a
light because I was impressed-- fascinated by my
readings in theology-- a very young person
also, but not so-- I have 27 years when I was
first year in theology. But, and to put
examples, if we want to understand Thomas Aquinas,
we must go to Dominic. If we want to
understand Bonaventure, we must go to Francis. You know, very simple-- very simple questions. And in spirituality
that is to say they weren't [INAUDIBLE] in
the place of following Jesus. But he was born in France
in late 17th century, 18th. Well, spirituality
is this, it said it's to follow Jesus in the
classical Latin expression, this is the question. For what reason was really
the personal light for-- because I was very interested
always, as lay person also, it is called spirituality. And certainly spirituality helps
to put theology in its place. Theology is not first. It's the intellectual,
this is mortal, and to theology applied. The system of teaching
theology was world resist. Some years learning
theology and to go to pastoral to
apply the notions, but it is very
Greek, this question, and it is not really known. It's not so. The doctrine, the terms,
but the other perspective is not exactly the
contrary, you know? But this one point to
insist between the relation, between spirituality-- and spirituality is practice. Spirituality is
one manner to do. This is spirituality--
to pray, practice. And to do something for other
person, it is practice also. It's a spirituality. And spirituality is
not only to pray. It is not only contemplation. Loving the neighbor is one
manner-- it is a spirituality. It's completely. In this case, trying to take
into account my two points-- the presence until now,
the presence of the poor. We have discovered it more and
more and more in this question. The other-- the inspiration
of the Council in Medellin, has tension the
question of Medellin. Well, this inspiration
is very important in order to do theology. And for liberation theology,
the question of spirituality is central because it's central
in the Christian message. You know if you take the Bible,
at least I have not found, go in the world, and
you make doing theology to announce the
Gospel, is not so. You know? In the end of Matthew is
only in the world to make disciples of persons. Again, it's very simple, but
it's very important also. Theology is really very
linked to spirituality. But the spirituality has
practice, and practice in history, because the
way to be a Christian today is not completely the same
of five centuries ago. Certainly, follow
Jesus is the same. Charity, the word, is the
same also, but the manner-- I think we must understand this. And this moment was very, for
me personally, very interesting to have this manner to
understand theology. For the reason we say
theology is a second act-- it is not the first. The first act is
to be Christian. This is the first
act of theology. Second-- not secondary, no-- but second, comes
after, after practice. But I have said-- quickly, the relation
between these two questions. Certainly theology is a
reflection and spirituality is a practice. But the question is not-- ah, in the past, theology
was more important. Now more important spirituality? No, it is not in my case. I think what's important is to
have the closeness to wisdom. You know, because we are always
one person and other souvenirs were important for me
from my medical studies. I can remember one professor,
a very good professor, a professor of physiology and
nothing to do with theology, for him-- for me, yes. He has said in one
moment, you know, nothing is more practical
than a good theory. Because you know, good, good
practice, good theory, good-- very bad theory is
not good, but it's practical in medicine
is very clear. You need to know the human body. The anatomy-- terrible course,
to learn in the beginning by heart all the questions. But we needed to know
the body, otherwise. In this case,
practice and theory-- practice, and
reflection, and theory-- it is not exactly to go
from a deductive manner to reflect to
inductive, but trying to do this together because
reflection is important. It is very important. And I think for me,
this question nothing to do initially with theology,
this question of theory and practice, but
it was my question? Well now to finish I must
take some general points. One is I would like
to repeat my point-- these three questions
are around persons-- persons. It's the practice
of the persons. We cannot forget
this-- you know, the abstraction in some
theologies, even today also. Well, it's terrible, I think. If we take seriously
the question of the Church of the poor
or the question of Francis, the church poor and for the poor
is exactly the question of John XXIII, but a little
more precise maybe. But what it is to be
Christian and to belong to a Christian
community is to be in the service of
all the persons. It is the question. And theology is very
interesting intellectually, at least for me, but
is not my reason. And the reason to do
theology is to try to help persons and
the church to do a good service, a faithful
service to the persons also. It is a question. Thomas Aquinas,
in the beginning, beginning of the Summa
Theologica, has this question-- theology is also a
practical science? And they say, yes, also-- practical also. But intellectual, certainly,
and at the same time, practical. You know, these questions were
very present in the Synod. The question of doctrine
and pastoral-- very present. It is not the old
questions-- no, no, present. Pastoral persons-- a pastor
is address to persons-- and we need to be serious,
theologically speaking, to see the reflections
in the historical sources of overall Bible. The Bible is a manner
to go to the source. I am always, always interested
to find the biblical sources in order to-- because this is new. We have different
readings sometimes. The contradictions are
different and accents in the readings of the Bible. Well, one point, persons-- a second point,
theology in this case, personally, and really I
think many other persons are thinking in same way, is
one hermeneutic of hope. To reflect is to
propose we have hope. And the reflection,
among the virtues-- faith, hope, and charity-- well, the second one is
very important in theology. It is possible to have hope. I remember always my
background in France, I was reading one great poet
of the first part of the 20th century, Charles Péguy. He has one book about hope. And his idea is this. They are three sisters-- two big, Faith and Charity,
in the middle Hope, very, very small. And they are sitting
holding the hands. People, says Charles Péguy,
think the great sisters are trying-- not so-- the girl is taking
Charity and Faith to walk. I think it's interesting. Immediately, I have a
recall of this question and my manner to understand in
this moment theology is this. I think it's one
hermeneutic interpretation-- interpretation of hope. Is it possible to
have hope today? Well, it is the task. We need to deepen [INAUDIBLE]
the possibilities of charity, but it is a question. Well, my friends-- Thanks so much. --I can stop here because
I have another moment. [APPLAUSE] [CLASSICAL MUSIC]
