Oscar Romero’s Theological Vision
On October 14, 2018, Pope Francis will canonize Óscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, who was assassinated as he celebrated Mass in El Salvador nearly four decades ago. As the Catholic Church declares Romero a saint, the University of Notre Dame Press is proud to publish Óscar Romero’s Theological Vision: Liberation and the Transfiguration of the Poor, by Edgardo Colón-Emeric, one of the first full-length investigations into Romero’s theology. In this volume, Colón-Emeric, director of the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School, explores the life and thought of Romero and his theological vision, which finds its focus in the mystery of the transfiguration.
Stephen Little, acquisitions editor at University of Notre Dame Press, says, “Romero has been known as a leader, a hero, a martyr, and now a saint. The time has come for him to be known as a theologian: a visionary guide for the Church and the world in the age of Pope Francis.”
Romero is now understood to be one of the founders of liberation theology, which interprets scripture through the plight of the poor. His theological vision is most succinctly expressed by his saying, “Gloria Dei, vivens pauper” (“The glory of God is the poor who lives”). God’s glory was first revealed through Christ to a landless tenant farmer, a market woman, and an unemployed laborer, and they received the power to shine from the church to the world.
Colón-Emeric’s study is an exercise in what Latino/a theologians call ressourcementfrom the margins, or a return to theological foundations. One of the first Latin American church fathers, Romero’s theological vision is a sign of the emergence of Christianity in the Global South from “reflection” church to “source” church. Scholars in the fields of theology, religious studies, and Latin American studies will be captivated by the doctrine of this humble pastor and inspired to think more clearly and act more decisively in solidarity with the poor.
“Everyone in the English-speaking world who is writing and thinking about the witness of Romero will need to read this book and will benefit greatly from that reading.”—Peter Casarella, University of Notre Dame
Óscar Romero’s Theological Vision: Liberation and the Transfiguration of the Poor is available in hardback and numerous digital editions (including Edelweiss) from University of Notre Dame Press. For more information or a review copy, contact: Kathryn Pitts, e: pitts.5@nd.edu, p: 574.631.3267