Joyce Mary Nora Murray a Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Theology
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Joyce Mary Nora Murray A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Theology of the University of St. Michael's College and the Department of Theology of the Toronto School of Theology. In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology awarded by the University of St. Michael's College Toronto 1997 c. Joyce M. N. Murray National Library Bibliothique nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OttawaON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde me licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pennettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distrriute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de mierofiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur fonnat Bectronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantid extracts &om it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent Etre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT The Soteriolosv of Gustavo Gutierrez Communal Dimensions of Salvation by Joyce Mary Nora Murray Studies of Gustavo Gutierrez ' s reinterpretation of the doctrine of salvation usually focus on his conceptualization of salvation as an integrated process of liberation. Critics have commonly claimed that he simply equates salvation and liberation, It is my thesis that Gutiertez interprets salvation ultimately as communion with God and one another in history and beyond it. In his vision, liberative communities among the poor and marginalized are primary subjects of salvation; they are loci of salvation, places of transformative action where communion is experienced historically in anticipation of full eschatological communion. Chapter one situates the soteriology of Gustavo Gutierrez within contemporary soteriology and explores its distinctiveness within Latin American liberation soteriology. Chapter two demonstrates that historical community serves as the basis of reflection for Gutierrez ' s soteriology . From his perspective in the late 1960s and 1970s, I review the perimeters of the reality of massive socially structured evil, popular liberation movements, and base Christian communities. I then identify four central soteriological principles which emerge from Gutierrez's experience. Chapter three mov& into the centre of the debate concerning Gutierrez's notion of salvation. I argue that Gutierrez finally conceives of salvation as communion, and sin as breach of communion. I explore his vision of base ecclesial communities as covenantal communities which anticipate final communion with God and one another in their search for integral liberation. Chapter four investigates the theological foundations of Gutierrez's soteriological vision. As he explores foundational theological categories from within the soteriological framework of liberation for communion, Gutierrez gains a renewed understanding of the nature of God as gratuitous love, the identity and mission of Christ as liberator and reconciler, spirituality as a communal journey of contemplation in liberative praxis, and the church of the poor as sacrament of communion. The concluding chapter reflects on implications of Gutierrez ' s communal vision of salvation beyond Latin America. I illustrate its wider relevance by examining the import of Gutierrez's central soteriological principles for Canadian Christian churches and Roman Catholic religious orders, two communities committed to salvation in the Canadian context. Woven throughout the dissertation is the soteriological perspective of Latin American feminist the0 logians . My advisor, Lee Connie, has made a major contribution to this dissertation. For his unerring critical sense, his profound understanding of Latin American liberation theology, his commitment to the marginalized, and the hope which sustains him and nourishes many others in the face of massive social injustice, I am most grateful. I appreciate, also, the guidance and encouragement of Ellen Leonard, my committee chairperson during the preparatory academic years. Finally, I am grateful to the members of my religious congregation, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough, who have supported me financially and have always encouraged me to seek Vhe moreu in the field of education. INTRODUCTION .......................................... i PART ONE PERSPECTIVES ON CONTEMPORARY CARISTIAN SOTERIOLOGY CHAPTER ONE: GUTIERREZfS SOTERIOLOGY SITUATED ......... 15 I . Latin American Liberation Soteriology .......... 18 I1 . The Soteriology of Gustavo Gutigrez ........... 24 A . Salvation inHistory ....................... 25 B . Community as the Primary Subject of Salvation ............................... 29 C . The Political Dimension of Salvation ....... 34 conclusion ......................................... 39 PART TWO FROM BROKEN TO HEALING COMMUNITY CHAPTERTWO: LIBERATION INCOMMUNITY .................. 40 I . Historical Roots ............................... 41 C . Base Ecclesial Communities ................. 56 11 . Central Soteriological Principles .............. 59 A . A Communal Praxis of Liberation ............ 60 B . The Poor as Agents of Transformation ....... 64 C . Solidarity as Liberating Social Praxis ..... 68 D . Gratuitous Love ............................ 73 conclusion ......................................... 75 iii Salvation Communion 11 . Sinas Breach of Communion ..................... 89 I11 . Covenantal Community Already and Not Yet ....... 97 A . AJust Society ............................. 101 B . Forgers of a New Humanity .................. 105 C . A Community Liberated from Sin and Admittedto Communion ...................... 110 Conclusion ......................................... 114 PART THREE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS Introduction CHAPTER FOUR: SOTERIOLOGICAL REFLECTION FROM THE MIDSTOFAPEOPLE ....................... 124 I . God: Mystery Revealed in Salvation History ..... 124 A . A God of Gratuitous Love in Solidarity wimthePoor .............................. 129 B . Christ the Liberator: Irruption into History of God's Gratuitous Love ........... 135 I1 . A Fundamentally Communal Spirituality .......... 142 A . A Collective Walking in the Spirit ......... 144 B . Contemplation: A Communal Experience ~fG~d~~Gratuitou~Love................... 150 C . Liberating Action: Creating Communion inBistory ................................. 153 111 . Church of the Poor: Sacrament of Communion ..... 156 A . Churchof thePoor ......................... 157 B . Sacrament of Communion ..................... 161 Conclusion PART FOUR IMPLICATIONS BEYOND LATIN AMERICA CHAPTER FIVE: GUTIERREZ'S SOTERIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES REVTSITED ............................... 172 I . Review and Summary ............................. 172 I1 . Implications Beyond Latin America .............. 177 A . TheCanadiancontext ....................... 178 B . Implications for Canadian Christian Chmches. .................................. 182 C . Implications for Roman Catholic ReligiousOrders ........................... 189 Conclusion ......................................... 197 CONCLUSION .............................................. 201 BIBLIOGRAPHY.. .........................m..............m.205 I first met Gustavo Gutierrez in July 1985 when I took a course from him at Boston College. Though I do so more profoundly after intensive study, even at that time I could echo Christian Duquoc's comment at Guti6rrezfs doctoral defence in Lyon on May 29, 1985: "In all honesty I may say that rarely have I come upon works that, like yours, raise so many personal questions."' A convergence of soteriological concerns becomes apparent as I articulate some of these questions. I live in a late twentieth century world in social crisis. Inhuman misery marks the life of vast numbers as signs of social disintegration abound in the increasing political, economic and social exclusion of the wide majority both within nations and globally. In the end, such exclusion means death in various forms. In Canada, the gap between rich and poor widens and governments at all levels increasingly target social spending in the universal drive to reduce the def icit. Behind the faceless statistics live--and die- individual human beings. I think of Marla whom I met during a visit to Itacoatiara in the Amazonian jungle. A young mother of five children, one of whom is physically challenged, l~ustavo Gutikez, The Truth Shall Make You Free: Confrontations, trans. Matthew J. O'Connell (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis, 1990) , 19. This is a slightly revised edition of La verdad 10s hard libres: confrontationes (Lima: Instituto Bartolome de Las Casas, 1986). she had moved into the city with her husband so that he could find work to support his family. In their native village further up the Amazon, he could fish for food but had no paying job; now, however, they had neither food nor work, and their dignity and self-worth were being eroded daily as their living conditions deteriorated and family worries increased. I am reminded also of Pauline, a sole-support mother in Peterborough, who threw a few belongings into two garbage bags one night and