Following Jesus

by Segundo Galilea

Galilea, Segundo

Genres: Theology

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1981

Reviews

[W. Littlejohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful and challenging book, calling us to lives of radical, prayerful, Christ-centered service to the poor and oppressed. There's no hint here of reducing the Gospel to purely socio-political goals, and neglecting the "spiritual" dimension, but neither is there any hint that these two are separable, and we can follow Jesus without focusing on serving the needy and raising up the downtrodden. This sanctified balance, that does not compromise radicalism, along with its simple, honest, very human writing style, is what makes this such a powerful book.

I highly recommend this to folks in our circles as the best and simplest introduction to so-called "liberation theology,"--no one will be able to keep attaching epithets like "evil" to liberation theology after they read this book.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I wish I could have read and absorbed this thirty years ago. So much wasted time. And I'm sure, like an idiot, I would have dismissed it back then. Paradigms keep us from so many great books. Chapter IX on Christian maturity was simply mindblowing. Reading this made me want to meet the author Galilea face to face (first time that's ever happened), who's now in his seventies or eighties, I believe. Sadly, I heard back that he's very ill in a hospital in Chile. Well, someday.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent! To think it has been reposing on my shelves for decades, unread! And yet it corresponds, from another ethnic point of view, to everything I learned from my Doktorvater, Gerhard Lohfink, and it is virtually ripped from today's headlines. I want to pass it on to others, but I can't bear to part with it.

[Adam Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fine book by Segundo Galilea, a South American Catholic priest, is possibly the best introduction to Liberation Theology a person can pick up. It is simple and undiluted Jesus from top to bottom, and he explores a number of ways in which the call to follow Him challenges us, our politics, our economics, and our lives.