The Struggle Is One: Voices and Visions of Liberation

by Mev Puleo

"If I were to choose a single book by means of which to introduce North Americans to the real meaning of liberation theology, it would be this book." -- From the Foreword, Robert McAfee Brown

"More than any other book I know, Mev Puleo's The Struggle is One, brings alive the world of liberation theology in contemporary Brazil for the North American reader. We meet the men and women from both the educated elites and the desperately poor favelas and rural areas whose burning faith and committed lives are expressed in the continued re-creation of a Christian vision and praxis of prophetic struggle." -- Rosemary Radford Ruether

"While other books on liberation theology help us to understand its significance in terms of doctrine, Mev Puleo's The Struggle is One, a book full of 'living human documents,' leads us right to the heart of its spirituality." -- Henri Nouwen

"In a way that is difficult to find in other forms, Mev Puleo's book, The Struggle is One, presents first hand information by asking incisive questions in a gentle and gracious manner. Members of Christian communities as well as bishops are given a voice. But perhaps what speaks more powerfully are the photographic images. Mev Puleo is an artist who vividly portrays the life and faith of a people." -- Gustavo Gutierrez

"An excellent contribution to liberation theology in Latin America. I strongly recommend it." -- James Cone

"This book puts real faces and vibrant content into liberation theology." -- Harvey Cox

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1994

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Mev's interview with Brazilian theologian Clodovis Boff: "If you’re always in the middle-class, middle-class friends, middle-class neighborhood, middle-class parish, middle-class school, there’s no real way to break with it, even if you have good ideas and intentions. You start little projects to donate to the poor, but you don’t make a deep option for life. You’ll only have a conversion when you break with your world and have contact with the poor. Like St. Francis who kissed the leper. You must kiss the leper."

[Louis]

After having read and studied liberation theology primarily through academic lenses, this book was quite refreshing. I had a strong affinity for liberation theology previously, but there is something quite powerful about hearing the stories of the liberation theologies in this book in a much more personal way. Mev Puleo, the author of the book, interviewe 16 liberation theologians living in Brazil. The chapters are the words of the liberation theologians, but in a less formal style as they are derived from interviews.

Many of the academic elite theologians are critical of liberation theology, in particular noting that it skews the theological meaning by using a liberation lenses to read and understand scripture. However, these same theologians rarely acknowledge the distortion that comes through their privilege. Instead, we get deeper meanings when we can come into conversation, recognizing and acknowledging how all of us cannot help but bring our biases in the process of discovering and creating meaning.

For those not familiar with liberation theology, this can be a good book to use as a starting point. Although it may not present the theology in as systematic of a form as other books, it tells some of the stories of liberation theology much better than the more structured, academic-sounding liberation theology books that often are in the seminary classrooms.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wonderful lib theo book! fantastic interviews with everyone from campesinos, to priests, to bishops. i've lent it to many friends. no one dislikes it. if you know nothing of liberation theology but want to, pick up this book... then "a theology of liberation," then some sobrino, more boff, romero speeches...

[gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

yay for finding mev puleo in the library while looking for other things!

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fabulous read that gives perspective and insight to the power of activism in Brasil.