Óscar Romero Among the Liberation Theologians

This essay reassesses the life and legacy of the Salvadoran martyr and saint Óscar Romero, focusing on his relationship to liberation theology. Drawing on his writings before and after becoming archbishop in 1977, I argue that the theological category of liberation forms a consistent thread in Romero’s theology from the early 1970s onward, and that his theology of liberation continues to deepen over the remainder of the decade. In Romero’s mature thought, God’s liberative work centers on forming Christian liberators conformed to Christ’s love—a vision that invites renewed reflection on liberation theology as a diverse and contested tradition.

Duke Scholars

Author Matthew Philipp Whelan Divinity School