Customer Reviews

The Violence of Love

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Archbishop Romero, the asassinated bishop of El Salvador (1980) is considered by me and many to be a prophet to the church and world of our time. Faced with a situation in his country that saw 5 percent of his nation with 95 percent of the wealth and total power over the government and military which they used to oppress the 95 percent in poverty, Archbishop Romero was transformed from a conservative bookworm to the greatest orator for justice in the clergy since Martin Luther King, Jr. This book contains excerpts from his sermons arragned in chronological order during the three years of his episcopacy in San Salvador (1977-1980). These sermons were more than just spiritual messages, but rather nation-wide calls for social justice, for nonviolence, and for an end to poverty and pain. Drawing on readings from the bible, Romero the scholar and orator shine through, but so does the Romero of compassion and solidarity with the people who suffered so much. And in many ways what he said then is still applicable today, not only in El Salvador, but all over the world, wherever there is injustice and oppression. A must read for any person concerned for social justice for all grounded in a Christian perspective!

I bought this book after seeing the DVD "Romero". There are very few things in my life which I can say changed everything for me, and the DVD and this book were some of those few. He speaks simply and clearly to a loved audience of suffering believers. He speaks to the need of a conversion of love for the poor as an imperative step after a conversion to Christ. That every Christian living in comfort and safety must give money, time, energy, and prayer to the needs of the poor and oppressed. And that this giving must be past the point of what is convenient. He says that no Christian has a right to live in comfort if he sees someone suffering. That any Christian suffering must pray for and love their enemies. This book is radical in its simplicity, in its clarity, in its gentleness, and in its absolute conviction. Tragically, Romero was killed in 1980 for trying to live out the commands of Christ.

This book is great as a devotional, even if you are not into devotionals, and can be read in small bites.

Archbishop Romero's life and writing is a testamony of transending the status quo to becomimng a voice for the voiceless. A bullet from the oppressors silenced this challenge represented by Romero. These writings uncover the presence of Christ amoung the poor. Here is a message of courage and hope revealed in poetic lines rooted in the commom struggle for freedom and justice by the people.

Romero's moving quotations, spoken from the altar, are presented in chronological order. Each day Romero spoke increasingly explicit "truth to power". As his message becomes more threatening to the powers that be, the reader can almost watch the gun sites come into focus on the heart of this martyr!

A wonderful book for discovering the true meaning of Christian love in our often difficult and painful world. I have used this book more than once in putting together mini retreats for adults. One cannot help soul searching after the experience. Viewing the film Romero with Raul Julia helps bring it all home. Don't let the title put you off - the book is all about love without violence.

I attended the protest of the School of the Americas at Fort Benning this past November. It was a moving experience, and many times Oscar Romero's name was mentioned. During one gathering, it was announced that some Colombian trade unionists had been murdered by the paramilitaries. The scale of the US-backed violence in Latin America is astonishing; but the struggle against it is inspiring.
Romero would be thrilled to see how Latin American immigrants to the US have been making history with massive rallies to recognize their rights as children of God. In the memory of Romero, and to honor the Latin Americans who are teaching US citizens about democracy and faith, I'd like to share this passage from "The Violence of Love":
"With Christ, God has injected himself into history. With the birth of Christ, God's reign is now inaugurated in human time.
On this night (December 25, 1977), as every year for twenty centuries, we recall that God's reign is now in this world and that Christ has inaugurated the fullness of time. His birth attests that God is now marching with us in history, that we do not go alone.
Humans long for peace, for justice, for a reign of divine law, for something holy, for what is far from earth's reality. We can have such a hope, not because we ourselves are able to construct the realm of happiness that God's holy words proclaim, but because the builder of a reign of justice, of love, and of peace is already in the midst of us."

The words of Bishop Romero are very inspirational. This book contains a collection of short quotes from homilies given by Romero to people in need of liberation. The topics of the quotes vary and are applicable to all walks of life. I would recommend reading a biography of Romero or the history of El Salvador before reading this book to give his words a better historical context. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking direction in life or anyone seeking the inspiration of a hero for humanity.

A voice of a martyr and prophet. Explains what it means to be a Christian.

Dear Reader, Do yourself a favor. Take this book to daily prayer. Let the love embrace you.

This is not a good book for reading cover-to-cover, but I recommend it for reading in short bursts, like a devotional. Archbishop Romero (and liberation theology in general) is often criticized for focusing on political/economic liberation over more eternal spiritual liberation through Christ. In this collection of quotes from sermons (and other sources, like written work), though, Archbishop Romero hits the point home again and again that his focus is on calling sinners - both oppressors and oppressed - to repentance, to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, which will lead to an end to the torture and disappearances that plagued El Salvador while he preached. I found many of the quotes to be quite moving, and when I first read the book six or seven years ago, I marked up just about every page with a red pen. The weakness of the book, though, is that it is organized chronologically (with a few small deviations) rather than by subject, so reading from the first page to the last can be overwhelming. I suggest that Plough should release an Archbishop Romero devotional, with the quotes from this book organized by topic and designed to be digested and meditated on in small portions, with the Biblical quotes more clearly referenced than with the occasional footnotes in this version. The content is great; it's the structure that diminishes the effectiveness of the book.