The Call of God: Women Doing Theology in Peru

Rating:
Summary: A must reading for any student of Liberation Theology
Review: This is more than a story of women who rose above the oppression of abject poverty; this is a story of the "will to live." The story of women who found each other and formed a common cause. This is what can happen when the seeds of hope, in desperate souls, are watered.

I have seen, after living in Peru for five years, that the majority of Peruvian women (and most any developing Latin American country) have to face 4 tyrannical forces that oppressing them -- the autocratic church, government that is lethargic & indifferent, condescending, machismo men and ultimately, poverty - debilitating poverty; poverty that can strip a soul of both hope and humanity and ultimately lead to a philosophy/theology of fatalism. This is the story of how the women of El Agustino faced the four totalitarian forces and prevailed. How they rekindled hope among the hopeless and gave directions for a better life to the lost. The women of El Agustino have not slain Goliath but they have kicked the dickens out of his shins.

The writer, Tom Powers, S.J (Director of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality), explores, in intelligent manner, howbeit academic, the struggle of women who have come to a neoCatholic theology which highlights both a transformed faith and their social action. Tom Powers' writing is more a 'white paper' on the struggle and modest triumph of these women; the women of El Agustino, Lima, Peru.

To Tom Powers credit (as an established Catholic), he 'pulls-no-punches' when critiquing the Peruvian Catholic church and its stilted and oppressive dogma which keeps both women and the poor in servitude to existing political, social and economic systems. He writes "The conservative (Catholic) church in Peru exhibits little concern for the social realities and presents itself in the model of the authoritarian and dogmatic institution that thrived before the Second Vatican Council".

His book is a quick contextual sketch of many aspects of the Peruvian system. Tom Powers discusses the history of Peru, the struggle of democracy and the rise of the 'Sendero Luminoso' terrorists, the Catholic Church, liberation theology and globalization. He exposes the theology of the women of El Agustino, showing how theology, like God, never stays the same. For Powers all theology emanates from the critique of, and struggle against, the sources of oppression. God is defined and redefined in the midst of this struggle. The struggle of these women is fearful, but the fear has not paralyzed them

This is a must reading for any student of Liberation Theology, for those that have an interest in women and their struggle in the world and especially for anyone that is going to live in Peru. Strongly recommend

Rating:
Summary: A must reading for any student of Liberation Theology
Review: This is more than a story of women who rose above the oppression of abject poverty; this is a story of the "will to live." The story of women who found each other and formed a common cause. This is what can happen when the seeds of hope, in desperate souls, are watered.

I have seen, after living in Peru for five years, that the majority of Peruvian women (and most any developing Latin American country) have to face 4 tyrannical forces that oppressing them -- the autocratic church, government that is lethargic & indifferent, condescending, machismo men and ultimately, poverty - debilitating poverty; poverty that can strip a soul of both hope and humanity and ultimately lead to a philosophy/theology of fatalism. This is the story of how the women of El Agustino faced the four totalitarian forces and prevailed. How they rekindled hope among the hopeless and gave directions for a better life to the lost. The women of El Agustino have not slain Goliath but they have kicked the dickens out of his shins.

The writer, Tom Powers, S.J (Director of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality), explores, in intelligent manner, howbeit academic, the struggle of women who have come to a neoCatholic theology which highlights both a transformed faith and their social action. Tom Powers' writing is more a 'white paper' on the struggle and modest triumph of these women; the women of El Agustino, Lima, Peru.

To Tom Powers credit (as an established Catholic), he 'pulls-no-punches' when critiquing the Peruvian Catholic church and its stilted and oppressive dogma which keeps both women and the poor in servitude to existing political, social and economic systems. He writes "The conservative (Catholic) church in Peru exhibits little concern for the social realities and presents itself in the model of the authoritarian and dogmatic institution that thrived before the Second Vatican Council".

His book is a quick contextual sketch of many aspects of the Peruvian system. Tom Powers discusses the history of Peru, the struggle of democracy and the rise of the 'Sendero Luminoso' terrorists, the Catholic Church, liberation theology and globalization. He exposes the theology of the women of El Agustino, showing how theology, like God, never stays the same. For Powers all theology emanates from the critique of, and struggle against, the sources of oppression. God is defined and redefined in the midst of this struggle. The struggle of these women is fearful, but the fear has not paralyzed them

This is a must reading for any student of Liberation Theology, for those that have an interest in women and their struggle in the world and especially for anyone that is going to live in Peru. Strongly recommend

Rating:
Summary: A powerful view of poverty, theology & women in Peru
Review: Tom Powers has done his homework...and in doing so has done us (those who want to know more about Peru) an enormous service. "The Call of God; Women Doing Theology in Peru," is based on his work on the ground in Lima and offers a powerful view of how dedicated women use faith as a means to combat poverty. This book is inspirational and demonstrates how the women of El Agustino work hand and hand with the church to break the chains of poverty and to "take control" of the direction of their lives.

Powers patiently explores the oft-mentioned, "llamada de Dios" or "call of God" that the women of El Augustino report and he carefully defines. The author also documents the dangers of promoting change in the barrios of Peru and how "Sendero Luminoso" or "Shining Path" killed Maria Elena Moyano...one of the extraordinary early leaders of "La Federacion Popular de Mujeres" or "The Popular Federation of Women." The assasination took place in Lima in February of 1992 and takes place in front of her children. Over 300,000 people attended the funeral of Moyano.

This 2003 publication reviews the history of the women's movement, the present course and the path ahead. This book also shows what emerges from hard work and faith. And how women do not depend on the unreliable men in the barrios to provide for them. In conclusion, Powers should be applauded for being interested in what women are doing theoligically in the country that is the birthplace of liberation theology. Recommended.

Bert Ruiz

Rating:
Summary: A powerful view of poverty, theology & women in Peru
Review: Tom Powers has done his homework...and in doing so has done us (those who want to know more about Peru) an enormous service. "The Call of God; Women Doing Theology in Peru," is based on his work on the ground in Lima and offers a powerful view of how dedicated women use faith as a means to combat poverty. This book is inspirational and demonstrates how the women of El Agustino work hand and hand with the church to break the chains of poverty and to "take control" of the direction of their lives.

Powers patiently explores the oft-mentioned, "llamada de Dios" or "call of God" that the women of El Augustino report and he carefully defines. The author also documents the dangers of promoting change in the barrios of Peru and how "Sendero Luminoso" or "Shining Path" killed Maria Elena Moyano...one of the extraordinary early leaders of "La Federacion Popular de Mujeres" or "The Popular Federation of Women." The assasination took place in Lima in February of 1992 and takes place in front of her children. Over 300,000 people attended the funeral of Moyano.

This 2003 publication reviews the history of the women's movement, the present course and the path ahead. This book also shows what emerges from hard work and faith. And how women do not depend on the unreliable men in the barrios to provide for them. In conclusion, Powers should be applauded for being interested in what women are doing theoligically in the country that is the birthplace of liberation theology. Recommended.

Bert Ruiz