MINDFUL, LIBERATING SOCIAL ACTION: GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ AND THICH NHAT HANH Open Access

Abstract

This dissertation is designed to enrich North American Christian social activism by weaving together the insights of Latin American liberation theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez and Vietnamese Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh. Gutiérrez and Nhat Hanh both write from the perspective of the poor and suffering in their contexts and both make suggestions as to what a fitting response to suffering should be. However, because their cultural contexts and religious trainings are different, they appropriate different tools for their investigations. Bringing their analyses together offers a richer understanding of human suffering and points to a vision of sustainable social activism and solidarity with the Third World poor.

I begin by looking at the relationship between poverty and human suffering in general. Next, I examine Gutiérrez´s understanding of el mundo del pobre and argue that it provides a unique angle on human suffering, thereby making it relevant to theologians outside of Latin America. I explore Gutiérrez´s understanding of the divine "preferential option of the poor" and his vision of "solidarity with the poor." Taken together, these two concepts call North American Christians to a new spirituality of solidarity which entails a radical break with the values of their culture. Nevertheless, Gutiérrez does not explain what solidarity might look like in the daily spiritual lives of middle-class or affluent North Americans.

To this end, I investigate Nhat Hanh's understanding of suffering and vision of sustainable social action. By positing ignorance as a constituent factor in all human suffering, Nhat Hanh demonstrates that the suffering of the poor is inherently connected to the suffering of the rich through global systems of oppression. I show how Nhat Hanh's vision of "interbeing" can give a radical meaning to Gutiérrez's vision of solidarity for First World activists. Finally, I propose a variety of spiritual practices, based on the mindfulness techniques of Nhat Hanh, that I believe can help North Americans to understand suffering in a deeper way, to recognize the influence of economic and cultural structures in their lives, and to live out a long-term commitment of solidarity with the poor.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………………..iii Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION: POVERTY AND SUFFERING………………………………….1 1. Poverty: An Initial Look

2. The Poor and the Other

3. Poverty and Human Suffering

4. Liberation Theology and Gustavo Gutiérrez

5. Implications for North American Christians

6. Engaged Buddhism and Thich Nhat Hahn

7. The Main Argument of This Project 2. GUTIÉRREZ'S CONTEXT AND PRESENT UTILITY……………………………31

1. Colonialism, the Church, and Bartolomé de Las Casas

2. Shifting Colonialisms, Capitalist Imperialism, and Developmentalism

3. The National Security State and Dependency Theory

4. Humble Beginnings, Vatican II, and the Latin American Episcopal Conferences

5. Conflict with Rome: Marxism and the Social Sciences 6. From Context to Contexts: Dependency and Interdependency

3. GUTIÉRREZ'S THEOLOGICAL THEMES ………………………………………..66

1. El Mundo del Pobre 2. Three Meanings of Poverty 3. Going to the Causes 4. Poverty and Suffering

5. Preferential Option for the Poor

6. Sin and Liberation 7. Solidarity with the Suffering

4. Nhat Hanh's Context, Major Themes, and Practices……….…...124

1. Western Colonialism and Buddhist Reform 2. The Vietnam War and the Suffering Poor 3. Exile, Engaged Buddhism, and the West

4. Engaged Buddhism

5. The Truth of Suffering 6. Interpenetration and Interbeing 7. The Practice of Mindfulness

5. ENGAGING LIBERATION: SUFFERING, SOLIDARITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY………………………………………………………………...204

1. Passing Over, Traveling With, or Conversation Partner

2. Suffering Revisited 3. Radical Solidarity 4. Divine Preference and Taking Sides

5. Mysticism, Sustainability, and the Middle Class

6. Practices for Sustaining Mindful, Liberating Social Action

7. Conclusion: Precious Jewels and Partner Dancing

BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………...265

About this Dissertation

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Religion
Subfield / Discipline	Theological Studies
Degree	PhD
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Social Work Religion, General
Keyword	social activism poverty spirituality engaged buddhism liberation theology suffering
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Farley, Wendy, Emory University
Committee Members	Doyle, Tara, Emory University McClintock, Sara L, Emory University

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