Camilo Torres: Priest, Liberation Theologian, Guerrilla Fighter takes an in-depth look at the intense story of Colombian figure Camilo Torres Restrepo (1929–1966). Torres was an acclaimed young liberal who became a priest, a sociologist, a forerunner of liberation theology, and a revolutionary politician who sought to end 130 years of terrible human suffering in his country and to replace it with a Christian humanism based on “efficacious love.” This goal proved challenging to accomplish, and Torres ultimately found his way into the ranks of the Colombian ELN guerrilla movement, in which he was killed in February 1966, leaving behind a prophetic hope.
This book is a vital resource for historians and students of Latin America. It especially appeals to those interested in church policy, the theology of liberation, and guerrilla movements. As the first English-language publication on this subject in 50 years – since the last account of Torres’s life in 1975 – it breaks new ground. Furthermore, it represents the first exploration of how Jewish thought influenced Torres’s theoretical framework, adopting a prophetic justice perspective that resonates with the struggles of Colombia and similar regions in the developing world. This is not just a historical account; it’s a call to understand and confront injustice wherever it exists.