Gutiérrez's 1971 book provides an inspiring argument as to how Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should support the poor. The Catholic Church had traditionally seen itself as politically neutral but in the 1960s and 70s reformers, such as Gutiérrez, urged it to seriously address real-world issues such as poverty and oppression. He coined the term "liberation theology," a practice combining reflection, critical Bible reading, and—importantly—action, to describe what should be done to transform the lives of those who suffer socially unjust circumstances, such as the indigenous populations in Latin America. Liberation theology continues to inspired activist and human rights groups today.
