A Grammar of Justice ― The Legacy of Ignacio Ellacuria

November 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the massacre of the Jesuit community of the University of Central America in San Salvador and the death of the rector, Fr. Ignacio Ellacuria. This volume, drawing on a team of international scholars, focuses on the work of Ellacuria and its relevance for the future. As the editors note, Ellacuria “has achieved an international reputation not only in Latin America but throughout the world as one of the most brilliant contributors to Latin American liberation theology and one of the most important Jesuits in the post-conciliar Society and Church.” The title refers to Cardinal Newman’s “grammar of assent,” his argument for the role of faith in countering the “debilitating rationalism” of his age. In a similar way, Ellacuria envisions a “grammar of justice” as a response to the postmodern apathy of today.

J. Matthew Ashley is the author of Ignatius and the Theologians. Kevin F. Burke, S.J., is the coeditor of Love that Produces Hope and author of The Ground Beneath the Cross. Rodolfo Cardenal, S.J., is the former vice-rector of the University of Central American in San Salvador.