When a Latin American theologian reads Luke, what themes get noticed that others might underplay?<\/b><\/p>\n
When you read Luke with poor people who have no hope, or with people hiding from dictators and death patrols, you see things you might not see otherwise. The most important underappreciated theme is what\u2019s often called \u201cthe great reversal.\u201d\u009d This is the idea, from Luke 13, that when the kingdom of God arrives, the last shall be first and the first shall be last.<\/p>\n
Or take Mary\u2019s song (the Magnificat) from Luke\u2019s first chapter (vv. 46\u201d\u201c55). It talks about God filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty. Traditional readings of this passage aren\u2019t necessarily wrong, but they can neglect the themes of wealth and poverty. We need a variety of perspectives, including the poor\u2019s, to get at the full meaning.<\/p>\n
What are American evangelicals most apt to overlook?<\/p>\n
Compared to the other gospel writers, Luke takes care to emphasize the word salvation. We tend to overlook the economic, political, and social implications of this salvation. Luke helps us to see what it looks like for the poor.<\/p>\n