8/15/18::Grace Gyori: From Christian Imperialism to Liberation for All—A Missionary’s Journey

The Common Good Podcast

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Over the years, religious missionary endeavors have too often proceeded alongside the the imperialist and colonialist impetus of nations. But many missionaries and missionary agencies have changed completely away from such entanglement of faith with colonialism or imperialism. This podcast tells how those changes came about in the life of Grace Gyori. Grace was born to parents of missionaries to China. They were incredibly adventurous, oriented to the service of humanity, and also unconscious of the larger colonial and imperial geopolitical picture. She married Tom Gyori and the two became missionaries with the Presbyterian Church USA in Guatemala.

Lee got to know Grace Gyori in the 1990’s. She and Tom were early founders of Jubilee Economics Ministries. Tom died in 2016. In Guatemala, Grace and Tom were not there to evangelize but to work alongside of the local leaders. Their spirit was not imperial, but liberationist, seeking justice for all, giving up the notion that one had to be Christian or that others were inferior. Instead, they understood that a missionary was a cross-cultural bridge engaging in important faith-based minististries, participating in mutual benefits as all people and all species are to be treated with respect.

Also Mentioned

Common Good Feature–National Geographic: Teaching the Common Good

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