Fr. James A. Walsh (right) working at a desk in the Field Afar offices at Maryknoll, 1924.
The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers have been writing and publishing since the society’s beginnings in 1911. Technically, Fr. James A. Walsh and his group of Secretaries were publishing “The Field Afar” (now Maryknoll Magazine) in 1907, four years before Maryknoll existed! While we’ve discussed A Brief History of Maryknoll Magazine and highlighted Orbis Books throughout our blog, we have not explored the importance of Orbis Books and the impact of their publications.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
The original seven Secretaries who worked on The Field Afar.
How It Started
Orbis Books, the publishing arm of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, was established in April 1970. It was founded by the famous diplomat and priest, Fr. Miguel d’Escoto, and Philip J. Scharper. With the support of the General Council and the Social Communications Department, these men launched an historic venture in religious publishing to share exciting new expressions of Christianity emerging in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Orbis Books was established in part to implement the mission education mandate of Maryknoll. By translating and sharing emerging religious ideas in English, they contributed to the international theological dialogue essential to mission. It was an exercise in “reverse mission,” where Christians in Western, industrialized nations are evangelized through the gospel as lived and proclaimed by the world’s poor.
Portrait of Fr. Miguel d’Escoto
Original cover art for the English translation of
A Theology of Liberation, 1973
Early Orbis publications highlighted theological and ecclesial developments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as topics in mission theology, world religions, economic and cultural development, social justice, and the pursuit of peace. In 1973, Orbis made an important decision to publish an English translation of Gustavo Gutierrez’s landmark work, A Theology of Liberation. From this point on, Orbis became well known as the English-language conduit for Latin American liberation theology and other liberation theology adaptations from around the world.
Wait… What is Liberation Theology?
If you’re unfamiliar with liberation theology, you are not alone. Gustavo Gutierrez defined liberation theology as “based on the gospel and the experiences of men and women committed to the process of liberation in the oppressed land of Latin America” (Orbis Books). A more recent definition describes liberation theology as “a social and political movement within the church that attempts to interpret the gospel of Jesus Christ through the lived experiences of oppressed people” (U.S. Catholic). Core concepts of this theological movement include caring for and standing in solidarity with the poor, promoting social justice, and addressing the root causes of poverty.
I want to make it very clear that I am not a theologian, nor am I qualified to discuss liberation theology on a deeper level. If you’d like to learn more, I suggest turning to the professionals! I’ve listed several options below where you can explore further with guidance from modern theologians.
Articles:
Liberation Theology by John M. Frame
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/liberation-theology/
Instruction on Certain Aspects of the “Theology of Liberation”, published by the Vatican
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19840806_theology-liberation_en.html
Books:
A Theology of Liberation by Gustavo Gutierrez
Introducing Liberation Theology by Leonardo Boff
God of the Oppressed by James H. Cone
Liberation Theology for Armchair Theologians by Miguel A. de la Torre
Videos:
Why This Text Matters: A Theology of Liberation, featuring Raúl E. Zegarra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdCQ4_cgn6k&t=7s
Liberation Theology: Past, Present, and Future, featuring Dr. Rudolf J. Siebert and Dr. Dustin J. Byrd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny96dfktd2M
Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez, OP, teaching in 1976.
Life in Freedom: Liberation Theologies from Asia by Michael Amaladoss, SJ
Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez, OP, lecturing at the Maryknoll Seminary, 1984
A Theology of Liberation is widely regarded as one of the most influential theological texts of the 20th century. The decision to translate and publish Gutierrez’s work for English-speaking audiences helped to shape the trajectory of liberation theology within North America and parts of Europe. Because of this, Orbis became well known as the English-language conduit for Latin American liberation theology and other liberation theology adaptations from around the world.
Expanding Horizons
As Orbis Books continued to expand their publication list, changes were made behind the scenes to support the publishing house’s growth. In 1987, the Maryknoll General Council established an Advisory Committee to Orbis Books. A diverse group of Maryknollers were selected to reflect a wide range of mission experience and professional skills. The Committee still exists today, though its membership has changed over the years. It continues to oversee the editorial program of Orbis, and reports on important trends, developments within the church, and the missionary world.
By the 1990s, Orbis had continued to broaden their scope, and their books reflected a growing awareness of world Christianity and the challenge of a “world church.” They endeavored to publish authors from all parts of the world, including North America and Europe, who were struggling to understand and articulate the gospel of the new era. They particularly tried to publish books on modern challenges concerning mission and evangelization.
A Black Theology of Liberation by James H. Cone
A Palestinian Theology of Liberation by Naim Stifan Ateek
A New Direction
In 1993, Orbis began a new partnership with Concilium, an international theology journal. This European-based publication promotes theological discussion in the spirit of Vatican II, out of which it was born. It is a catholic journal in the widest sense: rooted firmly in Catholic heritage but also open to other Christian traditions and the world’s faiths. Orbis served as their distributor throughout the United States, until Concilium and Orbis ended their partnership in 1999.
During this period, Orbis began distributing other journals as well. In 1995, Orbis began the U.S. and Canadian distribution for Studies in World Christianity, a journal designed to meet the new challenges to Western-dominated Christian theology and religious studies. That same year, Orbis also took up the US distribution of Studies in Interreligious Dialogue, a journal that is concerned with the encounter between religious traditions and world views.
Orbis Books has continued their mission to publish “books that explore the global dimension of faith, invite dialogue with diverse cultures and traditions, and serve the cause of reconciliation and peace” (Orbis). This April, they celebrate their 56th anniversary as an organization. If you’re interested in reading some of their latest publications, you can find them here: https://orbisbooks.com/collections/new-titles-spring-2026.
Interested in learning more about Maryknoll?
You can contact the Archives at:
Maryknoll Mission Archives
PO Box 305, Maryknoll, New York 10545
Phone: 914-941-7636
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Email: archives@maryknoll.org
Website: www.maryknollmissionarchives.org
References:
About Orbis Books. Orbis Books. (2026). https://orbisbooks.com/pages/about-orbis-books?srsltid=AfmBOoqyLV5Zy3KqdVE7DI0CB6mONF49sTM2luteJwtdEfQBylJYEvis
Bishop James A. Walsh. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, July 25). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/bishop-james-a-walsh/
Cairns, M. (2025, January 29). A brief history of maryknoll magazine. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/a-brief-history-of-maryknoll-magazine/
Concilium: International Journal for Theology. Concilium. (2026, February). https://concilium.hymnsam.co.uk/
Dault, K. (2014, October 14). What is liberation theology?. U.S. Catholic. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201410/what-is-liberation-theology/
Father Miguel F. d’Escoto. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2017, June). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-fathers-bro/father-miguel-f-descoto-mm/
Fowler, G. (n.d.). Philip Scharper, a publisher, dies. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/08/nyregion/philip-scharper-a-publisher-dies.html?auth=login-google1tap&login=google1tap
Homepage. Maryknoll Magazine. (2026, March 2). https://www.maryknollmagazine.org/
Liptak, A. (n.d.). The Greening of Orbis Books. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/06/nyregion/the-greening-of-orbis-books.html
Missionaries of the Catholic Church: Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers. Maryknoll Society. (2025, December 9). https://maryknollsociety.org/
Orbis books: A Ministry of Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. Orbis Books. (2026). https://orbisbooks.com/
Studies in Interreligious Dialogue. Peeters Online Journals. (2026). https://poj.peeters-leuven.be/content.php?url=journal&journal_code=SID
Studies in world christianity . Edinburgh University Press Journals. (2026). https://www.euppublishing.com/journal/swc
A theology of liberation: History, politics, and salvation. Orbis Books. (2026). https://orbisbooks.com/products/9781626985414?_pos=11&_sid=794b5787d&_ss=r
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, September 7). Orbis books. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbis_Books
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, October 22). A theology of liberation. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Theology_of_Liberation
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, December 22). Liberation theology. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_theology
Wikimedia Foundation. (2026, April 4). Gustavo Gutiérrez. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Guti%C3%A9rrez
An Ecological Theology of Liberation by Daniel P. Castillo
The Election of Pope Leo XIV by Gerard O’Connell and Elisabetta Pique
