Frontiers Of Hispanic Theology In The United States

With the emerging vitality of the Hispanic church in the United States, the voices of Hispanic theology raise a new and vital challenge. A bridge between the North American church and the liberation theology of Latin America, Hispanic theology reflects on the experience of faith rooted in the cultures, histories, and hopes of the Hispanic people here in the U.S. Frontiers of Hispanic Theology in the United States draws on the key figures and explores the central themes of Hispanic theology, including such issues as popular religion, spirituality, liturgy, Hispanic feminist perspectives, and the meaning of "mestizaje" as a source of theological reflection. What emerges is a truly contextual theology, rooted in the unique cultures and tradition of Hispanic Catholics, a theology which also issues a wider challenge to the Anglo church and the world theological community.

Makes a significant contribution to theological anthropology done by and for a world Church. Important new insights about the fundamental identity of human persons and communities emerge as the author brings the writings of Karl Rahner and U.S. Hispanic theologians into a creative and mutually enriching conversation.

U.S. Hispanic/Latino voices have emerged in the last ten years to become one of the strongest and most creative theological movements in the Americas. Fully ecumenical and organized in systematic, collaborative framework, this major volume features Hispanic theology's sources (the Bible, church history, cultural memory, literature, oral tradition, pentecostalism), loci (urban barrios, Puerto Rico, exile, liberation, social sciences, Latina feminists), and rich and vigorous expressions (mujerista theology, popular religion, theopoetics). Hispanic/Latino Theology not only celebrates the full flowering of U.S. Latino work, it also splendidly reveals the exciting possibilities and future shape of contextual theologies in close touch with the daily realities of struggling people.

Liberation Theologies in the United States reveals how the critical use of religion can be utilized to challenge and combat oppression in America. In the nascent United States, religion often functioned as a justifier of oppression. Yet while religious discourse buttressed such oppressive activities as slavery and the destruction of native populations, oppressed communities have also made use of religion to critique and challenge this abuse. As Liberation Theologies in the United States demonstrates, this critical use of religion has often taken the form of liberation theologies, which use primarily Christian principles to address questions of social justice, including racism, poverty, and other types of oppression. Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas and Anthony B. Pinn have brought together a stellar group of liberation theology scholars to provide a synthetic introduction to the historical development, context, theory, and goals of a range of U.S.-born liberation theologies: Black Theology—Anthony B. Pinn Womanist Theology—Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas Latina Theology—Nancy Pineda-Madrid Hispanic/Latino(a) Theology—Benjamín Valentín Asian American Theology—Andrew Sung Park Asian American Feminist Theology—Grace Ji-Sun Kim Native Feminist Theology—Andrea Smith Native American Theology—George (Tink) Tinker Gay and Lesbian Theology—Robert E. Shore-Goss Feminist Theology—Mary McClintock Fulkerson “An extraordinary resource for understanding the vitality of liberation theologies and their relation to social transformation in the changing U.S. context. Written in an accessible and engaged way, this powerful and informative text will inspire beginners and scholars alike. I highly recommend it."—Kwok Pui-lan, author of Postcolonial Imagination and Feminist Theology “A delight to read . . . [and] an exemplary account of the genre of liberation theologies." ―Religious Studies Review

Latino/aTheology Latino/aTheology Edited by Orlando O. Espín The one-volume Companion to Latino/a Theology presents a systematic survey of the past, present and future of Latino/a theology, introducing readers to this significant US theological movement. Contributors to the Companion include many established scholars of the highest caliber, together with some new and exciting voices within the various theological disciplines. A mixture of Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical scholars, they discuss the publications and contributions of theologians who reflect from, and participate in, the faith and realities of US Latino/a communities. providing unparalleled breadth and depth in the discussion of the key issues, each chapter begins with a summary of the theological publications and thought within Latino/a theology, and then proceeds to develop a constructive contribution on the topic. This invaluable and unique Companion, edited by one of the foremost Latino theologians currently working and writing in the field, is fully ecumenical, comprehensive, and wholly representative of the wide range of ecclesial and theological traditions. It will become both an important resource for scholars and an unparalleled introduction to the entire discipline. “A luminous assemblage of voices, lucid and experimental, as divergent from each other as they are connected, in a telogía de conjunto crucial not just for one complex US context but for the life and future of theology itself.” Catherine Keller, Drew Theological School

"The Sleeping Giant" is the fastest-growing minority group in the U.S.--the Hispanic community. Hispanics, especially Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Mexicans, are changing society and the church. As a second-generation Puerto Rican, born and reared in El Barrio of New York City, Manuel Ortiz knows first-hand what it is like to be a Hispanic in the U.S. As a sociologist, he recognizes the exciting potential for the future of the church--if leadership development is undertaken. Oritz first explores the unique needs and concerns of Hispanics in the U.S. Then he turns to key missiological issues, including Protestant-Catholic relationships, justice, racial reconcilliation and ecclesiastical structures. Ortiz has interviewed numerous Hispanic leaders working in a variety of contexts and describes their models for ministry. Finally, the book focuses on leadership training and education, with a particular emphasis on developing second-generation leadership. The sleeping giant must not be ignored. This is a book that will awaken awareness of the possibilities of the Hispanic church.

Two aspects are fundamental to Hispanic/Latina theology: rich diversity and a collaborative spirit. In this groundbreaking book, Hispanic scholars come together to create a theology drawn from the collaboration of Latino and Latina Protestants in North America. The authors discuss a range of topics--God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the importance of scripture, the church, humanity, the doctrine of sin, spirituality--and the challenges facing Hispanic/Latina Protestant theology.