Introducing Latino/a Theologies

by Miguel A. de la Torre

Introducing Latino/a Theologies [Paperback] [Oct 22, 2001] Miguel A. De LA To...

Genres: Theology

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

De La Torre received a Masters in Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a doctorate from Temple University in social ethics. The focus of his academic pursuit has been ethics within contemporary U.S. thought, specifically how religion affects race, class, and gender oppression. He specializes in applying a social scientific approach to Latino/a religiosity within this country, Liberation theologies in Latin America, and postmodern/postcolonial social theory.

De La Torre currently servers as the Professor of Social Ethics and Latino/a Studies at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado.

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Latino theology means a theology done from the context of Latinos in the United States. At the outset, De la Torre and Aponte make the claim that all theology proceeds from a subjective background which reveals precisely who is doing the theology. What makes Latino theology different from European and American theologies is that it comes from a community that has been marginalized, oppressed, and alienated. Furthermore, this community is mestizo because it is mixture of races, cultures, and of languages. From this non-homogenous and marginalized community flows not a single theology, but a class to which Latino theology refers. Far from a list of doctrinal statements, Latino theology is geared towards the expression of meaning and the activity of survival the within the Latino context. Through a summary presentation on the background, diversity, history, and primary issues concerning the Latino community, De la Torre and Aponte present a valuable resource for approaching and understanding Latino theology.
The authors begin the book by addressing the difficult question of Latino identity. They review the two terms, “Hispanic” and “Latino,” showing how each has advantages and disadvantages yet neither truly captures the group in question. The chapter continues with an analysis of the statistical and demographic data on the Latino population. On the whole, Latino communities are growing quickly yet they are remaining undereducated and below the poverty line. Obviously the statistics presented have changed in the past decade. Chapter 2 highlights how “Euroamericans” form the cultural center in the US while Latinos form the margins. The authors identify three categories for the Latinos as marginalized peoples: exiles, aliens, and outsiders. Cubans typify the first group, while Mexicans and Puerto Ricans typify the next two. The book investigates the different situations of each of these three groups and shows how the nuances play out in terms of social oppression and marginalization. These are some of the primary contexts through which Latino theologians perceive the Bible, the person of Jesus, and the meaning of the Gospel. The authors make clear that Latino Theology is not Latin American Liberation theology. However, in a similar way Latino theology tends to empower Latinos to live out their faith actively in spite of and against the structures that oppress them. In this respect, Latino theology is not concerned with abstract dogmatic principles (orthodoxy) but with ways of living and combating communal and social structures of sin (orthopraxis). Latino theologies usually begin with a specific context, then reflect on that context in biblical terms and then apply the findings to the context.
Chapters 3 to 6 turn more specifically to theological issues. The authors present a few concise points on various issues such as Bible, sin, Christology, salvation, evangelism, Marianism, and eschatology. Then they turn to short history of influences in the development of Latino theology in the US, giving attention to important forerunners such as Father Antonio José Martínez, Pentecostal pastor Francisco Olazabal, and Reverend Leoncia Rosado. The 1960’s are the key time for the formal articulation and beginning of Latino theology. The authors ascribe the developments at this time this to a variety of factors such as a nationwide effort, the movement toward unification, the development of sophisticated organizations, and new styles of leadership. From this timeframe came notable developments such as the Mexican American Labor movement under Cézar Chávez (1968), PADRES (1970), Las Hermanas (1971), the papal encyclical Populorum Progressio (1967), the Mexican American Cultural Center (1972), and a number of key male and female theologians.
Chapter 5 gives consideration to the issue of popular religion, along with the alternative traditions of curanderismo, espiritism, and Santería. Incidentally, De La Torre also has a book on Santería. Both popular religion and the non-Christian traditions are often defined in opposition to the institutional Church though the authors maintain that all of these forms should be given serious attention. There is often ambiguity between popular piety and the institutional church. Through the practices of popular religion, Latinos communally and freely express their faith on their own terms in spite of the structures of institutional religion. The authors recognize that what they call “alternative traditions” are labeled as anti-Christian or even satanic, yet they authors invite the reader to recognize the historical roots of such practices along with the desire to express a spirituality that pervades every facet of life.
The book concludes with a future-looking perspective on emerging theological concepts. The mezclado nature of Latino theology surfaces again in this chapter as the authors identify new trends of social, philosophical, and theological integration into the culture. The mixed Latino cultures continue to mix. Will the new classes of Latinos along with their new perspectives affect the way that Latino theology is expressed in the future? De la Torre and Aponte maintain that the grassroots connection between theology and the marginalized reality of the people must be maintained in order for Latino theology to continue to mature.

[Lilly Pittman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal. It presents facts along with theology in ways that invite you to ask questions about how social location and racial/ethnic identities affect individual and communal theologies, and ultimately, what church should look like. Highly recommend.

[John Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is presented by two Latino authors who struggle with what it means to be of Spanish/Hispanic descent and to be American, especially when many Hispanic families have actively tried assimilating into the dominant American culture. For me, as a person of Puerto Rican descent whose mother avoided everything Puerto Rican in raising me so that I would not need to face the same discrimination that she did growing up in this country, the book is a powerful introduction to the theologies and philosophies that can help navigate the two worlds effectively and claim a new identity. I no longer need to be ashamed of learning Spanish as a 2nd language nor do I need to feel less-than because I share Puerto Rican cultural interests and characteristics.

For anyone who has no background in Latino/a culture, this is still a must-read in some ways. The authors do an excellent job of not only introducing the reader to the theologies that make up Latino thought but also the situations and life circumstances that inform those theologies. American Manifest Destiny is still alive and well in this country and, generally, Hispanics are the ones paying the price. Read the book to see how atrocious the situation is for us.