Handbook of U.S. Theologies of Liberation

by Miguel A. de la Torre (Editor)

A typical "Introduction to Theology" often emphasizes the viewpoints of Western, Eurocentric male theologians, sidelining the perspectives of other cultural and ethnic groups. These diverse voices are frequently relegated to footnotes or elective courses, allowing students from the dominant culture to graduate without exposure to alternative theological viewpoints. This imbalance reflects a notion of objectivity that favors Eurocentric perspectives, perpetuating the myth that these are more objective and legitimate. In reality, all theological perspectives are shaped by specific social, cultural, and historical contexts. Therefore, they are inherently contextual and subject to the experiences of their creators. Handbook of U.S. Theologies of Liberation addresses this imbalance by presenting Christian concepts from the vantage point of marginalized communities in the United States. It surveys various forms of liberation theology rooted in African American, Amerindian, Asian American, feminist, gay/lesbian, and Hispanic experiences. It's important to note that no single unified theological perspective emerges from these marginalized spaces; instead, there are numerous variations within and among these groups. The JoAnne Marie Terrell
Carter Heyward
The Holy Elizabeth Conde-Frazier
Luis G. Pedraja
Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas
Andrea Smith
Miguel A. De La Torre
Darryl M. Trimiew
Andrew Sung Park
Karen Baker-Fletcher
Luis N. Rivera-Pagan PART 2: CONTEXTUAL ESSAYS
Latin American Liberation Phillip Berryman
African Will Coleman
Edwin David Aponte
Asian Seung Ai Yang
Black Dwight N. Hopkins
Latino/a Justo L. González
Asian American Fumitaka Matsuoka
American Indian Tink Tinker
Feminist Karen K. Seat
Lesbian and Gay Daniel T. Spencer
Theology of the Deborah W. Little
Environmental Steven Bouma-Prediger
Postcolonialism & Musa W. Dube

Genres: Theology, Religion

339 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2004

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.