A Spanglish blog about faith & culture
“We must genuinely appreciate all cultures as being capable of reflecting biblical faith. We must move away from “American Christian mythology,” which undergirds colonization and its resulting paternalism in Indigenous communities. We must embrace new theological perspectives emerging from Native leaders as being ‘equal.’”[1] -Richard Twiss, Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys I don’t remember [...]
“Yo sé que no soy la mujer que ustedes quisieran que fuera.” Yo crecí asistiendo a una pequeña iglesia, relativamente rural (porque eso de la ruralidad tiene grados), carismática, de pocos recursos monetarios, pero con muchos recursos humanos excelentes, con un querido pastor, y una teología denominacional legalista. Mi estatus espiritual era medido en base [...]
The histories of the Latin American and the US Latino/a church are complex. We are the Brown Church, but we are not monolithic. Our histories no son la misma cosa - are not the same thing. They are complex and messy. They share differences, continuities, and discontinuities; and it is crucial for seminaries to acknowledge that. Here [...]
"When you come to Puerto Rico remember... that long before the Pilgrims knelt to thank God for their safe arrival, we were praying in churches almost a century old..." -Extract from a publicity pamphlet given to visitors Representation matters. However, too often, when the histories of people of color finally get a chance to be [...]
I live at the intersections. My physical features retell the stories of the oppressed and the oppressor. That is, stories of Conquista and colonialism; genocide and slavery; forced assimilation and revolución. The languages of those who came dance in my tongue, taking turns until they mix into that we call Spanglish. And now I find myself navigating the multilayered [...]
When I realized I had to present a sermon outline of Romans 13:1-7 I rolled my eyes. Every time I read Paul's words my reaction was "Yes... But..." It is no secret that this passage has been used to legitimize atrocities and perpetuate injustice in the name of [g]od. In this outline I try to make sense [...]
...a fellow seminary student asked, as he walked towards me at the library. Although the question sounded harsh, I could tell he was coming from a place of ignorance and genuinely wanted to know. I could not blame him. Many theological institutions claim to equip and prepare people to serve the global church, frequently pointing to the diversity of their [...]
He visitado mi escritorio con frecuencia, planificando escribir finalmente acerca de las realidades que ahora me rodean "aquí y allá." Gradúo la cantidad de luz que necesito, y me aseguro de que las pequeñas pilas de libros que tengo en la esquina derecha del escritorio sean inspiradoras -sí inspiradoras. Con mis audífonos puestos y una [...]
Tengo más de diez borradores de escritos que he comenzado y he dejado a mitad por diferentes razones, que van desde el tan famoso bloqueo de escritor hasta una convicción de que no es el momento adecuado para traer a colación el tema. Sin embargo, hay temas que te alcanzan de alguna manera y es tu [...]
Un amigo me dijo hace un tiempo atrás que N. T. Wright esperó veinte años para publicar porque no quería retractarse de lo que escribiera. Aún no sé si es cierto o no, y aunque me encantaría no tener que retractarme de lo que digo y/o escribo, en mi caso escribo para aprender. Aprender significa [...]
