JUNE 2018

FROM THE DIRECTOR

  
Dearest Friends,
 
As the academic year comes to an end, your Hispanic Theological Initiative is gearing up to meet its highest enrollment cohort in 22 years. These students will participate in HTI’s Professional Development Conference formerly known as HTI Summer Workshop.  The decision to change the title was made in February after the members of the curriculum review committee met and agreed that what HTI has been offering over the past 15 years is a proven course of study by Hispanic faculty successfully graduating and preparing Hispanic scholars to thrive in leadership roles in the academy, the church, and the world. Of the fifty-six HTI Scholars coming to HTI member school Princeton Theological Seminary on June 25th, seventeen will be joining us for the first time. There they will attend a variety of courses tailored to their year of study, ​and interact with mentors, editors, and faculty.
 
With a Lilly Endowment Inc. planning grant, your HTI is adding a Pilot Program for HTI Graduates in their First Position to help recent graduates transition and navigate in their first academic positions, expanding and advancing the Professional Development Conference.  The leadership team for this cohort are Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier (1997-1998 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor, HTI Advisory Committee Member), Academic Dean and Vice-President of Education at Esperanza College of Eastern University;  Dr. Peter Casarella (HTI Mentor and HTI Member Council Member), Associate Professor of Theology and Director of Latin American North American Church Concerns at University of Notre Dame (HTI Member School); Dr. Margarita Benitez, Senior Associate, Excelencia in Education; and Dr. Hosffman Ospino, Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Education at Boston College.   
 
In this issue, HTI is also excited to share the happenings at HTI’s member schools with you, and the many ways HTI scholars continue to make an impact everywhere they go—publishing books and articles, giving lectures, creating educational opportunities for incarcerated people, and making meaningful connections in their spheres of influence.
 
Like you, we are proud of every person featured in this issue of Journeys.  Their stories reflect the mission of HTI in action: cultivating Latinx PhDs for leadership positions in the church, academy, and the world. Please enjoy this June issue of Journeys. I wish you all an enjoyable summer season. Stay in touch with your HTI by sharing feedback that will continue to advance the mission of HTI!
 
Blessings,
 
Rev. Joanne Rodríguez
 

HTI Scholar reflects on the impact of undergraduate program for incarcerated women
 
Your HTI scholars never cease to amaze us, and Dr. Thomas Flores (2005-2006 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) is not the exception. HTI’s student aide, Rudy Logan, took the time to interview Flores and find more about how his work in Positive Human Development and Social Change is impacting people, who are presently and formerly incarcerated. Dr. Flores is the Assistant Professor of Positive Human Development and Social Change at Life University.
 
Rudy Logan: How did you begin your work with people, who are incarcerated?
 
Dr. Thomas Flores: I had co-created a Bachelor’s degree in Positive Human Development and Social Change (PHDSC) with a colleague for Life University.  That same colleague had asked me to co-create an Associate of Arts degree as part of the Center in which he was the Associate Director. The Center for Compassion, Integrity, and Secular Ethics, at Life University. He had mentioned that the President, Dr. Guy Reikman was very interested in our degree for a prison, as consistent with the University mission. Dr. Ozawa de-Silva had already been teaching classes in meditation at the Arrendale State Women’s Prison.  We then created a more abbreviated version of the BA degree that would be doable with limitations on technology and teaching resources. Life University, the Center, and the Georgia Department of Corrections entered into a partnership to offer an Associate of Arts degree in Positive Human Development and Social Change. I had never worked with incarcerated students before. The degree was originally supposed to be offered at a men’s prison, but for bureaucratic reasons, it was suggested that the women’s prison would be best suited for the pilot degree.  
 
The Associate of Arts degree at Arrendale State Prison expands access to higher education, provides incarcerated persons with resources to achieve their highest potential, and enables students to develop skills that they can use to promote personal, social, and environmental flourishing. The program also facilitates the broader aims of the Chillon Project to develop sustainable cultures of teaching and learning in communities affected by incarceration, and to create positive social networks that involve individuals, institutions, and communities in higher education with individuals, institutions, and communities associated with the prison system.  
 
Logan: How have some of your students in prison programs responded to your teachings? Are any of them considering as a career (chaplaincy, advocacy, academics, etc.)? When people reach out to you expressing the impact of your teachings on them, what do they say?
 
Flores: It is very satisfying to see students actually embodying the vision of what we called the “3 in 3” educational model, which seeks to develop critical awareness and cultivation of skills in the domains of the personal, social, and systems level understanding, with a pedagogy that recognizes three levels of knowledge processing: on the level of received knowledge; critical insight and synthesis; and embodied or internalized knowledge.  The metaphor we use is the performing arts program that requires practice labs for students to develop the muscle memory. It was also designed to develop multiple types of intelligences that involve critical linear, creative/aesthetic, contemplative, verbal/analytical, and more.  Thus, our students cultivate skills in these areas. Many of our students have already completed a Theology Certificate program, through the Candler School of Theology at Emory University (HTI Member School). Many of our students are considering careers in non-profit organizations, working with at-risk young women, re-entry programs for women, job assistance programs for re-entering women. Some want to continue to Bachelor’s and Graduate degrees. Outsiders and funders who interact with our students are impressed with their passion, motivation, commitment, and intelligence of systems thinking.
 
Our students have become: co-educators, peacemakers, mediators of conflict, mentors, and ambassadors of education, personal change, and social justice change. They have made a pact with each other to not leave any student behind. Students constantly tell us and anyone who will listen, how the program and courses are changing their lives. We have documented IRB-approved research to measure how the program has affected their emotional and social well-being, stability, sense of self and social interactions. Other research shows positive self-reporting of how classes, such as Introduction to Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation, are impacting their ability to better understand violent tendencies, resolve and transform conflict within themselves, with classmates, other incarcerated persons, and with correctional staff, better understand the structural factors of which they are embedded, make more peace-producing and deliberative decisions, communicate more effectively with family members and improve relationships in that area. Many of these students have thanked us for incorporating the Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation classes into the curriculum, because they find that in some ways they are experiencing more conflict as they become more empowered internally,  but are still disempowered externally. Some students have commented on the satisfaction with the sequence of the classes in the program. One student wrote: “It seems that from a scholastic perspective the people responsible for creating the degree program selected courses that literally assist its participants in making the transition mentally from course to course. Each class is like a foundation building up to the next class. Foremost, I must admit that academia has changed the way I view the cycles of perpetuated violence inside of the prison as well as my social status prior to incarceration.” One student started an educational pamphlet program to share her insights of education with others. Some of our students are creating educational materials for grammar school aged kids regarding the values of Compassion and Integrity training. Many of our students are mothers who have been separated from their children for years and even decades. They report that in many cases, no one in their family has had a college education. In a few cases, they report that some of their children, who were at risk for a life of crime, and who dropped out of high school decided to go back, finish, and apply for community college.  Our student mothers describe their changed role of being a champion for education with their kids.
 
Logan: I think the intellectual acumen of people inside of prisons is widely underestimated. What would you like to generously say to those, who may not be aware of the gifted intellectuals inside of such spaces?
 
Flores: Many of our students are incredibly bright. They have a cumulative 3.96 GPA and have surpassed all educational benchmarks on our year assessment/evaluation report. Some have had some college exposure. Our students see society from very unique perspectives. Some of our students have had successful careers in business or other areas before they were incarcerated.   They have seen and experienced what it is like to be part of society.  However, they have also seen what it is like to see from, and experience life from – the underside, the invisible, the forgotten or disdained. Therefore, their perspectives on academic principles of psychology, business, sociology, and other course principles, can be incredibly insightful. For instance, in the Introduction to Peace Studies courses, the students’ weekly critical reflections (at the end of each chapter) were so compelling that I felt the need to share them with the author of the textbook (whom I had never met). I figured that if I were an author, I would want to know how my book was impacting others. I sent him samples of the reflections.  He was so impressed that he sent a 3-page letter to our students commenting on their work, and sharing a personal story about how he had wanted to give up many times in the writing, rewriting, and delays of the book.  After reading their work, he acknowledged that it was all worth it.   He even told me in a private email that even his own students do not engage the work on that level of critical analysis – and he is the author! I read the letter to the students on the last day of that class.  Many of the students were in tears.


LOGROS
 
HTI Scholars defends dissertation and gains employment at Fordham University
 
On April 3rd, Leo Guardado (2017-2018 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) successfully defended his dissertation, titled “Church as Sanctuary: A Preferential Option for the Displaced and Persecuted Poor” at the University of Notre Dame where he was a PhD student in a joint degree program between the Theology Department and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. We are excited to report that the newly minted Dr. Guardado will be teaching at Fordham University in New York City this upcoming fall as Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology. At his defense, Guardado gave thanks to all who have accompanied him throughout his journey, specially to committee members who guided him—Dr. Mary Catherine Hilkert, O.P. and Dr. Timothy Matovina, who were co-directors, Dr. Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., Dr. John Paul Lederach, and Dr. Kraig Beyerlein. Congratulations, HTI wishes you continued blessings.


 ​
Pictured, from left to right: John Paul Lederach, Mary Catherine Hilkert, O.P., Rosa Guardado (Leo’s mother), Leo Guardado, Kraig Beyerlein and Timothy Matovina.

Newly minted scholar begins Post-doctorate at Duke Divinity

It was no easy task, but Rev. Tito Madrazo, while pastoring at Woodland Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC, and directing the Hispanic-Latino Pastoral Initiative at HTI member institution Duke Divinity School, stayed on track and this March he defended his dissertation titled, “Predicadores: An Ethnographic Study of Hispanic Protestant Immigrant Preachers” on March 20th, at Duke. In September he will begin his teaching career with a post-doctorate fellowship at  his alma mater. En hora buena, and many blessings on your journey ahead.
 

 

Pictured, from left to right: Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric (HTI Steering Committee member), Dr. Charles Campbell (Madrazo’s advisor), Tito Madrazo, Dr. Mary McClintock Fulkerson, and Dr. Richard Lischer.

It takes a Village to grow an HTI Scholar
 
On May 19, 2018, Ángel Jazak Gallardo (2016-2017 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) successfully defended his dissertation, “Mapping the Nature of Empire: The Legacy of Theological Geography in the Early Iberian Atlantic,” at Southern Methodist University. At graduation Dr. Gallardo celebrated with family members from Los Angeles and Mexico City, and in-laws from New York City.   He shares, “With their support, and that of the HTI community, this dream became a reality.” With Gallardo, HTI has helped 116th students attain the PhD degree!
 

Pictured, Dr. Ángel Jazak Gallardo, with his wife, Kendrea Tannis Gallardo, and his parents, Nora and Ramón Gallardo.

Passing Comprehensive Exams
 
Congratulations to 2018-2019 HTI Proposal and Research Year Scholars Diana E. Rodriguez Click (Emory University) and Héctor M. Varela Rios (The University of Chicago Divinity School) on passing their comprehensive exams!  


HTI Member School newly endowed chair filled by HTI Graduate
 
An ordained Baptist minister, and the author of Crossover Preaching and Learning from a Legend, and Learning from a Legend: What Gardner C. Taylor Can Teach Us about Preaching, Rev. Dr. Jared Alcantara (2013-2014 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) is the new Associate Professor of Preaching and the inaugural holder of the newly established Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching at HTI consortium member school  Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary.  Alcantara looks forward to teaching alongside Dr. Joel C. Gregory and Dr. Scott M. Gibson in the homiletics department, contributing to the PhD program in preaching, and participating in the work of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching.  He shared, "I look forward to teaching at Baylor, and am truly grateful to God for the unique opportunity to partner in Truett's mission."  Alcántara holds a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College (HTI Member School), MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, ThM from New College, University of Edinburgh, and a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary (HTI Member School).
 
HTI PhD Candidate will begin new position at McCormick Theological Seminary
 
McCormick Theological Seminary announces the appointment of Rev. Lis Valle as Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Worship, beginning the fall term. Valle (2018-2019 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) is a PhD candidate in Homiletics and Liturgics at Vanderbilt University, where she has also studied gender and sexuality. Her dissertation, “The Body as Preacher: Prophetic Performance as Disruptive Preaching,” explores ways in which prophetic preaching, as a performance event, challenges oppressive systems. Valle has researched the theology of the sermons of Latina clergy and has provided worship and chaplaincy leadership in interdenominational gatherings of Latina pastors.
 
Even more Logros to celebrate!
 
Join us to congratulate Dr. Santiago Piñón (2009-2010 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Religion at Texas Christian University (TCU) on being appointed as the new Director of Latina/o Studies program at TCU as well as receiving tenure.
 


Congratulations to Dr. Oscar Garcia-Johnson (HTI Steering Committee Member) for receiving Tenure at Fuller Theological Seminary (HTI Mentor School).  Dr. Garcia-Johnson is Associate Dean for the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community, Associate Professor of Theology and Latino/a Studies.
 

HTI Scholar receives Regional American Academy of Religion Award for highlighting Priest Ramon Ortiz’s benevolence during the Mexican-American War
 
At the American Academy of Religion Western Regional Conference in Berkeley, California, Melisa Ortiz Berry (2016-2017 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) PhD Candidate at Claremont Graduate University, won an award for her paper—Padre on Shifting Sands: Ramon Ortiz and the Mexican-American War.  Berry highlighted Father Ramon Ortiz, the cura of El Paso, involvement in the Mexican-American war and his example of a religious person warring for their people, and his internal struggle—contemplating war and peace. Aside from the shifting sands of the Mexican and American border,  Berry sourced the diary of an American colonel, oral history interviews and census reports, congressional records, and the historical fictional accounts of Ortiz to reveal a tense relationship between benevolence and the battle field. 
 
HTI Scholars part of FTE’s largest fellowship class
 
This year, the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) celebrates the largest fellowship class in its history, and we congratulate not only FTE but also several HTI scholars that are part of this class:

 






​Diana E. Rodriguez Click (2017-2018 HTI Comprehensive Exam Scholar) PhD Candidate at Emory University
Francisco Peláez-Díaz (2017-2018 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) PhD Candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary
Yara González-Justiniano (2017-2018 HTI Comprehensive Exams-Year Scholar) PhD Candidate at Boston University
Jorge Juan Rodríguez V (2017-2018 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) PhD Candidate at Union Theological Seminary
Grace Vargas (2017-2018 HTI Comprehensive Exams-Year Scholar) PhD Candidate at Southern Methodist University
 
HTI is proud of you, keep up the great work!
 

HTI SCHOLARS EN ACCIÓN
 
HTI Scholar speaks about “Linguistic Terrorism”

In February 2018, Dr. Mariana Alessandri (2008-2009 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Mexican American Studies Affiliate Faculty at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) participated on a panel as part of a two-month long art exhibit titled “Fold,” created by art professor Raheleh Filsoofi, in which she reflects on the historical linguistic injustice within her university and in response, encourages her students to embody their lived experience, despite dominant cultural factors functioning to limit their identities. She drew from the life and work of Gloria Anzaldúa, queer Chicana poet, writer and feminist theorist, as a reminder that you can be fully American, speak Spanish and learn Indigenous practices. Anzaldúa, a former student at UTRVG (formerly Pan American University) describes being required to take two semesters worth of “speech correction” classes for no credit, and was mandatory for all people with a Mexican-sounding accent. Anzaldúa believed that systematically taking away a person’s language (even if done from misguided paternalism) is rightly called “linguistic terrorism.” Alessandri adds, “It’s an act of colonization, along with taking away their history, culture, religion, knowledge, etc.” What has been mentioned is akin to what Alessandri’s students currently deal with at UTRGV. Such practices function to assimilate students into Anglo culture; however, the former lacks a broad perspective on what it means to be American—which entails plurality. Ultimately, Alessandri argued that today's students need not suppress themselves, they need not hide their language, and their languages ought to be part of every single class at UTRGV, especially since the institution student body is 90% Hispanic.

In anticipation of this event, Alessandri also published a piece on Neta, a local bilingual multimedia platform, called “Unfolding Gloria Anzaldúa’s Gift to The Rio Grande Valley,” which experienced a fair social media circulation around the country. Click here to read her piece.
 
Washington Post publishes article by HTI scholar
  
On March 21, 2018, the Washington Post ran an article entitled “The Christian sect that has always cheered on Donald Trump”.  The article was written by Leah Payne from George Fox University and Erica M. Ramírez (2018-2019 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) who is the Parker Professor of Wesleyan Thought at Portland Seminary and is completing her PhD in sociology of religion at Drew University.  In the article, Erica and Leah outline how Trump’s campaign learned the ways and values of a particular religious sect to make them staunch enthusiastic supporters.  Important article to read.
 
Theology en la Plaza - New Column in National Catholic Reporter
 
On April 6, 2018 the National Catholic Reporter ran its first regular column by Latinx theologians.  The column—Theology en la Plaza—is a monthly series featuring four public theologians. Rev. Dr. Arturo Bañuelas (HTI Visionary) Pastor at St. Mark Catholic Church in El Paso, TX; Dr. María Teresa (MT) Dávila (2004-2005 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor) Independent Scholar; Dr. Miguel Díaz (1998-1999 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, Book Prize Winner, HTI Mentor) The Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University, and Former Ambassador to the Holy See; and Dr. Carmen Nanko-Fernández (HTI Selection Committee Member, HTI Mentor) Professor of Hispanic Theology and Ministry, Director of the Hispanic Theology and Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union, who will be writing from distinctly Latinx perspectives on matters impacting church and society. HTI excitedly invited Nanko-Fernández, originator and coordinator of this new column, to be interviewed by HTI student aide, Rudy Logan, after her recent essay “Play ball? Like Easter, interruptions to daily rhythms are sometimes needed” published in “Theology en la Plaza.”
 
Rudy Logan: I’ve read elsewhere about the theological method you have coined—“pastoral hostility.” Can you say more about that? Also, what ways can we employ pastoral hostility to bring about a “normal” that respects the humanity of those who are most disempowered?
 
Nanko-Fernández: I have used the term in my job talk and written about it. It has been developing over the years, because it makes sense with those who are in the trenches and in ministry. Some people ask, “how can you be pastoral and hostile at the same time?” In ministry, there is some sort of prohibition against ministers being angry. We tolerate prophetic anger from the prophets, and there is an expectation that ministers are supposed to be cuddly and gentle and there is no place for prophetic anger and their situations. Sometimes there needs to be a prophetic edge to ministry, not that it’s one or the other, but that all these dimensions are necessary because some of these situations should not exist. For example, mass incarceration—especially targeting black and brown folks—it’s an abomination, the prison industrial complex, it’s an abomination, the unnecessary detention of undocumented immigrants of all ages, it’s an abomination, it should not exist. Ministers on the ground see this and, in some ways, this is what burns people out in ministry. So how do we acknowledge that the work we are called to do in our ministries arouses anger in folks at things that create the conditions that exist? We wouldn’t be doing ministry if these things didn’t exist.
 
What I find interesting is when I use the term—pastoral hostility—who gets nervous about it and who comes to talk about it. Lay ministers, especially from the Catholic Church will often come up and, especially those who are from underrepresented communities—such as African Americans and Latinx people—they totally resonate with pastoral hostility.
 
Logan: You profoundly describe disrupting the destructive “normal” as the divine act celebrated at Easter. What is the positive counterpart of the destructive normal?
 
Nanko-Fernández: The destructive normal was the fact that this Jewish itinerant teacher was basically like some guy who dies in the prison system. Those that had power in the colonial structure—all the machinations of the Empire dictated that this was just another day in the Empire—that a little piece of unnecessary trouble got dealt with. The system entailed multiple and daily oppressions. Some folks accommodated the machine in order to enhance their own survival.
 
The resurrection basically said no, I don’t think so (laughs). If you are looking at Christianity from the perspective of a non-believer, then this moment that shouldn’t even have been a footnote in history, all of a sudden becomes the teeth of a movement that becomes 2,000 plus years of religious belief and various theological understandings. The resurrection overturns what should have been. So, what does the resurrection say about our own times and what we are called to do? Easter and the resurrection disrupt the expectation; the one who should have been dead and forgotten is not, and is somehow back. In relation to pastoral hostility, we accept that the prison system is the norm, even though we’re like, “wait a minute, this is not right.” This is where disruptions happen. The goal of the disruption is the hope that we look at these systems and we change them. It was more than just a stop to honor somebody for the day. It was about an interruption that challenged the status quo.
 
Kind of like what Black Lives Matters did—and continues to do. BLM started initially with people who care about how we normally deal with people’s lives. There are complicated problems that need to be disrupted. The goal of the disruption is hopefully that we look at these structures and we change them. The goal is a hopeful one, but sometimes, it takes so long to change things that it can feel like an eschatological hope. It can feel so enormous, but at the same time, it’s hope, not wishful thinking.
 
Nothing is going to happen if you don’t do anything about it. Even in this moment of time. I think King and the Civil Right Movements were interruptions, what the ball players did by not playing was an interruption, black lives matter is an interruption, the DACA kids taking to the streets and speaking out because they’re at risk is an interruption.
 
Logan: What can major league baseball teach us in regard to community and inclusive ministry?
 
Nanko-Fernández: That’s interesting because I don’t know that it teaches us anything. As a Latinx Theologian, I don’t look at baseball as an analogy, I look at it as a slice of life. Our Latinx theologies begin off the ground often times and in lived, daily experiences. When you look at baseball, you are looking at a slice of life that historically has a highly complex relationship with migration. Even if you just look at professional baseball, you are looking at a story that has an ongoing systemic problem with racism. Let’s explore this slice of life by bringing several lenses to the table—bringing critical race theory, postcolonialism, Latinx theologies, Latinx critical/cultural studies, media studies. What happens when you look at that slice of life, and interrogate it with questions that others may not have asked? We can learn from looking at other slices and say this happens in my life or community and see it as a symptom of a bigger problem.
 
For example, they had a whole movement, called “Put an Accent on It”, because they wouldn’t put accents on the names of the baseball players’ jerseys. When you think about it, they were changing people’s names. Mostly everybody who played were allowed interpreters—for instance, Koreans and Japanese players were allowed interpreters. People who spoke Spanish in baseball were not allowed interpreters until about two years ago. Even in baseball, language discrimination continues with players who are Latino and immigrants from other countries. People will celebrate the Latinos and immigrants, who make it, but don’t pay attention to the fact that the overwhelming majority of these guys in the minor league system get cut. Where do they go? What are the systems that perpetuate ongoing cycles of poverty for guys who see baseball as their ticket out? Fans don’t have to think about this stuff. When we dig down, we find out that the things we love participate in some of these cycles, too. If you can’t critique the things that you love, then you are never going to critique anything. I love the church, but if we cannot look honestly at it, our country, or family, then we participate in things as part of the destructive normal. Then, where do we go, where’s the hope?
 
HTI Scholar and Mentor participate in The Questions of Religious Freedom Conference
 
On March 12-13, 2018, Loyola University in Chicago held a conference on "The Question of Religious Freedom." This event counted with the participation of two members of the HTI familia: Dr. Miguel Díaz (1998-1999 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, Book Prize Winner, HTI Mentor) The Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University, and Former Ambassador to the Holy See, and Dr. Carmen Nanko-Fernández (HTI Selection Committee Member, HTI Mentor) Professor of Hispanic Theology and Ministry, Director of the Hispanic Theology and Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union. The conference traced church teaching on religious freedom "From John Courtney Murray, SJ, and Vatican II to the Present.”  An article highlighting this event was published in The National Catholic Reporter entitled, “Scholars urge dialogue, compromise in religious freedom”.  
 
Pulling off a miracle and making it look easy

Erica M. Ramírez (2018-2019 HTI Dissertation-Year  Scholar) PhD Candidate at Drew University, and Richard B. Parker Assistant Professor of Wesleyan Theology at Portland Seminary, wrote about esteemed activist and preacher, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and the hurdles she has faced, which have in-part shaped her vocational trajectory. Ramírez’s article featured on the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) blog is titled, “Notes from Further down the Path: Checking in with the Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis.” In reference to Dr. Lewis balancing the responsibilities of dissertation writing and other commitments, Ramírez writes, “To balance the pastorate and her writing, Dr. Lewis will own that she basically had to “kick ass.” The doctoral journey often includes this impossible task of pulling off a miracle and making it look easy.”  Read Ramírez’s blog here.
 
HTI Graduate shares documentary at Complete the Dream Conference
 
Dr. Miguel De La Torre (2000-2001 HTI Post-doctoral Scholar and HTI mentor) Associate Professor of Social Ethics at Iliff School of Theology, spoke at the Revolutionary Love: Complete the Dream Conference, which took place April 6-8, 2018 at Middle Collegiate Church in New York City. At this event, an award-winning documentary screenplay written by De La Torre, titled Trails of Hope and Terror: The Movie was viewed. The film provides a space for migrants to speak about their experiences crossing borders and the situations that prompt their move.  Additionally, it illustrates the historical and economic reasons that incentivize migration, the political rhetoric surrounding migration to garner votes, and how faith communities respond. To learn more about the film or to purchase it visit this link.
 
De La Torre was also featured on a podcast called “Friends Talking Faith”.  The episode titled, “Faith & Religion: Who Killed Christianity in America?” aired on April 17, 2018. During this episode,  De La Torre discussed his upcoming book titled, Killing U.S. Christianity: Resurrecting A Badass Christianity. Listen here.
 

HTI MEMBER SCHOOLS EN ACCIÓN
 
HTI Graduate contributes to Monseñor Romero’s Memorialization


Dr. Rubén Rosario Rodriguez (2003-2004 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor) Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Louis University, was invited to participate in the Romero Days 2018–Memorializing Martyrdom: Romero's Beatification and Our Task Today, hosted by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame (HTI Member School), event that took place on March 23-24, 2018. Rosario Rodríguez presented a paper entitled, "Making Martyrs: The Crucified People, Black Lives Matter, and Romero’s Legacy in the United States," and took part in a lively conversation involving several generations of scholars and pastors who have spent the decades since Romero's assassination preserving the archbishop's legacy. Now that it has been announced that Oscar Romero will be canonized in October 2018, the focus of the conversation became about how to make sure his legacy is authentically memorialized by the church through a commitment to social justice and the liberation. The conversation included legal scholars and human rights advocates, Catholic clergy and lay theologians, historians and political scientists, all discussing the relevance of Romero's witness to such contemporary struggles as the Palestinian crisis, the immigration and refugee crisis, and the Black Lives Matter movement.
 
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary presents lecture on Reclaiming the Subversive Nature of Baptism
 
On April 24, 2018, Dr. Osvaldo D. Vena, Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary presented a lecture on Reclaiming the Subversive Nature of Baptism. In his lecture, Vena argues that baptism has become de-sociopoliticized, and in turn reveals itself as a cultural event symbolizing normativity and appropriateness. He further communicates that the subversive meaning of baptism has widely been lost, and that New Testament baptism conveyed deep socio-political overtones, as it symbolized the passage exiting the kingdom of Caesar and into the Kingdom of God. Thus, the meaning of baptism has taken a drastic turn.  Vena expresses that the over-spiritualization of baptism has taken away from its initial message as a political moment. As a result, it takes on meaning that one will be complicit in maintaining the harmful status quo.
 
Furthermore, Vena explains that the church has conformed to society—it is no longer revolutionary, but rather reactionary. According to Vena, the church has become a vehicle to maintain the status quo and an ardent defender and promulgator of capitalism, militarism, global domination, and inequality, rooted in selfishness and disinterest in social justice, well-being of the environment, and spiritual consequences. While it is the duty of the church to hold such actors accountable, it has done otherwise. Hence, baptism has become a predictable cultural event without its initial politically-subversive nature. Vena asserts that in order to reclaim the subversive nature of baptism, we have to think of it as an eschatological sign of resistance to the culture of death promoted by consumerism, one that points at a totally different world waiting to be ushered in by faithful living and prophetic engagement in society.
                
“Let Them Starve” - Princeton Theological Seminary Herencia Lectures
 
“Let Them Starve: Colonization of Puerto Rico Past and Present Diaspora,” was the title selected by the Latinx Collegium, a group of Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) administrators, local pastors, and students for its 10th annual Herencia Lecture to give voice to the tragic situation Puerto Ricans are still facing daily on the island.  On April 13, Dr. Edwin Meléndez, Professor of Urban Affairs and Planning and the Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College  began the Herencia lectures with a presentation on an extensive collection of data on the historical diaspora of Puerto Rico. Dr. Meléndez shared, “Centro is providing these important interdisciplinary research and data for individuals and institutions to know the plight of Puerto Ricans and what they have been battling with for over a century.” 

Afterward, Dr. Mark Taylor (HTI Mentor), Maxwell M. Upson Professor of Theology and Culture at PTS, moderated a panel conversation with Dr. Luis Rivera-Pagán (HTI Mentor), Henry Winters Luce Professor of Ecumenics and Mission Emeritus at PTS; and Dr. Doris Garcia-Rivera, President, Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico, where they discussed coloniality, the Puerto Rican diaspora and migration, and efforts to rebuild on the island following the hurricanes.  Dr. Doris Garcia-Rivera shared examples of Seminario Evangélico students who, in spite of their own devastated situations, cleaned debris, gave clean water, moved people around, and served hundreds of meals once they had access to the streets. To encourage those in attendance, Dr. Doris Garcia-Rivera offered a stirring sermon of hope, encouraging us to “see” differently. Her sermon brought memories of texts of hope and accompaniment to share with the community.  To top off an already glorious service, Sera Chung, (Director of Recruitment, PTS) blessed the attendees with an exceptional rendition of “Preciosa,” a beloved Puerto Rican anthem.
 
The Herencia evening lecture was given by Dr. Teresa Delgado (2003-2004 HTI Dissertation Scholar, HTI Mentor, Selection Committee Member, Steering Committee Member), Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics and Director of Peace and Justice Studies at Iona College, on her recent publication, A Puerto Rican Decolonial Theology: Prophesy Freedom.  She began her lecture by stating, “It was released by Palgrave on September 19, 2017 the day before Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico. I begin with this because in many ways the devastation of Maria and Irma laid bare the ugly reality of Puerto Rico’s colonial status that has starved the island for the last 120 years.” She demonstrated how Puerto Rican literature and Puerto Rican theology are prophetic voices calling out for the liberation of a suffering people, on the island and in the Puerto Rican Diaspora, while employing personal Puerto Rican family/community stories as an authoritative contextual reference point.  You can watch her lecture and responses from Drs. Doris Garcia-Rivera and Luis Rivera-Pagán here.
 
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary pens open letter to President Trump
 
Faculty and students at HTI member school Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary were appalled by President Trump’s statement of May 16, 2018 in which he stated that immigrants from Central America and Mexico are not people but animals, and they decided to take action. On June 1, 2018, the Hispanic-Latinx Center, the Center for the Church and the Black Experience, and the Asian/Asian-American Ministries Center of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary issued an open letter calling upon all people, whether they identify with the way of Jesus or not, to stand in solidarity with all immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, especially those whose skin color makes them more vulnerable to the abuse of those who seek to dehumanize them. If you wish to read the letter in its entirety and wish to sign this letter in solidarity, please click here.
 
 

 
ATS names a new Latina Director of Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation
 
In March, 2018, the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) announce that Dr. Elsie M. Miranda had been named as a Director, Accreditation and Institutional Evaluation, serving the Commission on Accrediting of ATS. Miranda has served at Barry University for 22 years, most recently as Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Ministerial Formation. She is the Past President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians in the United States (ACHTUS), and coordinated the first bilingual colloquium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 2016. Congratulations to ATS for this decision.
 
ACHTUS celebrates its 30th anniversary!
 
The Hispanic Theological Initiative congratulates ACHTUS on 30 years “promoting research and critical theological reflection within the context of U.S. Hispanic Experience.” We would not do justice summarizing in these lines the reach history of the association, so we invite you to visit their website to learn more about the origins and evolution of ACHTUS. This year, their 2018 Colloquium, titled “A Communion of Creation: Latinxs, Environmental Racism, and the Struggle for Ecological Justice,” takes place June 3-6, 2018, in Indianapolis, IN. Once again, several members of the HTI familia are presenting:

• Dr. Daniel Castillo (2014-2015 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland
• Dr. Miguel Diaz (1998-1999 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, Book Prize Winner, HTI Mentor) The John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago, and US Ambassador to the Holy See, Retired
• Dr. Peter Anthony Mena  (2013-2014 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at University of San Diego
• Dr. Carmen Nanko-Fernández (HTI Selection Committee Member, HTI Mentor) Professor of Hispanic Theology and Ministry, Director of the Hispanic Theology and Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union
• Jennifer Owens-Jofré (2017-2018 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Doctoral Candidate at Graduate Theological Union
• Dr. Melissa Pagán (2014-2015 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor, Program Director of Graduate Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles
• Dr. Ahida Calderon Pilarski (HTI Steering Committee Member, HTI Mentor) Associate Professor of Theology and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Inclusiveness at Saint Anselm College.

• Dr. Rebecca Berrú Davis  (2010-2011 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) University Lecturer at Montana State University-Billings
• Dr. Peter Casarella (HTI Mentor and HTI Member Council Member) Associate Professor of Theology and Director of the Latin American North American Church Concerns Project at University of Notre Dame
• Dr. Teresa Delgado (2003-2004 HTI Dissertation Scholar, HTI Mentor, Selection Committee Member, Steering Committee Member) Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics and Director of Peace and Justice Studies at Iona College
• Dr. Jean-Pierre Ruiz (HTI Mentor), Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow Theology and Religious Studies, St. John’s University

NEW PUBLICATIONS
 
Revolutionary Saint: The Theological Legacy of Oscar Romero Paperback
By: Dr. Michael E. Lee (2003-2004 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor)
 
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Orbis Books (February 20, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626982260
ISBN-13: 978-1626982260
 
Many years after his death in 1980, the world is still absorbing the witness of Óscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador, martyred for his commitment to the poor and social justice. In this work, Michael E. Lee offers a profound reflection on the theological implications of Romero's life and ministry. Drawing on Romero's biography as well as his homilies and other writings, Lee considers specifically how Romero's witness challenges Christians in the United States to reimagine a robust Christian spirituality that is at once a mystical encounter with God and a prophetic engagement in the struggle for justice. In light of Romero's beatification and pending canonization, Lee reflects on the implications of the archbishop's recognition as a martyr and on the model of holiness he offers for the wider church today.
 
Buy
 
Thinking Sex with the Great Whore: Deviant Sexualities and Empire in the Book of Revelation (Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism) 1st Edition
By: Dr. Luis Menéndez-Antuña (2013-2014 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar)
 
Series: Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism
Hardcover: 142 Pages
Publisher: Routledge, 1 edition (April 11, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1138306991
ISBN-13: 978-1138306998
 
Many scholars in Biblical and Revelation studies have written at length about the imperial and patriarchal implications of the figure of the Whore of Babylon. However, much of the focus has been on the links to the Roman Empire and ancient attitudes towards gender. This book adds another layer to the conversation around this evocative figure by pursuing an ideological critique of the Great Whore that takes into account contemporary understandings of sexuality, and in so doing advances a de-moralization of apparent sexual deviancy both in the present and in the past.

Offering an emancipatory reading of Revelation 17-18 using Foucauldian, postcolonial and queer historiographies, this study sets out alternative paths for identity construction in Biblical texts. By using these alternative critical lenses, the author argues that the common neglect of the ethical and political impact of Biblical texts in the present can be overcome. This, in turn, allows for fresh reflection on the study of the Bible and its implications for progressive politics.
 
Situated at the intersection of Revelation Studies, Biblical Studies and Hermeneutics, as well as Contextual/Liberationist Theologies and Queer and Postcolonial Criticism, this is a cutting edge study that will be of keen interest to scholars of Theology and Religious Studies.
 
Buy
 
Christianity, Empire and the Spirit (Re)Configuring Faith and the Cultural
By: Dr. Néstor Medina (2006-2007 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar)
 
Series: Theology and Mission in World Christianity, Volume: 11
Available Formats: E-Book; Paperback
Publisher: BRILL (May 29, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN: 9789004363090
 
In Christianity, Empire and The Spirit, Néstor Medina uncovers the cultural processes that play a crucial role in influencing how people understand reality, express the Christian faith, and think about God. He uses decolonial thinking, Latina/o theology, and Pentecostal theology to show how the cultural dimension is a central feature in the biblical text; was the force that co-opted Christianity from the imperial era of Constantine onwards; and undergirded Western European colonialism and the missionary project. He engages with Protestant and Catholic articulations on “culture” and demonstrates how most theologians perpetuate Eurocentric frames for considering the relation between Christianity and the cultural dimension. Alternatively, he offers a theological proposal that recognizes the Spirit at work in the phenomena of cultures.
 
Buy
 
Studies in the History of the Greek Text of the Apocalypse: The Ancient Stems (Text-critical Studies)
By: Dr. Josef Schmid, Dr. Juan Hernández Jr. (2004-2005 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor), Dr. Garrick V. Allen, and Darius Müller
 
Series: Text-critical Studies (Book 11)
Paperback: 296 pages
Publisher: SBL Press (July 6, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1628372044
ISBN-13: 978-1628372045
 
Now available in English

Josef Schmid's landmark publication, Studien zur Geschichte des Griechischen Apokalypse-Textes, has been the standard work for understanding Revelation's Greek manuscript tradition and textual history for more than sixty years. Despite the fact that most major studies on the book are based on Schmid's work, the work itself has long been out of print, making it difficult for the broader scholarly community to reassess Schmid's conclusions in light of recent manuscript discoveries and technological advances. This new translation of the work makes Schmid's detailed review of the history of textual scholarship; his comprehensive examination of the origin, history, and development of the Greek manuscripts of the book of Revelation; and his assessment of John's peculiar linguistic writing style accessible to a new generation of scholars.
 
Buy
 

UPCOMING EVENTS
 

 
HTI Graduates at the Catholic Theological Society of America
 
The 73rd Annual Convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America convention will be taking place, June 7-10 in Indianapolis, IN. CTSA is the largest professional society of theologians in the world. The theme of this upcoming convention is “Grace at Work in the World.”  At this year’s gathering, several HTI Graduates and Mentors will be presenting, moderating, convening, or responding on a vast array of issues, in relation to how God is at work in the world.  Here is the list: 
 

• Dr. Daniel Castillo (2014-2015 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland
• Dr. Jeremy V. Cruz (2010-2011 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at St. John’s University
• Dr. Miguel Diaz (1998-1999 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, Book Prize Winner, HTI Mentor) The John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago, and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Retired
• Dr. Cecilia Gonzalez-Andrieu (2006-2007 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor) Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University
• Dr. Leo Guardado (2017-2018 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at Fordham University
• Jennifer Owens-Jofré (2017-2018 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Doctoral Candidate at Graduate Theological Union
• Dr. Elaine Padilla (2009-2010 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar, HTI Mentor) Associate Professor, Philosophy & Religion, Latinx/ Latin American Studies at University of La Verne
• Dr. Melissa Pagán (2014-2015 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Assistant Professor, Program Director of Graduate Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles
• Dr. Ana María Pineda (HTI Mentor, Advisory Committee Member, Selection Committee Member) Associate Professor of Hispanic Theology at Santa Clara University
• Dr. Nancy Pineda-Madrid (HTI Mentor) Associate Professor of Theology and Latino/Latina Ministry at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
• Dr. Theresa Yugar (2011-2012 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Visiting Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Loyola Marymount University

Additionally, Dr. Nancy Pineda-Madrid (HTI Mentor) Associate Professor, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, will be honored with the Ann O’Hara Graff Award at the Catholic Theological Society of America’s annual conference in Indianapolis, IN this June. The award is given each year by CTSA’s Women’s Consultation to a member whose accomplishments include womanist, feminist or other “woman-defined” scholarship as well as liberating action on behalf of women in the church or broader community. Congratulations, Dr. Pineda-Madrid!
 
Here is the CTSA Program link for more information about the conference.
 
2018-2019 HTI Professional Development Conference
 
Your HTI is pleased to announce the dates for the 2018-2019 annual HTI Professional Development Conference (formerly HTI Summer Workshop), June 25-28, 2018 at HTI Member School Princeton Theological Seminary. All currently enrolled HTI Scholars are required to attend this four-day conference to collaborate together to en conjunto continue to form your HTI community.
 
Hispanic Summer Program 2018
 
The 2018 session of the Hispanic Summer Program (HSP), sponsored by the Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University (HTI Member School) in Dallas, TX, marks the 29th session of the HSP, two successful weeks of theological education, worship, community building and self-discovery within a Latinx context.  This event takes place from June 16th-June 30th, 2018. Among the professors, are some of HTI scholars and mentors:
 
Dr. Santiago Piñón, Jr. (2009-2010 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar) Texas Christian University - “The Nature of Citizenship: Ethical and Religious Considerations”
 
Dr. Rady Roldán-Figueroa (2002-2003 HTI Comprehensive Exams-Year Scholar), Boston University (HTI Member School) - “History and Spirituality of the First Sanctuary Movement (ca. 1980-1990)”

Dr. Ahida Calderón Pilarski (HTI Steering Committee Member, HTI Mentor), St. Anselm College - “(Im)migration, Culture, and Gender in the Old Testament: A Re-view from a Latinx Perspective”

Dr. Cristian De La Rosa (2011-2012 HTI Dissertation-Year Scholar), Boston University (HTI Member School) - “Latino Religious Expressions”
 
In this session, HSP celebrates also the 14th Annual Through Hispanic Eyes workshop for non-Latino faculty, deans, and staff.  This workshop provides an opportunity for participants to talk about and examine the varied realities of the Latino community and the challenges and possibilities these bring to theological education.  It is open to presidents, deans, faculty and student services staff at the HSP sponsoring institutions.
 
Our best wishes to all the leaders and participants!


RESOURCES
 
If you are a pastor or a lay worker in your church, chances are you’ve been in Allan Burton’s shoes — or will be someday. You look around and your community is changing. You wonder if your congregation needs to change, too.
 
Burton, a longtime member of Baptist Church of the Covenant in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, was appointed to a task force to look at the rapidly changing city and its building boom. “Economic changes, housing, cultural issues — to really assess what might be the next opportunity for our church,” Burton said.
 
But where do you start?
 
Burton was talking about the task force with a friend, who suggested he get in touch with Jennifer McClure, an assistant religion professor at Samford University who also was working with The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) and one of its online services called the Community Profile Builder. When he met with McClure, Burton said, “She started explaining about this computer program and software that none of us had ever heard of.”
 
The Community Profile Builder was developed by researchers for the Church of the Nazarene. Then the ARDA got involved, developing an online guide for how to use it.
 
“The Community Profile Builder assists users in accessing free online information about their communities,” said Andrew Whitehead, an assistant professor of sociology at Clemson University who developed the initial guide for using the profile builder (McClure also joined the effort).
 
Think of it as demographics on steroids.
 
Here’s how it works: enter a ZIP Code or address and up pops social, economic and religious information about the neighborhoods you selected. Feeling overwhelmed? “The ARDA also offers eight free guides to assist users with more detailed directions on how to interpret and use the information,” Whitehead added.
 
For example, one factoid Burton discovered was the number of commuters who come to downtown Birmingham to work, dine or be entertained. While the church is still in the process of assessing the data, one idea the task force is exploring is how to engage those commuters.
 
Burton praises the Community Profile Builder. “Being able to see it from the total perspective gave us a way to look at the community differently,” he said.
 
Want to know more about your community? Check out the Community Profile Builder here.


EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
 
To post a job opportunity on the HTI site, Facebook, and online newsletter, Journeys, visit HTI’s website.
 
Brite Divinity School Admissions Associate
 
Brite Divinity Schoo​l (HTI Member School), an ecumenical, progressive theological school affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and with Texas Christian University, invites applications for an Admissions Associate position. The appointment will be three-quarter time with full benefits. Graduate theological degree (MDiv or similar degree) is required. Ability to convey Brite’s ethos, cultivate relationships with prospective students and influencers across diverse communities, and work closely with Admissions staff to develop and implement strategies for recruitment is expected. Successful candidates will bring a commitment to increasing diversity, facility in social media, written and oral communication skills, and a willingness to travel as needed.

As an AA/EEO employer, Brite recruits, hires, and promotes qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. Candidates from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

To apply, upload a cover letter describing interests, experience, and fit for position and a C.V. to Dean Joretta L. Marshall, include names of three recommenders with contact information. Review of applicants will begin June 11 and will continue until the position is filled. Brite hopes to fill the position by August 1.
 
Contact: Joretta L. Marshall
Email: j.marshall@tcu.edu
Phone: (817) 257-7577
Website: https://tcu.iGreentree.com/CSS_External/CSSPage_Referred.ASP?Req=2018-138
 

CELEBRATION
 
We offer up prayers of joy and thanksgiving for former HTI student aide Dr. Amaury Tañón-Santos and his wife Jeannette Elias, on the birth of their son, Sebastián Mikel, on May 30, 2018 ¡Felicidades!
 




FOR PRAYER
 
Please lift up in prayer Dr. Edwin Hernández, his wife, Magaly, and their two sons, as they mourn the recent loss of his mother, Alba Luz Santiago Hernández, who passed away on May 4, 2018 as well as the loss of Magaly’s mother who passed away last month.
 
Dr. Vítor Westhelle, professor of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago died May 13, 2018 after living with cancer since early 2017. Let’s pray for Christiana, his wife of more than 40 years, his sons and daughters-in-law, and his two granddaughters.
 
We ask for healing prayers for Dr. Joyce Tucker, retired Director of Continuing Education at Princeton Theological Seminary. Dr. Tucker is a longtime friend and strong supporter of HTI.
 
Prayers lifted up for Grace Vargas and her family as they care for her father, Marcos, who is recuperating from an accident.
 
Our condolences and sympathy are with Dr. Thomas Flores and his family on the death of his aunt, Amida Garcia.
 

KEEP US POSTED

With the launching of HTI’s new website, it is easier for members of the HTI community, to share any news items to have considered for inclusion in Journeys. You may submit your contributions here. Journeys is ready widely and provides an excellent venue to promote Hispanic/Latino events and scholarship.