ML3240 Theological Issues in Hispanic Ministry Spring 2004

Instructor: Dr. Javier (Jay) Alanís

Class Time: TTh. 10:00-11:15

Course description: This course examines Hispanic ministry issues. Topics will include a potpourri of subjects such as images of God in popular religion, spirituality, the role of faith and culture, evangelism, pastoral care, worship styles, ministry in the barrio and theological ethics.

Goals:

To learn to appreciate the diversity of theological articulations being offered by Hispanic/Latino/a theologians and pastoral agents
To discern common tendencies in their thought
To ask about how our own communities might learn from Hispanic/Latino/a theologians and pastoral agents as they reflect on the experience of their communities
To ask how we might engage the theological discourse with the Hispanic/Latino/a community from the perspective of our own cultural and gender identity and experience and theological confession
To ask what mission with the Hispanic/Latino/a community might mean for us in actual practice

Format:

§ Students will pick a day to lead the reading assignments using the format of a five-page critique of the book (or part of a book) and focus questions for class discussions

§ The professor will engage the students with a critical lens of the reading material

§ The professor will present lectures and/or clarify aspects of the reading assignment

§ The professor and students will engage the material and the discussion in a spirit of teología en conjunto; that is, in a mutual sharing of theological understanding that is informed by the community’s life, faith, and praxis. The aim of this method is to assist in the formulation of a communal theology that takes into account the diverse voices and experience of the theological community

Textbooks:

Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, Second Edition, (San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books , 1999).
Miguel De La Torre & Edwin Aponte, Introducing Latino/a Theologies, (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2001).
Alex García-Rivera, St. Martín de Porres: The “Little Stories” and the Semiotics of Culture, (Maryknoll: Orbis, 1995).
Michelle A. González, Sor Juana: Beauty and Justice in the Americas (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2003).
Eldin Villafañe, The Liberating Spirit

On reserve:

Nora O. Lozano-Díaz, “Ignored Virgin or Unaware Women”, in Blessed One, Protestant

Perspectives on Mary (Louisville: John Knox Press, 2002), 85-95.

Alberto García, “The Witness of the Cross and the Hispanic Experience,” in The

Theology of the Cross for the 21^st Century, 189-211.

Absences: Absences, for whatever reason, will require a make-up that will consist of a critical review of the material assigned for that particular day. Absences during the showing of the two videos will be made up by a critical review of an article from the Journal of Hispanic/Latino Theology, chosen by the instructor.

Jay’s Pet Peeves: the ringing of cell phones during class, and even worse, leaving the room to answer the call! This is unacceptable and will be punished severely by lashes to the back in the popular tradition of the penitentes of New Mexico (a penitential rite practiced during Holy Week). My recommendation is that you turn them off at the beginning of the class, por favor, in order to be respectful of the educational hour. Please do NOT leave the room to answer the phone!

Requirements for the Course:

§ Assigned readings with consistent and active class participation and critical reflection on the readings

§ The student will lead the class discussion on a critical reflection of one book and will ask the pertinent questions that arose from this critical reading; a five-page critique will serve as the basis for this critical reflection and dialogue; the student will provide copies for the students; copies can be made at Kinkos (sorry, but this is a requirement that will help facilitate the critique and discussion)

§ A five to seven-page final paper on a theme using class readings and reflections with specific reference to the significance of the theme for the student as he or she engages the task of theological discourse and/or pastoral care with the Hispanic/Latino/a community; this is the “so what?” question that may be answered in light of the underlying question: “What does this have to do with me anyway?”

Grading will be based on the following:

Class participation 30%
Class presentations 30%
Final paper 40%

Hispanic Lutheran Congregations

March 2 Introduction; expectations; lecture on the Image of God in 4 Congregations

March 4 Alicia presents her paper on pastoral care in 2 Hispanic congregations

Hispanic Pentecostals:

March 9 The Liberating Spirit, 1-132

March 11 The Liberating Spirit, 133-222; Video: Hispanic Pentecostals.

March 15-19 Spring Break (Recommended Film: Real Women Have Curves)

Hispanic/Latina Feminists

March 23 Watch Video: I, The Worst of All

March 25 González, Sor Juana, Beauty and Justice in the Americas

March 30 Nora Lozano: A Protestant Perspective on Guadalupe

Reading: Lozano-Díaz, “Ignored Virgin or Unaware Women” in Blessed One, 85-95.

April 1 Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera, the New Mestiza

Popular Religion as Popular Subversion

April 6: García-Rivera, St. Martin De Porres

Holy Week: Suffering as Solidarity with the Marginalized

April 8: Alberto L. García, “The Witness to the Cross in Light of the Hispanic Experience, in The Theology of the Cross for the 21^st Century, 189-211. Video: Fiesta

Theological Themes:

April 13 De La Torre & Aponte, Introducing Latino Theology, Chapter 5, Popular Religion and Alternative Traditions; 117-136; Video: Santería

April 15 De La Torre & Aponte, Introducing Latino Theology, 1-116, 137-161

Recommended film: Bread and Roses

April 20 3 Presentations

April 22 3 Presentations

April 27 3 presentations

April 29: No class