Ties That Bind - by Anthony B Pinn & Benjamin Valentin (Paperback)

About the Book

The latter half of the twentieth century saw the development of liberationist and progressive theologies whose aim is both to understand life and to enhance it by focusing attention on the ways in which certain groups and ethnic minorities suffer injustices that are traceable to political economy and culture. Although African-American and Hispanic/Latino(a) theologies emerged side by side, the development and analysis of theology within these ethnic groups occurred independently of each other. That is to say, African-American and Hispanic/Latino(a) theologians and religious scholars have rarely inquired into the possibility and desirability of a cross-cultural dialogue between these two communities. Acknowledging both the previous lack of substantive dialogue and the present need for coalition among disadvantaged groups, five African-American and five Hispanic/Latino(a) theologians here explore their common historical and cultural heritage and their similar chronicle of struggle and affirmation. The aim is develop overarching meaning systems that encourage and sustain holistic imagination, notions of self and communal integrity, social activism, and solidarity. Among the topics treated are the core themes, concerns, and historical development of these two theologies; the roles played by scripture, tradition, imagination, and individual and collective experience; popular religion; Womanist and Mujerista theologies; ways of dealing with pain, suffering, and subjugation; and, finally, strategies for building bridges between communities of struggle.

Book Synopsis

The latter half of the twentieth century saw the development of liberationist and progressive theologies whose aim is both to understand life and to enhance it by focusing attention on the ways in which certain groups and ethnic minorities suffer injustices that are traceable to political economy and culture. Although African-American and Hispanic/Latino(a) theologies emerged side by side, the development and analysis of theology within these ethnic groups occurred independently of each other. That is to say, African-American and Hispanic/Latino(a) theologians and religious scholars have rarely inquired into the possibility and desirability of a cross-cultural dialogue between these two communities. Acknowledging both the previous lack of substantive dialogue and the present need for coalition among disadvantaged groups, five African-American and five Hispanic/Latino(a) theologians here explore their common historical and cultural heritage and their similar chronicle of struggle and affirmation. The aim is develop overarching meaning systems that encourage and sustain holistic imagination, notions of self and communal integrity, social activism, and solidarity. Among the topics treated are the core themes, concerns, and historical development of these two theologies; the roles played by scripture, tradition, imagination, and individual and collective experience; popular religion; Womanist and Mujerista theologies; ways of dealing with pain, suffering, and subjugation; and, finally, strategies for building bridges between communities of struggle.

Review Quotes

"The articles in this book are written by an impressive list of African American and Hispanic/Latino/a scholars from across the United States. The real strength of this book is in the effective ways it serves to inform and stimulate the reader's own reflection on strategies for understanding and meeting the challenges of genuine dialogue for the task of building solidarity."
Rev. Sheryl A. Kujawa, The Living Church, March 17, 2002


"The work is a welcome effort to bring the two largest 'minorities' in US Christianity into a shared discourse that is increasingly critical for the development of ways in which these and other faith-based communities can work together. This is a welcome text for courses in US liberation theology, especially on the graduate level."
Theological Studies, September 2002

"The Ties That Bind offers [ ] evidence of the flourishing of contextual reflection as a mainstream theological approach. Grounded in the lived experience of their respective communities, the essays here do much to undermine those whose idealistic and homogenized representations of the sensus fidelium ignores the reality of Christian diversity and pluriform patterns of discipleship." Reviews in Religion and Theology 9.2 (April 2002)

"This volume is an excellent example of much-needed ecumenical, cross-cultural dialogue as well as a recommendable text for courses in contextual theology."
John T. Ford, Religious Studies Review, January 2003

About the Author

Anthony B. Pinn is Assistant Professor of Religion at Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota and the author of Why Lord? Suffering and Evil in Black Theology (1995) and Varieties of African American Religious Experience (1998). Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture