Saturday, June 20, 2009

Latin@ Theologies and Spiritualities - Bibliographic Resources



Here is a great resource. In its own words:

This is a project and service of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the U.S. (ACHTUS), designed for its members and for scholars and students anywhere who need accurate, complete and frequently updated bibliographical information on and by U.S. Latino/a Catholics and Episcopalians.

Click here to see the bibliographies. Latin@ theology is a rich and lively enterprise!

Not sure where to start? If you have never read anything in Latin@ spirituality or theology, I have a couple of ideas of simple articles or small books. I can bring them to our next RJ&R meeting and will also post references to them here. If you have ideas as well, or questions or comments, please write them in the Comments section below.

African Americans and Latin@s join in immigration initiative

Yesterday, on Juneteenth, the community organization ACORN launched a new initiative involving African Americans and Latin@s together in the movement for comprehensive immigration reform.

Click here to read the full story.

Note: The spelling Latin@ is not a typo. It is a written word some Latinas and Latinos are using in order to avoid using a longer gender-inclusive phrase such as Latina/Latino or Latino/a.

P.S. "Latin@" or "Hispanic"? Is there a difference? Who uses what term? Here's one person's fairly accurate reflection and comparison. Note also that The Journal of Hispanic/Latino Theology (published under the auspices of ACHTUS) uses both names because there is no full consensus on the issue -- though most of the writers for the journal probably use "Latino" or "Latina."

Friday, June 19, 2009

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth, once celebrated only in Texas, has spread all around the country. 31 states currently recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. It is the oldest known commemoration celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. For more on the history and celebration of Juneteenth, see here. For a historian's perspective that nuances and comments on the way the story of Juneteenth is usually told, see this short essay by Professor Thavolia Glymph of Duke University.

What are your memories and experiences, if any, of Juneteenth celebrations? What is your reaction to Professor Glymph's essay? Feel free to share them in the comments below. Blogs are meant for conversation, not just for one-way reading.

Elizabeth Catlett, "Sharecropper"

Thursday, June 11, 2009

We're back! Updates coming soon - watch for Juneteenth

Sorry for the long gap in communication, friends. We'll be blogging again on a regular basis over the summer. Once we are back, tell your colleagues, friends, family, and congregation-mates. And do participate by leaving comments.

Our next post will probably be on Juneteenth. For those of you who don't know, that's June 19th and there is a story behind this, one that many people commemorate around the U.S. Stay tuned...