DESCRIPTION:

An analysis of the current challenges facing the Latino Protestant Church in the United States and a framework for looking at the issues that the Church will need to address in the future. The course provides a description of the principal challenges, some of the ways that churches have responded in the past, the assets Latinos have to address the challenges and an outline for framing the Latino church's mission in the future.

Leaders within the Latino Protestant Church need to analyze the issues they specifically confront and a framework for addressing the issues from a missiological perspective. As objectives for the course, students will:

1. Understand the principal challenges faced by the Latino Protestant Church in the United States today.

2. Analyze the principal church models that are being used to address those challenges.

3. Evaluate their own perspectives related to the Latino Protestant Church in the United States.

4. Develop plans for a new model of church and ministry within the Latino community.

The course will be an intensive course that will meet for four hours every weekday from June 24-July 5. It will consist of lectures, discussions and participatory activities.

Atkins-Vásquez, Jane. Hispanic Presbyterians in Southern California. Los Angeles: Synod of Southern California and Hawaii, 1988.

Brackenridge, R. Douglas and Francisco O. García-Treto. Iglesia Presbiteriana. San Antonio: Trinity University Press, 1974.

González, Juan. Harvest of Empire. New York: Viking, 2000.

González, Justo. En nuestra propia lengua. Nashville: Abingdon, 1991.

__________. Desde el siglo y hasta el siglo. AHET.

__________. Mañana. Nashville: Abingdon, 1990.

Míguez Bonino, José. Rostros del protestantismo latinoamericano. Buenos Aires: Nueva Creación, 1995.

Náñez, Alfredo. Historia de la Conferencia Río Grande de la Iglesia Metodista Unida. Dallas: Bridwell Library, 1981.

Ortiz, Manuel. The Hispanic Challenge. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Rodríguez, José David and Loida I. Martell-Otero. Teología en conjunto. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.

Stavans, Ivan. La condición hispánica. México City: Tierra Firme, 1999.

Villafañe, Eldin. El Espíritu Libertador. Buenos Aires: Nueva Creación, 1996.

1. Read before first class session: Harvest of Empire [or La condición hispánica].

2. Class attendance and participation is required.

3. Read another 1,250 pages from the books listed in the bibliography.

4. Write a two-page description of a Latino church or ministry model different than the one the student participates in.

5. Analyze one of the challenges the Latino community is facing and develop a plan for how the Latino church can respond (20 pages). The paper must have at least a 10 book bibliography.