Böcker av Miguel A. De La Torre

Reading José Martí from the Margins explores the construction of Cuban homophobia, racism, sexism, sinophobia and ethnic discrimination which continues unabetted today on both sides of the Florida Straits. The apotheosis of Martí and the falsification of his thoughts have made it difficult to provide a critical assessment of his contributions to the cause of political and social liberation. In his writings and in his declaration (Montecristo Manifesto), he is among the first Latin Americanists to envision the future of Cuba and the rest of Latin America with the full and equal inclusion of Indians and Blacks. However, he also unwillingly created the foundation for a paternalistic, colorblind social order which contributed to the marginalization of those who fell short of the cis-gendered male Eurocuban ideal. Relying primarily on Martí¿s own writings, some of which has yet to be translated into English, Miguel De La Torre provides a critical assessment of Martí and shows how some of his work contributes to the construction of intra-Cuban oppression.

The Politics of Jesus is a powerful new biography of Jesus told from the margins. Renowned ethicist Miguel De La Torre argues that we all create Jesus in our own image, reflecting and reinforcing the values of communities-sometimes for better, and often for worse.

For many in Miami's Cuban exile community, hating Fidel Castro is as natural as loving one's children. This hatred, Miguel De La Torre suggests, has in fact taken on religious significance. In La Lucha for Cuba, De La Torre shows how Exilic Cubans, a once marginalized group, have risen to power and privilege-distinguishing themselves from other Hispanic communities in the United States-and how religion has figured in their ascension. Through the lens of religion and culture, his work also unmasks and explores intra-Hispanic structures of oppression operating among Cubans in Miami.Miami Cubans use a religious expression, la lucha, or "e;the struggle,"e; to justify the power and privilege they have achieved. Within the context of la lucha, De La Torre explores the religious dichotomy created between the "e;children of light"e; (Exilic Cubans) and the "e;children of darkness"e; (Resident Cubans). Examining the recent saga of the Elian Gonzalez custody battle, he shows how the cultural construction of la lucha has become a distinctly Miami-style spirituality that makes el exilio (exile) the basis for religious reflection, understanding, and practice-and that conflates political mobilization with spiritual meaning in an ongoing confrontation with evil.

This book will attempt to explore faith-based responses to unending injustices by embracing the reality of hopelessness. It rejects the pontifications of some salvation history that move the faithful toward an eschatological promise that, when looking back at history, makes sense of all Christian-led brutalities, mayhem, and carnage.

In this helpful addition to the Armchair Theologians series, Miguel A. De La Torre provides a concise overview of the global religious movement known as liberation theology that focuses on defining the major themes of this movement, as well as dispelling some common misconceptions. Liberation theology attempts to reflect upon the divine as...

A basic guide to reading the Bible from the perspective of the poor, oppressed, and marginalized. This readable and provocative introduction to hermeneutics emphasizes how issues of race, class, and gender influence our reading and understanding. Reading the Bible from the Margins begins where other texts fail to go: with the perspectives of those who society ignores. De La Torre shows how traditional or standard ways of approaching the Bible can be unacceptable to those who are discriminated against, and that the insights and understandings of biblical texts from the margins are enriching and valuable to all readers.

A Lily Among the Thorns gives Christians a new way of thinking about sexuality. Author Miguel De La Torre, a well-respected ethicist and professor known for his innovative readings of Christian doctrine, rejects both the liberal and conservative prejudices about sex.