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Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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The Legacy of En Conjunto Leadership
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The Legacy of En Conjunto Leadership Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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Our Mission
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HTI Member Council and Steering Committee
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From the Director
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HTI Member Schools
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The HTI Story
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The Hispanic Theological Initiative Consortium
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HTI at a Glance
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The HTI En Conjunto Model
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2017–2018 HTI Scholars First-Year Doctoral Scholars Second-Year Doctoral Scholars Comprehensive Exam-Year Scholars Dissertation-Year Scholars
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2015–2016 HTI Budget Recap
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HTI Online
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Join HTI
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HTI Staff
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HTI Success HTI Master’s Fellows From 1997 to 2001 HTI PhD Graduates From 1997 to 2018 HTI Postdoctoral Fellows From 1997 to 2001 HTI Scholars by Institution From 2008 to 2018
Illustrations by Joel Agosto, jgosto.com
FROM THE DIRECTOR
What a joy it was to end 2016 celebrating twenty years of accomplishments! We are looking forward to rejoicing about new opportunities as HTI enters the 2017–18 academic year. This was possible with your support and the support of prominent Latina/o scholars who contributed to the development of HTI in the mid-1980s, early 1990s. The front cover is a tribute to four deceased Latina/o benefactors who, during their academic careers, were role models for HTI’s En Conjunto leadership. These scholars were among the first Latina/o scholars to pave the way for many of today’s gifted Latina/o leaders in the HTI network. The contributions that Ada María Isasi-Díaz, Virgilio Elizondo, Orlando Costas, and Otto Maduro bequeathed as their legacies continue to shape many lives within the Latina/o communities in the United States, Latin America, and beyond.
OUR MISSION The Hispanic Theological Initiative’s (HTI) mission is cultivating Latina /o PhDs for leadership positions in the academy, the church, and the world. With the support of the 24 consortium member institutions, the mission and vision of HTI revolves around three major goals:
Their unflinching commitment to ensure that the voices and cries of vulnerable and disenfranchised Latina/o communities across this nation and in Latin America are equally heard and respected in the halls of theological and religious academia. Thanks to their commitment, your support, and the support of the 24 HTI consortium member PhD-granting institutions, HTI has nurtured and led more than 100 first generation Latina/o scholars to contribute to meaningful and diverse academic, theological, and religious discourses. Through their leadership, these scholars modeled a high regard for academic excellence that was intricately tied to concern and care for the other. They also believed that collaboration with committed and supportive partners was the way forward to positive and long-lasting change for Latina/o communities and all communities.
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Increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latina /o PhD students across the nation by uniting and leveraging institutional resources (human, financial, and infrastructural).
Today we are deeply grateful to our four benefactors whom bequeathed HTI with an En Conjunto leadership model that is collaborative, life-giving, and transformative. To learn more about their contributions, we invite you to engage their writings as well as those by our more than 100 HTI graduates. Their work is a resource that is applicable to the current and future status of our beloved communities and the world.
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Increase the presence of Latina /o leaders and faculty—especially, tenured faculty in seminaries, schools of theology, and universities.
In closing, we invite you to peruse this brochure and learn more about HTI’s up and coming scholars; with your support, we currently boast the highest enrollment in HTI’s history at 44 scholars from 22 member institutions!
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Provide a forum for exchange of information, ideas, and best practices to engage the contributions of Latina /o faculty and students in theological and religious education.
Blessings,
Joanne Rodríguez
Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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THE HTI STORY
HTI AT A GLANCE WHO ARE HTI SCHOLARS?
Two decades prior to the Hispanic Theological Initiative’s (HTI) inception, the Fund for Theological Education (FTE), now the Forum for Theological Exploration, implemented two programs that supported 198 Hispanic students at the master’s-level for ministry, and at the doctorate level. In 1986, The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) provided FTE with a planning grant for Dr. Justo González, along with an advisory team, to conduct a study titled, “The Theological Education of Hispanics,” which was published in 1988. The study was pivotal for Pew’s philanthropic strategy in supporting Hispanic Americans in religious and theological education. After a Pew study conducted by Dr. Luis Rivera-Pagán and Dr. Rosendo Urrabazo in 1994, Pew decided to withdraw its funding for Hispanic students, yet, Dr. Joel Carpenter, and the Rev. Danny Cortes, then Pew director and program officer of religion programs, were committed to establishing a new program to develop leaders for the church and the academic community. Using a planning grant to conduct a new needs assessment study and design process, they hired Dr. Edwin Hernández to lay the groundwork for the Pew Hispanic Scholarship Study, and with the support of the advisory team including Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, Dr. Justo González, Dr. Allan Figueroa-Deck, Dr. David Maldonado, Dr. Olga Villaparra, Dr. Ana María Pineda, and Ms. Sarita Brown, they wrote the study titled, “The Future of Hispanics Graduate Theological Education.” In 1995, Hernández submitted to Pew a grant proposal for the Hispanic Theological Initiative. HTI was launched at Emory University under the directorship of Dr. Justo González and Dr. Daisy Machado with a $3.5 million grant, which was renewed in 2001, and a final grant in 2005 for $1.8 million. In the fall of 1996, HTI awarded its first fellowships. In 1999, HTI was relocated to Princeton Theological Seminary and Dr. Zaida Maldonado Pérez became its new director. During Pérez’s tenure, she introduced the HTI Book Prize and also Latinas in Theology. From 2002 to present, the Rev. Joanne Rodríguez, executive director, has worked collaboratively with a variety of advisors, mentors, and editors to develop and maintain the unprecedented completion rate of 97% with an average time to degree of 5.5 years. In 2003, HTI received a $888,000 grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc., and in 2007, 17 PhD-granting institutions launched the HTI consortium to expand the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latina/o PhD students. Today the consortium stands at 24 members. In 2010, HTI was awarded the Examples of Excelencia award at the graduate-level from ¡Excelencia in Education!, catapulting the HTI vision and model into the larger landscape of education in the United States. Since then, HTI is known as the “411 Hub” for Latina/o theological and religious resources, and is relied upon by presidents, deans, faculty, and students for resources and networks. In 2011, HTI received a $400,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to provide fellowships to post-comprehensive examination/ dissertation HTI scholars.
65% Male
35% Female
3 deans 2 presidents
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Denominations
82
42%
Full-time educators
Ordained
In higher education
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Leaders in administration, research, and ministry
WHAT HAS HTI ACHIEVED?
48 master’s & 110 doctoral students supported 97% of HTI students earn their graduate degrees in an average of 5.5 years
Published 100+ books by 48 HTI scholars
42% are tenured 29% are in tenured track
Compared to 31% retention rate and 9.3 years. Source: Council of Graduate Schools PhD Completion Project
HTI celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a corporate gift of $100,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and enters its 21st year with a $1.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc., which will provide ten $25,000 dissertation fellowships to students yearly for the next five years.
Honored 9 Book Prize winners
Assisted 10 post-doctoral scholars write their books (1997 to 2001)
WHERE ARE HTI GRADUATES NOW?
3 continents & 5 countries
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Academic institutions
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Denominations
80
Congregations
74 Nonprofit organizations 37 Media/publishing organizations
26 States and Puerto Rico 4
Canada Costa Rica Italy Mexico Taiwan
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Government agencies
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Health organizations
168 Professional/educational organizations
2017–2018 HTI SCHOLARS
First-Year Doctoral Scholars These scholars have been assigned an HTI mentor for the 2017–2018 academic year.
Mario Eduardo Alas-Escalante BTh, Latin American Theological Seminary / MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary / PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary (Present) Mario is a Latino-Canadian-American born in El Salvador. As a PhD student in the field of intercultural studies, he is interested in cross-cultural settings. One of his strengths is observing the culture and finding an area where he can fulfill a need by serving as a communication bridge. Mario’s PhD research is on female leaders’ roles as carriers of the image of God within the mission of God. He will begin work on his PhD with the hopes of teaching in the academy. Mario lives in San Diego, California, where he serves as a Pentecostal pastor.
Arelis Benitez BA, Denison University / MA, Loma Linda University / MA, Vanderbilt University / PhD, Vanderbilt University (present) Aly is a first-year doctoral student in the field of practical theology. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents and is first generation Mexican American. Her family’s experience as migrants in a foreign land has influenced her curiosity, critical questions, and theological reflections about Latino/Hispanic presence in the United States. Of particular interest is the impact of intersectionality in identity formation and the development of pastoral care responses for the Mexican immigrant community. Vocationally, Aly is a practicing healthcare chaplain who completed her clinical pastoral education residency at UCLA Medical Center in 2012. She looks forward to a future in scholarship and religious education.
Jasmin Elise Figueroa BA, The City College of New York / MDiv and MACEF, Princeton Theological Seminary / PhD, Boston University School of Theology (present)
ADA MARÍA ISASI-DÍAZ “Ada María Isasi-Díaz leaves a legacy that is still unfolding because justice requires much to be done. In her challenge to the Roman Catholic hierarchy, she passes on the transformative work toward women’s ordination and full equality of LGBTQI persons. In her challenge to the academy, she passes on the insistence of lo cotidiano (everyday life) as the starting point of theology. In her challenge to the wider church community, she passes on a vision of the kin-dom of God “on earth as it is in heaven,” where all are members of God’s family and responsible for the well-being of all. In her challenge to society, particularly in the United States, she passes on the mandate to live up to the ideals upon which the nation was founded. In all these things, Ada María has left a mark on theology that is centered on love: of falling in love with God’s promise of justice, of nurturing that love in relationship with God and others, and participating fully in the love of God by unfolding the kin-dom of God on earth.”
Jasmin grew up in New York City, where she spent her life being influenced, in one way or another, by different religious and cultural traditions. Her Mennonite, Latinx evangélico, Catholic, and Jewish relatives; her years serving at a mid-sized charismatic church; and her internship at a Reformed church instilled in her a deep appreciation for the roles that practical and pastoral theologies play in shaping communities. Jasmin seeks to make theological education accessible to all communities, while highlighting the gifts and contributions that her communities bring to the larger world. Her current research interest explores how assimilating Latinx evangelical Christian communities can develop culturally competent and representative theologies and pastoral care practices to combat internalized and externalized white supremacy.
Chauncey Diego Francisco Handy BA, Seattle Pacific University / MDiv, Duke Divinity School / MA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem/ PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary (present) Having grown up in a family that is both Hispanic (from South Texas) and Anglo, Chauncey lives at the intersection of two cultures. The hybrid nature of his upbringing combined with his interest in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament led him to pursue a PhD in biblical studies. He hopes to ask questions about the nature of inclusion and exclusion in the Bible through literary, theological, historical, and post-colonial means. A candidate for ministry in the PC(USA), Chauncey seeks to be a scholar who bridges the gap between the academy and contemporary religious communities.
Dr. Teresa Delgado Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics Program Director, Peace and Justice Studies Iona College Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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Seth Anthony Villegas BA, Stanford University / MA, Fuller Theological Seminary / PhD, Boston University (present) Seth sees a deep need to tease out the theological and philosophical implication of new technological developments and scientific discoveries. He believes that theology can only be helpful as it corresponds to the world as it actually is. As a first-year constructive theology student at Boston University, he hopes to contribute to an ethical framework that can guide the direction that future technology takes humanity. His perspective is heavily shaped by his experiences living in Silicon Valley and his time serving in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. He wants to explore how the Christian ethic of self-sacrifice can be a corrective action to reverse some of the problematic trends that have arisen with technological progress.
Second-Year Doctoral Scholars These scholars have been assigned an HTI mentor for the 2017–2018 academic year.
Jennifer A. Fernández BA, University of California, San Diego / MDiv, Pacific School of Religion / PhD, Graduate Theological Union (present) As a Cuban-American, Jennifer values diversity in education. She grew up in Miami, Florida, where she was inspired to see her ethnic identity reflected in her teachers. That empowered her to believe that she too could one day be a confident Latina leader and educator. Hoping to teach in the academy, Jennifer wants theological students who come after her to be welcomed into an educational landscape that honors their lived experience. Jennifer’s work uses social theory and post-modern philosophy to examine the theological statements that are made when race, gender, or nationality are used to “other” the Divine’s creation.
Nathan Aaron García BA, St. Mary’s College of California / MTS, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry / PhD, Oblate School of Theology (present) Nathan is a dedicated Roman Catholic theologian who believes his call is to explore and incorporate contemporary psychological issues into a spiritual context within the Catholic faith. In particular, issues such as typological personality and multiple intelligences have provided deep human analysis that could benefit Catholic spirituality studies. Nathan’s goal is to formulate a scientifically tenable spiritual anthropology. Moreover, he is a passionate teacher who has taught at the high school level and, in his free time, serves as bible study teacher for his parish’s young adults group.
Alberto Alexander La Rosa Rojas BA, Trinity Christian College / MDiv, Western Theological Seminary / ThD, Duke Divinity School (present) Alberto emigrated with his family from Peru to the United States in 2001. His experience as an immigrant informs and drives his academic pursuits, which wrestle with the ethical and theological dimensions of immigration. Broadly speaking, Alberto is interested in giving a rich account of the way immigrants think about home and belonging. He is also interested in giving an account of how immigrants, particularly undocumented immigrants, can flourish through virtuous living in light of the political, economic, and social conditions that constitute their experience. He hopes to teach and to continue to be a voice in future policies regarding immigration.
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Vinicius Pintas Marinho BL, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) / MA, The University of Chicago Divinity School / PhD, The University of Chicago Divinity School (present) Vinicius investigates the body from the intersection of religion, public life, and the environment, which he does comparatively, critically, and constructively. His expertise as a constitutional lawyer in Brazil was resignified after his contacts with global cultures revealed the corporeal and particular origins of environmental conceptions. Hence, Vinicius critically examines epistemic, moral, and political problems in the gap between the embodied and global dimensions of religious ideas about environmental justice. A de-colonial sensibility, the option for the marginalized, and harmony guide Vinicius’ constructive interpretations on the body, evolution, revelation, and the Anthropocene. Drawing from ecotheology and environmental ethics, in dialogue with philosophical anthropology and philosophy of liberation, his scholarship intends to broaden the public conversation on religion and the environment.
Esteban Gabriel Miranda BMin, International Faculty of Theology / MATM, Fuller Theological Seminary / PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary (present) Esteban was born and raised in Uruguay. From a young age, he challenged the theological status quo of the Pentecostal church his father pastored. Never fully satisfied with answers to the questions regarding Uruguay being forced to incorporate North American ways of reading the Bible as the “only” way to understand Scripture, he sought to promote approaching the Bible through Uruguayan eyes. Now, as a doctoral student he continues to aim at the same target: to decolonize exegesis and decentralize hermeneutics. Christopher C. Rios BA, University of North Texas / MTS, Southern Methodist University / PhD, University of Notre Dame (present) For Christopher, the seemingly disparate fields of systematic theology and phenomenology, and the philosophy and aesthetics of both music and visual art converge in the study of theological aesthetics, and it is the intersection of these fields that is the focus of his work at the University of Notre Dame. An organist by trade, he sees the continued need for a fuller Christian theological aesthetic that takes seriously both the musical and visual arts. He hopes that his work can reveal the significant contributions the musical and visual fine arts offer to Christian systematic theology.
Jorge Juan Rodríguez V. BA, Gordon College / MA, Union Theological Seminary / MPhil, Union Theological Seminary (present) / PhD, Union Theological Seminary (present) Jorge is the son of Puerto Rican migrants who instilled in him pride for his heritage and a critical eye towards the reality of diaspora. His experiences growing up—forged, in part, by being ni de aquí ni de allá (from neither here nor there) linguistically, culturally, nationally, and religiously—pushed him to pursue an interdisciplinary study of religion as an attempt to make sense of the world he and many like him inhabit. As a result, his scholarship seeks to illuminate how social systems that yield marginalization and displacement have historically used religion to elevate some people over others. His hope is that engaging religion in this way will uplift marginalized voices and challenge religious narratives in the academy.
Elyssa Salinas BA, Valparaiso University / MDiv, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago / PhD, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (present) Elyssa believes that her theology must touch her body; therefore, her scholarship encompasses her experience as a Mexican American and as a woman. She is passionate about making the church a safe space for each and every body because each body is a beloved creation of God, and not a shell of shame. Utilizing her own body as a crux, her research embraces sex and body-positive theology in order to combat a culture of disgrace. Elyssa employs teaching and poetry to connect to her audience at a poetry slam or in a classroom.
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Comprehensive Exam-Year Scholars These scholars have been assigned an HTI mentor for the 2017–2018 academic year.
Diana E. (Rodríguez) Click BA, Johnson University Florida / MDiv, Emory University / PhD, Emory University (present) The promise of dialogue across global theological perspectives inspires Diana’s passion for theological studies. She explores how such discourse presents creative possibilities for Christian conceptions of theological epistemologies, divine revelations, theological anthropologies, and pneumatologies. In particular, her research focuses on insights which the religious histories of Puerto Rican women, families, and communities offer for such theological notions. Drawing upon global and Latina/o theologies and histories, Diana views the academic classroom as a transformative setting where learning awakens students to diverse sites and expressions of divine presence.
Thomas Evans BA, Utah State University / MA, University of Denver / PhD, Claremont Graduate University (present) Tom grew up hearing stories about the Cristero, Catholics who fought government forces in the name of the Christ, from his grandfather’s family in Jalisco, Mexico. As an undergraduate, he received a grant to study the largest Cristero shrine, that of Santo Toribio Romo, and became so inspired by this figure and his veneration that he switched majors from international business to religion. Now known as a patron saint of immigrants, the veneration of Santo Toribio travels across the border strengthening the resolve of those who often face many perils. Tom is preparing to write a dissertation about the contested nature of this saint as a powerful, yet unauthorized, symbol of God’s watchful eye on the border.
Raquel Feagins BA, Harvard College / MDiv, Perkins School of Theology / PhD, Oblate School of Theology (present) As a PhD student in the field of Christian spirituality, Raquel is interested in the deep and rich JudeoChristian traditions in prayer, mysticism, and spiritual guidance. As an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, she wants to help her denomination recover the richness of Wesleyan spirituality that has been obscured by structural and denominational concerns. She is particularly interested in the Wesleyan understanding of responsible grace as it is lived out in scriptural holiness and commitment to the least of these.
Yara González-Justiniano BA, University of Puerto Rico / MDiv, Boston University / PhD, Boston University (present) Yara sees her work and scholarship as part of her vocation and passion towards theological formation and the work of social justice. She expects her work can form part of the theological dialogue and construction within her Puerto Rican community and Latinx communities in hopes that in the future it engages with areas outside of theology. Her research areas are liberation and political theologies, popular culture and collective memory studies, and postcolonial and Latinx theologies.
Iriann Marie Hausted BA, University of Puerto Rico / MA, Andrews University / PhD, Andrews University (present)
Lydia Hernández-Marcial BS, University of Puerto Rico / MDiv, Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico / STM, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York / ThM, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago / PhD, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (present) As an ordained minister and a biblical scholar, Lydia focuses on the intersection of church, popular culture, and the Hebrew Bible from critical theory and postcolonial perspectives. She is interested in wisdom literature, especially how a postcolonial interpretation contributes to the understanding of Ecclesiastes’ contradictions. As a Puerto Rican, Lydia explores with her students and church members how the sociopolitical situation of their countries impacts their interpretation of the Hebrew Bible and how a postcolonial hermeneutics lay bare the power structures and the colonized mentality of subalterns. Her goal is to empower Latina/o pastors and leaders by providing tools for an interpretation of the biblical text, which can help in the transformation of the colonized mind.
Christina Llanes BA, Loyola Marymount University / MA, The University of Chicago Divinity School / PhD, The University of Chicago Divinity School (present) Christina is studying the history of Christianity. Her research focuses on women mystics in the 13th and 14th centuries. She is interested in suffering, the body, compassion, and action and contemplation in women’s mysticism. The goal of her scholarship is to focus on figures that have been historically marginalized by scholars or not taken seriously as the complex theologians that they are. She is also interested in exploring the history of Christian mysticism in medieval Spain, a topic on which little has been published. As a descendant of immigrants from Cuba and Northern Spain, Christina looks forward to exploring her culture’s rich intellectual heritage.
Michael Orellana BA, Peruvian Union University / MA, Peruvian Union University / PhD, Andrews Theological Seminary (present) Michael’s native Peruvian culture is rich in history and calls his attention to the several links between Bible and archaeological records. He expects to contribute to the understanding of biblical narrative by making connections between the sacred Scriptures and the cultural remains in the Middle East. His dissertation titled “Horizons of Tall Jalul Pottery in the Iron IIA–IIB” intends to clarify the debate about the historicity of the United Kingdom as it is portrayed in the Bible. He is a Seventh-day Adventist who would like to spread the knowledge of the ancient past of the Middle East.
Flavio Prestes III BA, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná / MDiv, Andrews University / ThD, Andrews University (present) Flavio was born in Curitiba in southern Brazil. From childhood, he has been an eager searcher for answers to deep questions and excited about discovering effective ways to share these findings. When he became a Christian as a young adult, he began to study the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. From such engagement, he became interested in the inner coherence of these Scriptures as well as the worldview embedded in them. This journey led him to fall in love with the God portrayed in these texts. Currently, his focus is to conclude the doctoral program in biblical studies (languages and theology) in order to serve as a professor, writer, mentor, and friend within Portuguese, Spanish, and English-speaking communities.
Iriann understands her calling to education as that of a life-long journey of intellectual awakening that encourages all parties involved to realize their potential for knowledge, critical thinking, and charitable understanding of the other. She absolutely loves identifying “that look” in the eyes of a learner who has just found a new path for thought. In the future, she would like to focus her practice on providing educational opportunities and meaningful mentorship for individuals belonging to communities that have systemically lacked these. Her current studies focus on historical theology and Adventist studies, particularly in the ways that the literal reading of Scripture has been understood. 10
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Mónica Isabel Rey BA, Virginia Commonwealth University / MA, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary / STM, Boston University School of Theology / PhD, Boston University Graduate Division of Religion (present) Mónica sees her role in the theological academy as committed to advancing biblical literacy. Her desire is to equip students and congregations to think about the impact of Scripture in all matters. Mónica also desires to help combat the complacency and ignorance on matters of gender, racial, and sexual injustice as religious institutions are often times the places where these social inequalities are perpetuated. Mónica also hopes to be able to speak to the generation of American born Latina/os who live in a new hybrid in-between space. The exploding population of American-born Latina/os are experiencing existential questions of identity as they carve out their own spaces and asking: What does it mean for me to be Latina/o?
Martín Rodríguez BA, Pepperdine University / MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary / PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary (present) Martín is in his third year of doctoral studies in missiology. He is particularly interested in sustainable models for missional leadership formation in multigenerational Hispanic churches in the United States. His research seeks to address the unique leadership formation challenges faced by aspiring Hispanic pastors and lay leaders in at-risk underserved urban communities where the vast majority of US-born Latina/os live. Martín ministered in house churches in central and northern China for five years and is currently serving as minister of the Hollywood Church of Christ in Los Angeles, California.
Michael L. Sekuras BS, Bob Jones University / MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary / ThM, Princeton Theological Seminary / PhD, Vanderbilt University (present) Michael hopes to continue his research in the Hebrew Bible, as a way of bringing together the various fields of his interest. He hopes to illuminate the many aspects of ancient religious texts, which can still be helpful for members of religious communities today, while also pointing out the ways in which religious communities have failed to take those outside into account. He hopes to both teach in a classroom setting as well as write works that further the academy while also broadening perspectives of those outside scholarly circles. He would like his work to be part of a necessary bridge between academic rigor as he studies the past, and political and social relevance in the present.
Stephanie Mota Thurston BA, Scripps College / MAR, Yale Divinity School / PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary (present) A fundamental concern for social justice has motivated Stephanie’s desire to study religion, political theory, and ethics. She is particularly interested in exploring the relationship among education, moral formation, and justice. Her past experience as a middle school special education teacher, and her current work as a theological educator in an inside-outside prison certificate program, allows her to connect her scholarship and practice. Both of these experiences have influenced her to continue to study how education can contribute to the flourishing life of a community and how pedagogical structures and practices, like an inside-outside prison cohort, can cultivate virtues such as mutual recognition, which are needed to nurture just societies. Stephanie hopes to encourage American churches to engage theologically with these concerns.
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Ramón Uribe BA, University of California / ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary / PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary (present) To Ramón, proper theology comes from a strong, biblical foundation which is obtained only through careful exegesis. This entails studying the written word of God in its original languages, studying the historical and cultural backgrounds of the original audience, and identifying the genre of the biblical book. The biblical record is not an anthology, but a seamless, continuous story that reveals a loving God who reaches out to fallen humanity. Ramón’s goal is to become a Bible teacher in academia and raise pastors, teachers, and missionaries. He sees himself in the English-and Spanish-speaking world encouraging others to pursue God through diligent biblical study.
Héctor M. Varela-Rios BS, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez / MA, Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico / MA, The University of Chicago Divinity School / PhD, The University of Chicago Divinity School (present) Growing up in a Methodist church, Héctor was always intrigued by lived religion in lo cotidiano: religiosity beyond doctrine, ministries, or worship. That interest in “theology from below,” so prevalent in Latina/o worldviews, along with his two-decade work as a construction engineer and project manager, led him to religious material culture and how it informs theological understanding, especially in neocolonial and postmodern societies such as his home country, Puerto Rico. Through research and teaching at the university level, and working with Christian and non-Christian faith communities, Héctor hopes to contribute to Latina/o religious studies, and ultimately influence religious discourse in the public sphere, as co-present with other cultural agents, such as media, education, politics, and socio-economics.
Grace Vargas BA, Rutgers University–New Brunswick / MDiv, Princeton Theological Seminary / PhD, Southern Methodist University (present) Inspired by Rubem Alves, Grace sees the task of history as one of recovery and sacramental dissemination. Her work centers on the history of Christianity in Latin America, particularly the Protestant Church. Employing critical and postcolonial methodologies, she examines previously unheard voices from history, allowing for new histories to emerge. These new histories witness to the significant and unique ways in which the Latin American Church and its progeny, the Latino Church in the United States, have historically contributed to the story of the global Christian movement. Grace’s vocational journey toward teaching and ministry in the church and the academy was ignited when she struggled to find herself and her community in the dominant Christian historical accounts.
Raúl Zegarra PhB, Pontifical Catholic University of Perú / PhL, Pontifical Catholic University of Perú / MPhil, Pontifical Catholic University of Perú / ThM, University of Notre Dame / PhD, The University of Chicago Divinity School (present) Raúl sees his role in the academy as connecting practical and theoretical concerns related to the struggle for justice. He does so by deploying different tools including phenomenology and philosophical hermeneutics to pragmatism and political philosophy. He applies these tools to the study and development of the main themes of liberation theology, namely, eradication of poverty, the struggle for social justice, religious experience as a form of liberation, etc. As somebody who can engage different audiences for the advancement of the cause of justice for all, Raúl is very committed to the public role of the intellectual.
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Dissertation-Year Scholars These scholars are writing their dissertations. Each will receive editorial assistance throughout the 2017–2018 academic year.
Andrés Roberto Albertsen MDiv, Instituto Universitario ISADET, Argentina / MDiv, Aarhus University, Denmark / PhD, Luther Seminary (present) To contribute to the strengthening of democracy and to provide opportunities in the church for exercising the art of respectful conversation were integral parts of Andrés’s ministry as a pastor for many years in Argentina, which regained democracy in 1983 after a long and painful period of dictatorship. The same concern for the continuity and deepening of democracy is now inspiring Andrés’s dissertation project on the connection between love and politics, founded on a convergent reading of two main works of Hegel and Kierkegaard. He expects to find the niche where he can participate in the education of leaders for the church, and especially Latina/o leaders, who will be intentional about the public impact of their ministries.
João Chaves BTh, CEBESP (Brazil) / BA, Baptist University of the Americas / MTS, George W. Truett Seminary of Baylor University / PhD, Baylor University (present) João is a native of Recife, Brazil. He is interested in the history of Latin American liberation theology, Latina/o Protestantisms in America, and the way in which certain social dynamics open space for particular religious experiences. In 2013, he published his first book, Evangelicals and Liberation Revisited (Wipf & Stock), and he also has articles and book reviews published in academic, peer-reviewed journals. Currently João is an adjunct lecturer at the Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, Texas.
Maziel Barreto Dani BA, Oklahoma Baptist University / MDiv, Brite Divinity School / ThM, Brite Divinity School / PhD, Brite Divinity School (present) For Maziel, cultural heritage, personal narrative, education, and exposure to various interpretations of the biblical text have led her to an increased interest in the role of churches in minoritized communities. As a native Puerto Rican, Maziel was exposed to imperial power and control and its impact not only on people but the lands which they inhabit. Her experience living under colonial rule is the heartbeat of her scholarship. Maziel’s research is focused on the ways the Bible has been used to justify the acquisition and conquest of foreign land. In so doing, she challenges faith communities to resist colonial ideologies which oppress not only peoples but the lands which they occupy.
Marlene Mayra Ferreras BA, La Sierra University / MS, Loma Linda University / MA, Fuller Theological Seminary / PhD, Claremont School of Theology (present) Born and raised in southern California, Marlene is the daughter of a single parent Cuban refugee mother. She was a pastor for fourteen years in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination and was ordained by the Pacific Union Conference in October 2012. Her interests are at the intersection of social science and theology. Her dissertation proposal presents an ethnographic study of indigenous female maquila workers in Yucatán, Mexico, and the strategies women use to resist violence and oppression. She believes spiritual care should assist women in identifying and developing their futures.
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Yvette D. Garcia BS, Texas Christian University / MS, Abilene Christian University / MDiv, Abilene Christian University / DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary / PhD, Baylor University (present) Yvette has been teaching people of all ages for many years. Her research area is Pentecostalism, and she is writing her dissertation on the Brownsville Revival. Yvette pursued scholarship to increase her understanding of the history of Christianity and to share her knowledge through her writing and teaching. After graduation, she hopes to teach in a college or Bible college.
Leo Guardado BA, Saint Mary’s College of California / MTS, University of Notre Dame / PhD, University of Notre Dame (present) Leo is writing a dissertation that reflects theologically on one of the largest U.S. ecclesial movements of the twentieth century—the Sanctuary Movement. Displaced as a young boy by the violent civil war in El Salvador, his scholarship is an expression of the human need to bridge faith and understanding of one’s self and one’s community—in this case, a displaced community. Grounded in both systematic theology and peace studies, he argues for a theological understanding of church as sanctuary, as a holy place of refuge. Leo seeks to continue bridging the academy with church life.
Elmer Arrais Guzmán BTh, BA, Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo (Brazil) / MDiv, Andrews Univeristy / PhD, Andrews University (present) Elmer is a Brazilian-Bolivian teacher with a strong call to serve humanity. He is an active teacher at his local Seventh-day Adventist church, health enthusiast, and has been involved in the past in ministry, chaplaincy, and teaching. He has earned degrees in theology and journalism, and his current research interest resides in the interconnection of the theological loci God, eschatology, and mission, as it relates to issues in missional hermeneutics. His hope for the future includes teaching theology and helping to alleviate suffering in his local community.
Tito Madrazo BA, Baylor University / MA, Baylor University / MDiv, Gardner-Webb University / ThD, Duke Divinity School (present) As a first-generation immigrant from Venezuela and an ordained Baptist minister, Tito has a passion for the Hispanic community and the church. During his doctoral studies, he brought these two areas together through his focus on homiletics and ethnography. Tito has taught preaching courses in El Salvador, Peru, Guatemala, and the United States and currently serves as the director of the Lilly grant-funded Hispanic-Latina/o Preaching Initiative at Duke. He is researching and writing his dissertation—an ethnographic exploration of calling and formation among Hispanic preachers in North Carolina.
Jennifer Christine Owens BA, Loyola Marymount University / MA, Loyola Marymount University / MDiv, Harvard Divinity School/ PhD, Graduate Theological Union (present) Jennifer is a second-generation Bolivian-American. She seeks to understand how spiritual practices inform theological reflection, especially in the Catholic Church. Her dissertation, which is tentatively titled “‘La Morenita is Very Proud of Us’: Mariological and Ministerial Implications of Guadalupan Devotion at Dolores Mission Catholic Church,” uses qualitative research methods to grasp the nature of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe among Latina Catholic women in East Los Angeles, with the intention of outlining the contours of liberating approaches to Mariology and to Latina/o ministry.
Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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Francisco Javier Peláez-Díaz BTh, Theological Presbyterian Seminary of Mexico / ThM, Princeton Theological Seminary / PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary (present) Francisco envisions his role in the religious academy as a broker, catalyst, and bridge builder. Being an immigrant himself and having worked as a pastor of immigrants in a multiethnic/multicultural congregation, he understands that there are many challenges derived from the immigrant experience, for both the immigrants and the receiving communities. Through his work in the church and his involvement in the civil rights agency of Dayton, Ohio, he helped to alleviate some of those challenges at multiple levels. He is convinced that through his work as an educator, church leaders and people of faith can be inspired and compelled to play a revolutionary role in addressing the challenges presented by the growing phenomenon of global migration.
Erica Michelle Ramírez BS, Southwestern Assemblies of God University / MA, Wheaton College Graduate School / PhD, Drew University (present) Erica finds that the Pentecostal churches of her childhood and adolescence forcefully shaped her perspective and values. Now, she is studying how early American Pentecostalism affected the character of globalized pentecostalisms. Though Pentecostals are sometimes presented as a-theological, Erica interprets Pentecostal premium on experience as a powerful theological construct of the locus of the Spirit in lo cotidiano. Her ritualsymbolic reconstruction of Pentecostal revivalism uses postcolonial and feminist lenses to assess the gendered mechanics of spirit empowerment, in an effort to encourage believers’ thriving.
Rafael Reyes III BT, Vaughn College of Aeronautics / MA, Alliance Theological Seminary / MDiv, New York Theological Seminary / STM, Drew Theological School / PhD, Claremont School of Theology (present) For Rafael, his scholarship and vocation stem from his upbringing within the interstices of Queens and Spanish Harlem, New York. In-between two worlds, he dwelled on the necessity of imagination that goes beyond the truth or reality of the world around him. Focusing on postmodern, poststructuralist, and process forms of thought, Rafael finds ways to harmonize his own work with the church, in helping imagine new possibilities by lifting marginalized knowledge—the knowledge of the people. This is his goal as he moves towards his life in academia, to engage students to develop their own knowledge, to find new solutions, and to imagine the impossible.
Abelardo José Rivas BA, Southern Adventist University / MDiv, Andrews University / PhD, Andrews University (present) Abelardo has presented his research at several professional organizations including the American Schools of Oriental Research and at other academic forums such as the University of Dublin in Ireland. He has also written several articles for professional journals and contributes to TV documentaries in both Spanish and English. He is involved in several research projects including Tall Jalul with the Madaba Plains Project, and Khirbet Ataruz with La Sierra University. Currently his dissertation is entitled “A Comparative Study of the Architectural Remains, Material Culture, and the Chronological and Historical Context of Field ‘G’ at Tall Jalul.”
Lis Valle BA, University of Puerto Rico / JD, University of Puerto Rico / MDiv, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary / ThM, Princeton Theological Seminary / PhD, Vanderbilt University (present) As an educator of homiletics and liturgics, focusing on embodiment and performance, Lis understands her role in the theological academy as nurturing preachers and worship leaders who listen to the needs of their congregations and respond in caring and loving ways from the pulpit and through ritual, addressing the issues that affect their communities, and using communication styles relevant to their context. Lis is committed to increasing the ways in which the church is part of the solution by breaking the silence in the pulpit, denouncing systemic evil, and announcing divine liberation for peoples of all ethnicities, genders, and sexualities.
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OTTO MADURO “In Otto Maduro, Hispanic theological education had a keen critical sociological eye—one willing to interrogate even the time-honored and hallowed practices of Roman Catholicism for their political efficacies. His later work, on U.S. Latina/o Pentecostalism, is underwritten by this same commitment, with a laser-sharp focus on the material well-being of the Hispanic community. Otto had the temerity and energy to question everything deeply, so many of us retain him as a beloved exemplar of intellectual passion.” Erica Ramirez (ABD) Richard B. Parker Professor of Wesleyan Thought Portland Seminary
HTI SUCCESS
HTI Master’s Fellows From 1997 to 2001 HTI supported 48 master’s students from 26 seminaries and divinity schools. These HTI master’s graduates are now serving in the church, academy, and public life. They lead in churches and in schools across the nation and around the world, preparing the next generation to lead in a diverse and challenging world.
Rafael Acosta
Juan Gabriel Lara
Harvard Divinity School
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
Carlos Parra, PhD Harvard Divinity School
Angel Santiago-Vendrell, PhD Church of God Theological Seminary
Judy A. Armas López
Jaime López
Santiago Piñon, PhD
María I. Santiviago-Espinal
Franciscan School of Theology
Harvard Divinity School
University of Chicago
New York Theological Seminary
Diana Ávila (Deceased)
Nelly Lorenzo
Oleta M. Proctor-Fernández
Jesuit School of Theology
Loyola University (Chicago)
Graduate Theological Union/Jesuit School of Theology
Carmelo Santos, PhD Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Maricarmen C. Castro
Maricarmen Laureano-Ortega
San Francisco Theological Seminary
Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico
David Ramos
David G. Soto-Valenzuela
Princeton Theological Seminary
Drew University Theological School
César Cháves
Ewin Martínez
Pacific School of Religion
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Ricardo Ramos, DMin Drew University Theological School
Hamleth Terrones
Hjamil Martínez-Vázquez, PhD
Mayra Rivera, PhD
Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico
Drew University Theological School
Lorena Maria Thompson Thompson
University of St. Mary of the Lake
José del Carmen Méndez Izquierdo
Saúl Rivera
María Díaz
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
Fuller Theological Seminary
Martín Concepción McCormick Theological Seminary
Claudio Díaz
Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico
Emory University
Felipe Vaglienty
Andrews University
University of St. Mary of the Lake
Rady Roldán-Figueroa, PhD Marco Mercado López
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
Carlo J. Ellard Yale Divinity School
Fuller Theological Seminary
Ariel Rodríguez (Deceased) Pedro E. Miranda-Torres
Christopher Ysais
Drew University Theological School
Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico
Víctor Feliberty-Ruberté, PhD Columbia Theological Seminary
Verónica García
Harvard Divinity School
Armando Rodriguez Jr., PhD Carmen Moreno (Albarrán) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
América Rojas
Harvard Divinity School
Felix Muñiz Adelita Garza
Brendaly Vélez
Pacific School of Religion
Ashland Theological Seminary
Carla Elena Roland Guzmán, PhD
Fuller Theological Seminary
Magdiel Narváez Negrón Thomas Laporté, PhD
Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico
Candler School of Theology at Emory University
Daniela Nogués
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Gabriel A. Salguero New Brunswick Theological Seminary
San Francisco Theological Seminary
VIRGILIO ELIZONDO “Fr. Virgilio Elizondo’s work reconnects the U.S. theological academy to its pastoral roots, daring theologians to teach and write in ways that are true to a God who loves and welcomes everyone without exception. In so doing, he demonstrated the capacity of Hispanic theology to challenge, renew, and inspire many in the academy and beyond.” Dr. Victor Carmona Assistant Professor of Latina/o Theologies University of San Diego
Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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HTI PhD Graduates from 1997 to 2017 During the past 21 years, HTI has supported 110 doctoral students. These HTI doctoral and post-doctoral graduates are now serving in the church, academy, and public life. They teach and write in schools across the nation and around the world, preparing the next generation to lead in a diverse and challenging world.
Leticia Guardiola-Sáenz
Michael Edward Lee
Angel F. Méndez-Montoya
Santiago Piñón
Associate Professor of Christian Scriptures Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry
Associate Professor of Theology, Latin American and Latino Studies Fordham University
Professor of Philosophy of Religion Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico
Assistant Professor of Religion Texas Christian University
Matilde K. Moros
Daniel Ramírez
Assistant Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Virginia Commonwealth University
Associate Professor of American Religions Claremont Graduate University
Rubén Muñoz-Larrondo
Mayra Rivera
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies Andrews University
Associate Professor of Theology and Latina/o Studies Harvard Divinity School
Moises López Javier R. Alanís
José E. Balcells
Elizabeth Conde-Frazier
Rubén Dupertuis
Executive Director and Associate Professor of Theology, Culture, and Mission Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest
Adjunct Faculty Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico
Vice President of Education and Dean Esperanza College, Eastern University
Associate Professor of Religion Trinity University
Eric Barreto Jared Alcántara Assistant Professor of Homiletics Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament Princeton Theological Seminary
Salvador Leavitt-Alcántara
Paul Barton
Inpatient Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnatti, Ohio
Director of the Mexican American and Hispanic–Latina/o Church Ministries Program Director of United Methodist Regional Course of Study School Professor of Christian History and Missiology Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University
Mariana Alessandri Assistant Professor of Philosophy The University of Texas-Pan American
Jeremy Cruz
Daniel F. Flores
Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics St. John’s University
Public Service Librarian, Judith J. Carrier Library Tarrant County College
Gregory Lee Cuéllar
Thomas Vincent Flores
Associate Professor of Old Testament Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Assistant Professor of Positive Human Development and Social Change Life University
Frederick John Dalton
Renata Furst-Lambert
Teacher of Religious Studies Bellarmine College Preparatory
Associate Professor of Scripture and Spirituality Oblate School of Theology
María Teresa Dávila Associate Professor of Christian Ethics Andover Newton Theological School
Sammy G. Alfaro Associate Professor of Christian Studies Grand Canyon University
Ana Bedard
Cristian De La Rosa
Senior Outreach and Project Manager Institute for Workforce Education St. Augustine College
Director of Contextual Education and Community Partnerships Clinical Assistant Professor of Contextual Theology and Practice Boston University
Xochitl Alvizo Assistant Professor of Religious Studies California State University, Northridge
Edwin David Aponte Executive Director The Louisville Institute
Jorge A. Aquino Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies and Latin American Studies University of San Francisco
Rebecca Berru Davis Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow Theology Department Saint John’s University
Pastor Forest Grove Spanish SDA Church, Forest Grove, Oregon
President and CEO Mexican American Catholic College
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Loida I. Martell-Otero
Abner F. Hernández
Julian A. González
Ann Hidalgo
Assistant Professor of Comparative and Atlantic World History Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Jacqueline Hidalgo Associate Professor of Latina/o Studies and Religion Williams College
Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics Program Director, Peace and Justice Studies Iona College
Michelle González Maldonado
Felipe Hinojosa
Miguel Díaz
Cecilia González-Andrieu
The John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service US Ambassador to the Holy See, Retired Loyola University Chicago
Associate Professor of Theological Studies Loyola Marymount University
Teresa Delgado
Esther Díaz-Bolet Independent Scholar
Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education Professor of Religious Studies University of Miami
Awilda González Professor of New Testament Centro Educativo de Estudios Bíblicos
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean Lexington Theological Seminary
Hjamil A. Martínez Vázquez Teacher Crowley Independant School District, Texas
Independent Scholar
Assistant Professor of Old Testament Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Manuela Ceballos Assistant Professor of Islam The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Professor of Biblical Studies Bethel University
Dennis Ricardo Hidalgo
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies University of Dayton
Arturo Chávez
Juan Hernández, Jr.
Vicar General Society of the Divine Savior
Independent Scholar
Hugo Magallanes Director, Center for the Study of Latina/o Christianity and Religions Associate Professor of Christianity and Cultures Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University
Lecturer University of the Incarnate Word
Neomi DeAnda
Enrique Báez-García
Academic Vice President Dean of the Faculty Associate Professor of the History of Christianity Iliff School of Theology
Raúl Gómez Ruiz
Tommy Casarez
Assistant Professor of World Christianity Loyola University Maryland
Alberto Hernández
Joseph De León
Assistant Professor of Bible Exposition Dallas Theological Seminary at Houston
Daniel Patrick Castillo
Professor of Theological Studies Codirector Latina Leadership Institute Baptist University of the Américas
Acquisitions Librarian Claremont School of Theology
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Our Lady of the Lake University
Rubén Arjona-Mejía
Visiting Assistant Professor of Ethics Pacific School of Religion
Rodolfo Hernández-Díaz
Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Systematic Theology Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico
Alexander R. Gonzales
Assistant Professor Religious Studies Department Santa Clara University
Nora Lozano-Díaz
Francisco Javier Goitía Padilla
Anita De Luna (deceased)
Socorro Castañeda-Liles
Robyn Henderson-Espinosa
Associate Professor of Historical Theology and Church History Montemorelos University, Nuevo León, Mexico
Assistant Professor of Latina/o Theologies University of San Diego
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs Graduate Theological Union
Visiting Scholar Southern Methodist University
Senior Pastor Lynwood Grace Church, Lynwood, California
Staff Chaplain Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth, Georgia
Víctor Carmona
Wendy Arce
Instructor in Pastoral Theology and Care Iliff School of Theology
Cristina García-Alfonso
Lauren Guerra
Associate Professor of History Texas A&M University
Suzanne Hoeferkamp-Segovia Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology The Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest
José Irizarry Vice President for Education The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Roberto Mata Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Santa Clara University
Adriana Pilar Nieto Armando Rodríguez Jr.
Associate Professor of Chicano/a Studies Metropolitan State University of Denver
Pastor The First United Methodist Church of Bartow, Florida Adjunct Professor of Bible Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Oswald John Nira Theology and Spiritual Action Program Head Associate Professor of Theology and Spiritual Action Our Lady of the Lake University
Jesús Rodríguez Professor of Pastoral Theology, Personality and Culture Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus
Elias Ortega Aponte Associate Professor of Afro-Latina/o Religions and Cultural Studies Drew Theological School
Elaine Padilla Director of Assessment of Academic Programs Assistant Professor of Constructive Theology New York Theological Seminary
Gilberto Medina President Gilberto Medina Ministries
Independent Scholar
Lara Medina
Segundo Pantoja
Professor Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies California State University, Northridge
Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies Borough of Manhattan Community College /CUNY
Director of the Center for Religious Wisdom & World Affairs Instructor of Public Theology and Social Ethics Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry
Luis Menéndez Antuña
Associate Professor of the History of Christianity Boston University School of Theology
Benjamin Rolsky Independent Scholar
Miguel J. Romero Assistant Professor, Religious and Theological Studies Salve Regina University
Rubén Rosario-Rodríguez
Professor of Church History and Theology Asbury Theological Seminary, Florida Dunnam Campus
Altagracia Pérez-Bullard
Norman Ruano
Canon for Congregational Vitality The Episcopal Diocese of New York
Vice President for Workforce Development Institute for Workforce Education St. Augustine College
Peter Anthony Mena Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies University of San Diego
Rady Roldán-Figueroa
Director, Mev Puleo Scholarship in Latin American Theology and Culture Director of the MA Program in Theological Studies Associate Professor of Theology Saint Louis University
Zaida Maldonado Pérez Manuel Jesús Mejido Costoya
Rector The Church of St. Matthew & St. Timothy New York, New York
Melissa Pagán Director of Graduate Religious Studies Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles
Néstor Medina
Carla Roland-Guzmán
Jonathan Pimentel Chacón Professor Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
Gilberto A. Ruiz Assistant Professor of Theology Saint Anselm College
Assistant Professor of New Testament Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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David A. Sánchez
Carmelo Santos-Rolón
Jorge Luis Valdés
Manuel Villalobos-Mendoza
Altagracia Pérez-Bullard, PhD
Director of American Cultures Associate Professor of Theological Studies Loyola Marymount University
Professorial Lecturer Georgetown University
Independent Scholar
Adjunct Professor Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education
2010–2011 First-Year Doctoral 2011–2012 Second-Year Doctoral 2012–2014 Comprehensive Exams 2014–2015 Dissertation
Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. Director of the Center for Hispanic Studies Werner R.H. and Elizabeth R. Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries Full Professor of Systematic Theology Concordia Seminary
Angel Santiago-Vendrell Associate Professor of Evangelism Asbury Theological Seminary, Florida Dunnam Campus
Benjamín Valentín Luis Tampe Adjunct Professor Wheeling Jesuit University
Assistant Professor of Latina/o Christianity Yale Divinity School
Christopher Tirres
O. Ernesto Valiente
Associate Professor of Religious Studies DePaul University
Associate Professor of Systematic Theology School of Theology and Ministry Boston College
Theresa L. Torres Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Sociology, and Latina/o Studies University of Missouri-Kansas City
Jonathan Warren
Marlene Mayra Ferreras
Catechist and Theologian in Residence Resurrection South Austin Minister to graduate students and faculty University of Texas with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
2017–2018 Dissertation
Theresa Yugar Efraín Velázquez II President Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary
Adjunct Faculty California Lutheran University
Rudy V. Busto
Eduardo C. Fernández, S.J.
Francisco Lozada Jr.
Professor of New Testament Studies New York Theological Seminary
Associate Professor of Religious Studies University of California, Santa Barbara
Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Ministry Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University Graduate Theological Union
Charles Fischer Catholic Associate Professor of New Testament and Latina/o Church Studies Brite Divinity School
Director of the Mexican American and Hispanic–Latina/o Church Ministries Program Director of United Methodist Regional Course of Study School Professor of Christian History and Missiology Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University
Professor of Social Ethics and Latina/o Studies Iliff School of Theology
Gastón Espinosa Arthur V. Stoughton Professor of Religious Studies Claremont McKenna College
Lara Medina Luís Daniel León Associate Professor of Religion in the Americas University of Denver
Professor Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies California State University, Northridge
Luis Pedraja President Quinsigamond Community College
HTI Scholars by Institution from 2008 to 2018 Andrews University, Michigan Elmer Arrais Guzmán
Baylor University, Texas Joäo Chaves
2017–2018 Dissertation
2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation
Iriann Marie Hausted 2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2018 Comprehensive Exams Abner F. Hernández, PhD 2013–2014 Comprehensive Exams 2014–2017 Dissertation
Yvette D. Garcia 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation
Jonathan Leonardo 2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Comprehensive Exams
Erick Mendieta
Boston University School of Theology, Massachusetts Xochitl Alvizo, PhD
2013–2014 Comprehensive Exams 2014–2017 Dissertation
Jasmin Elise Figueroa
Michael Orellana
2017–2018 First-Year Doctoral
2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Yara González-Justiniano
Flavio Prestes III Abelardo José Rivas
2014–2015 First-Year Doctoral 2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2018 Comprehensive Exams
2016–2018 Dissertation
Mónica Isabel Rey
2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
2014–2015 Dissertation
2013–2014 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2018 Comprehensive Exams 22
Dallas Theological Seminary Ramón Uribe
Seth Anthony Villegas
Melissa Pagán, PhD
2017–2018 First-Year Doctoral
2010–2011 First-Year Doctoral 2011–2012 Second-Year Doctoral 2012–2014 Comprehensive Exams 2014–2015 Dissertation
Brite Divinity School, Texas Maziel Barreto Dani 2012–2013 First-Year Doctoral 2013–2014 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2018 Dissertation
Claremont Graduate University, California Melisa Ortiz Berry
Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Georgia Antonio (Tony) Alonso
2012–2013 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2017 Dissertation
2013–2014 Second-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Comprehensive Exams 2015–2017 Dissertation Manuela Ceballos, PhD 2013–2014 Dissertation
2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Diana Click
2011–2012 First-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Second-Year Doctoral 2013–2014 Comprehensive Exams 2014–2015 Dissertation
2015–2016 First-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Second-Year Doctoral 2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Thomas Evans
Claremont School of Theology, California Ann Hidalgo, PhD
2009–2010 First-Year Doctoral 2010–2011 Second-Year Doctoral 2011–2012 Comprehensive Exams 2014–2015 Dissertation Lauren Frances Guerra, PhD 2011–2012 First-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Second-Year Doctoral 2013–2014 Comprehensive Exams 2015–2016 Dissertation
Jennifer A. Fernández
2016–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
2016–2017 First-Year Doctoral
Drew University, New Jersey Fernando Linhares
2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral Jennifer Christine Owens 2017–2018 Dissertation
Erica Michelle Ramírez
Efraín Agosto
Miguel A. De La Torre
2015–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation
2014–2015 Comprehensive Exams Peter Anthony Mena, PhD 2010–2011 Comprehensive Exams 2012–2014 Dissertation
HTI Post-Doctoral Fellows from 1997 to 2001
Paul Barton
Rafael Reyes III
Graduate Theological Union, California José E. Balcells, PhD
2011–2012 First-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Second-Year Doctoral 2013–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation Louis Benjamin Rolsky, PhD 2011–2012 Second-Year Doctoral
Duke Divinity School, North Carolina Alberto Alexander La Rosa Rojas 2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
Michael Remedios Grigoni 2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Comprehensive Exams
Tito Madrazo 2013–2014 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation
Fuller Theological Seminary, California Mario Eduardo Alas-Escalante 2017–2018 First-Year Doctoral Moisés López, PhD 2010–2011 Comprehensive Exams 2013–2014 Dissertation
Esteban Gabriel Miranda 2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
Martín Rodríguez 2015–2016 First-Year Doctoral 2016–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Illinois Noé Danilo Godoy G. 2011–2012 First-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2017 Comprehensive Exams
Elyssa Salinas 2016–2017 First-Year Doctoral 2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral Manuel Villalobos, PhD 2009–2010 Dissertation
Oblate School of Theology, Texas Raquel Feagins 2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2018 Comprehensive Exams
University of Notre Dame, Indiana Daniel Patrick Castillo, PhD
Nathan Aaron Garcia
2009–2010 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Dissertation
2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
Leo Guardado
Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey Jared Alcántara, PhD
2013–2014 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation
2011–2012 Comprehensive Exams 2012–2014 Dissertation Rubén Arjona-Mejía, PhD 2014–2015 Comprehensive Exams 2015–2017 Dissertation
Christopher Rios 2016–2017 First-Year Doctoral 2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
Ariana Salazar-Newton 2014–2016 Second-Year Doctoral
Chauncy Diego Francisco Handy 2017–2018 First-Year Doctoral
Vanderbilt University, Tennessee Luis Menéndez Antuña, PhD
Francisco Javier Peláez-Díaz Harvard Divinity School, Massachusetts Adrián Emmanuel HernándezAcosta
2013–2014 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2016 Comprehensive Exams 2016–2018 Dissertation
2013–2014 Dissertation
2015–2016 First-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Second-Year Doctoral Roberto Mata, PhD 2013–2014 Dissertation
Stephanie Mota Thurston
2015–2016 First-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Second-Year Doctoral 2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver, Colorado Kristian Díaz 2011–2012 First-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Second-Year Doctoral
Néstor A. Gómez-Morales 2011–2012 Second-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Dissertation Rodolfo J. Hernández-Díaz, PhD 2008–2009 First-Year Doctoral Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, PhD 2010–2011 Second-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Dissertation
Arelis Benitez 2017–2018 First-Year Doctoral
Michael L. Sekuras
2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Lis Valle Southern Methodist University, Texas Ángel J. Gallardo 2012–2013 First-Year Doctoral 2013–2014 Second-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Comprehensive Exams 2015–2017 Dissertation Julián Andrés González, PhD 2010–2011 First-Year Doctoral 2011–2012 Second-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Comprehensive Exams 2013–2015 Dissertation
Grace Vargas
Jared Vázquez
2015–2016 First-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Second-Year Doctoral
2013–2014 Second-Year Doctoral
2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Luther Seminary Andrés Roberto Albertsen
The University of Chicago Divinity School, Illinois Christina Llanes
2015–2018 Dissertation
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Illinois Lydia Hernández-Marcial 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2018 Comprehensive Exams Jonathan Pimentel-Chacón, PhD 2010–2011 First-Year Doctoral 2011–2012 Second-Year Doctoral 2012–2013 Comprehensive Exams 2013–2014 Dissertation
Crystal Silva-McCormick
2013–2014 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2017 Comprehensive Exams 2017–2018 Dissertation Jonathan Warren, PhD 2009–2010 Second-Year Doctoral 2010–2011 Comprehensive Exams
2013–2014 First-Year Doctoral 2014–2015 Second-Year Doctoral 2015–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Vinicius Pintas Marinho 2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
Héctor Varela-Rios 2015–2016 First-Year Doctoral 2016–2017 Second-Year Doctoral 2017–2018 Comprehensive Exams
Raúl Zegarra 2015–2016 Second-Year Doctoral 2016–2018 Comprehensive Exams
2011–2012 First-Year Doctoral
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Leila M. Ortiz
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, New York Jorge Juan Rodríguez V. 2016–2017 First-Year Doctoral 2017–2018 Second-Year Doctoral
2014–2016 Dissertation
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HTI MEMBER COUNCIL & STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS HTI is grateful to the 2017–2018 members of the HTI Member Council and Steering Committee for their dedication and service to the education of Latina/o scholars.
Member Council & Steering Committee Chair Luis Rivera-Rodríguez
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Council Members Thomas Shepherd
Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan
Uriah Y. Kim
M. Craig Barnes
Director of PhD and ThD Programs, and Professor of New Testamant Andrews University
President and Professor of Hebrew Bible Claremont School of Theology
President and Professor of Pastoral Ministry Princeton Theological Seminary
W.H. Bellinger Jr.
Mark M. Yarbrough
Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs and John Dillenberger Professor of Biblical Studies Graduate Theological Union
Chair of the Religions Department and W. Marshall and Lulie Craig Professor in Bible Baylor University
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Academic Dean, Associate Professor of Bible Exposition Dallas Theological Seminary
Mary Elizabeth Moore
Javier Viera
Dean, Professor of Theology and Education, and Codirector of the Center for Practical Theology Boston University
Dean of the Theological School and Professor of Pastoral Theology Drew University
Elaine A. Heath Newell Williams President and Professor of Modern and American Church History Brite Divinity School
Dean and Professor of Missional and Pastoral Theology Duke Divinity School
Mark Labberton Jan Love Dean and Professor of Christianity and World Politics Candler School of Theology at Emory University
Patrick Mason Dean, School of Arts & Humanities, Associate Professor of Religion, Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies Claremont Graduate University
President and Lloyd John Ogilvie Professor of Preaching Fuller Theological Seminary
Lallene Rector President and Associate Professor of Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Psychotherapy Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
David N. Hempton Dean and Alonzo L. McDonald Family Professor of Evangelical Theological Studies, and John Lord O’Brian Professor Harvard Divinity School
Robin J. Steinke President and Professor of Theological Ethics and Public Life Luther Seminary
James Nieman President Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago
R. Scott Woodward Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, Director of Masters of Arts in Pastoral Ministry Oblate School of Theology
Craig C. Hill
Serene Jones President and Johnston Family Professor for Religion and Democracy Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Richard A. Rosengarten Dean and Associate Professor of Religion and Literature University of Chicago
Peter Casarella Associate Professor of Theology University of Notre Dame
Emilie Townes Dean of the Divinity School, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of Womanist Ethics and Society Vanderbilt Divinity School
Margaret Diddams Provost and Professor of Psychology Wheaton College
Dean and Professor of New Testament Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University
Steering Committee Members Eric D. Barreto
M. Daniel Carroll R. (Rodas)
Jacqueline Hidalgo
Ahida Pilarski
Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament Princeton Theological Seminary
Blanched Professor of Old Testament Wheaton College
Associate Professor of Latina/o Studies and Religion Williams College
Associate Professor of Theology and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Inclusiveness Saint Anselm College
ORLANDO E. COSTAS “Orlando E. Costas (b.1942–d.1987), once called the ‘dean of Latino theologians,’ was a missiologist/ missionary who as early as the 1970s and 1980s anticipated many of the current themes of militarization, globalization, and postcolonial analysis among his publications, including Christ Outside the Gate: Mission Beyond Christendom and Liberating News: A Theology of Contextual Evangelization. This internationally known scholar, member of FTE, and cofounder of CELEP while residing in Costa Rica, the first Latino to be appointed dean of an accredited ATS theological school in the United States, and a pioneer in the articulation of a native ‘Hispanic’ theology, thus contributing to the theological formation of many current Protestant theological scholars and pastors.”
Edgardo Colón-Emeric Assistant Professor of Christian Theology Duke Divinity School 24
The Reverend Dr. Loida Martell-Otero Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean Lexington Theological Seminary
HTI MEMBER SCHOOLS
THE HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL INITIATIVE CONSORTIUM
In September 2007, the board of the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) invited 18 PhD-granting institutions to Princeton Theological Seminary for the New Mañana Meeting to discuss the formation of an open consortium to advance the already successful work of HTI. On November 17, 2007, 17 PhD-granting institutions established the consortium. Today the HTI consortium has 24 members committed to advancing the graduation and hiring of Latina/o PhD students. These institutions understand why doing this work En Conjunto is the best way to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latina/o PhD students and increase the presence of Latina/o faculty in the landscape of theological and religious education. They work together at exchanging information, ideas, and best practices in order to best address the needs of Latina/o faculty and students.
The How of the HTI Consortium Each of the member institutions pays a yearly membership due of $6,500. This fee is used to support the HTI En Conjunto mentoring model for a doctoral student at the institution, as well as the workings of the HTI consortium. Here are the opportunities that are supported for each doctoral student in the first, second, and/or comprehensive examination year: n Travel, lodging, and meals to the four day HTI Summer Workshop n Honorarium and travel expenses for a mentor to support the student and to visit the student’s institution n $750 to fund networking opportunities If the HTI Scholar is All But Dissertation (ABD), the funds are used to cover the following expenses: n Travel, lodging, and meals to the four day HTI Summer Workshop n Travel, lodging, and meals to the Writer’s Week n Editorial assistance for the academic year n $750 to fund networking opportunities In addition to supporting doctoral students the HTI consortium also works En Conjunto to enhance and advance the work of HTI. The consortium governing body is the Member Council, comprised of presidents and deans of the member schools. The Member Council gathers once a year at the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) annual meetings, to review and approve recommendations from the consortium Steering Committee.
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The Steering Committee is comprised of the HTI executive director, a chair, and five Hispanic faculty members from member schools and/or HTI alumni. The Steering Committee meets twice a year to review and evaluate HTI’s program and submit recommendations to the Member Council. Concurrently, HTI consortium schools are prominently promoted in the following venues: n HTI brochure (distributed to more than 1,000 institutions and individuals across the United States.) n Journeys, HTI’s online newsletter (distributed to more than 1,800 individuals and also posted on HTI’s website which has the potential to reach thousands) n Institution page on the HTI website promoting its academic resources. n Yearly promotion at the HTI reception during the AAR/SBL annual meetings n Promotion at all events and activities that the HTI executive director and/or assistant director attend throughout the year n Promotion at the pre-doctoral conference held yearly at the Hispanic Summer Program Under the aegis of the HTI consortium, the member schools are confirming their commitment to building an En Conjunto unique collaborative enterprise that is economical, efficient, and effective at increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latina/o PhD students, and the presence of Latina/o faculty and leaders for the church and the world.
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THE HTI EN CONJUNTO MODEL
2015–2016 BUDGET RECAP
The Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) En Conjunto Model is a best practice, award-winning, comprehensive and holistic approach for supporting Latina/o PhD scholars in religion and theological studies. Currently, it is offered through HTI consortium member schools. Each member institution pays a $6,500 annual fee to support one student at the institution and the infrastructure of the consortium. HTI charges $3,500 for additional students enrolled by member institutions.
INCOME
EXPENSES
Total $671,398
Total $502,829
The member institutions are listed in the brochure as well as on htiprogram.org, where you will also find descriptive pages of each school’s offerings.
To become an HTI Scholar, a student must be:
HTI Scholars writing their dissertations also receive the following:
n Of Hispanic/Latina/o descent n Enrolled by a member institution Once the criteria is met and a member school decides to enroll a student as an HTI Scholar, the member school can enroll the student on the HTI website as early as November. Enrollment must be completed by April 30. Once the student is enrolled, the HTI staff will contact the student and request the completion of the student’s online enrollment form on the HTI website.
As an HTI Scholar, a graduate student receives the following: n Participation in the annual Summer Workshop, which offers hands-on seminars led by highly-experienced leaders focused on specific levels of study, including writing, pedagogy seminars, and career orientation sessions, among others. n Assignment of a senior scholar as a mentor (for a period of up to three years) to aid the scholar in navigating the doctoral program, helping to expand the student’s networking capacity, and collaborating with the student’s advisor and faculty at her/his institution. n Networking funds to gain access to other Latina/o scholarly resources, allowing for opportunities to meet and work with future colleagues at national meetings, as well as providing support for the eventual publishing of the scholar’s work. n Participation in Wabash/HTI pedagogy workshops while writing their dissertations.
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n Assignment of an editor to provide dissertation editorial assistance n Participation in two Writer’s Weeks n Eligibility for a $25,000 dissertation fellowship At all levels, HTI Scholars have immediate access to an ecumenical and ethnically diverse group of scholars, editors, and academic administrators with varied backgrounds and interests. The HTI En Conjunto Model provides each Latina/o PhD a comprehensive and holistic approach at navigating their PhD studies, while also preparing them to launch into successful and edifying leadership roles in the academy, the church, and society in general.
Princeton Theological Seminary (41%) $272,248
Total Salaries and Wages (33%) $164,939
Membership and Per Student Fees (41%) $277,900
Total Operating Expenses (6%) $29,566
Fundraising (3%) $21,250
Total Committee Costs (7%) $37,102
Luce Grant (15%) $100,000
Total Scholar Support (54%) $271,222
Salaries
Excess Income
To provide an accurate costing of HTI’s activities, the salaries (excluding benefits) of the executive and assistant directors have been divided across various cost centers on a percent-of-workload basis to show a transparent articulation of program expenses.
HTI operates on a nonprofit basis, yet also strives to ensure that the program is run in a fiscally responsible manner. Excess incomes are placed into reserve accounts, reinvested, and used on an as needed basis in subsequent fiscal years.
Income
Overhead and Property
On July 1, 2015, the consortium’s fee structure was increased, and HTI commenced a programmed fundraising campaign to mitigate future financial uncertainties. Additionally, incomes related to the Luce grant for the fiscal year are included.
HTI does not independently own or lease real estate. Through agreements with Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS), HTI operates out of PTS’s real estate assets. Under the terms of this agreement, HTI does not pay rental costs or traditional overhead (utilities) costs. The estimated savings pertaining to this agreement are circa $25,000 per annum. HTI is grateful for the continued support of PTS in this regard.
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HTI ONLINE
Perspectivas
JOIN HTI
HTI Website
perspectivasonline.com Perspectivas is a peer-reviewed, bilingual journal, of the Hispanic Theological Initiative. It is a vehicle that reaches a broad audience, including faculty and students, as well as a growing number of churches and other community organizations across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. In 2016, Perspectivas moved to its new home at perspectivasonline.com as an online journal.
HTI offers academic institutions, students, and pastors a comprehensive website, htiprogram.org, featuring information on each of our 24 member institutions, including:
HTI continues to grow a vibrant community of Latina/o scholars. This year we have 44 students from 22 member schools. We are grateful for all of our partners, and invite you to become one of them.
Become a Member School
n Financial information and resources
If you are part of a PhD-granting institution and would like to become a member of HTI, contact Joanne Rodríguez, HTI excecutive director, by phone at 609.252.1736 or by email at joanne.rodriguez@ptsem.edu.
n Hispanic/Latina/o faculty
Become an HTI Scholar
Individuals who are interested in submitting their works are encouraged to visit perspectivasonline.com/submissions and read the submission guidelines and deadline information.
n Hispanic centers and programs
The admission process is determined by each member institution of HTI. Latina/o students who seek to be HTI scholars must first be accepted to an HTI member institution’s PhD, ThD, or EdD program in religion or theology.
Journeys
n HTI graduates’ profiles
HTI’s online quarterly newsletter Journeys has a readership of more than 1,800 individuals across the country and abroad. The newsletter features updates on HTI community members, announcements of new publications, employment opportunities, and information about academic and church events.
n Bibliography for Latin American Religious Study (BLARS)
n Library resources
n Current and past issues of the online quarterly newsletter, Journeys
Once the student accepts the offer of admission, and that institution designates the individual for enrollment as an HTI scholar, the student will receive a letter of invitation (by April 15 of each year) and may then register for the program. Member institutions will enroll the HTI scholar on the website. The HTI staff will establish contact with the new scholar, who will then be asked to complete the enrollment process online by April 20 of each year. HTI Scholars who are All But Dissertation (ABD) by November 2017 may be able to compete for an HTI grant. Please contact the HTI staff for information in October.
n Bibliography of monographs written by HTI graduates Visit htiprogram.org to read current and past issues and to subscribe.
HTI Dissertation Series Collection This collection, housed in the Princeton Theological Seminary Library, provides scholars across the nation with access to dissertations written by HTI graduates. Currently, there are more than 48 works in the collection, with additions made throughout the year. Search the list of dissertations under the title “HTI” or “HTI dissertation collection.” Interlibrary loans are possible through OCLC at local libraries, and the material is available for a four-week loan period with in-library use. Access the online catalog by visiting catalog.ptsem.edu.
HTI on Social Media Join us on social media to receive the most current happenings at HTI, updates on HTI member institutions, announcements on new publications, employment opportunities, and information about academic and church events.
GIVE TO HTI Your support is vital to the work and mission of HTI. You can give by visiting htiprogram.org and click “GIVE” at the top of the page. You will have the option to give to a scholarship fund and/or to an unrestricted account. Contribute one time or set up a recurring gift. If you prefer to mail your tax deductible donation, please send it to:
“LIKE” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/htiprogram
Hispanic Theological Initiative 12 Library Place Princeton, NJ 08540
Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/HTI_HTIC
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Hispanic Theological Initiative 2017–2018
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HTI STAFF
Ángela M. Schoepf Assistant Director angela.schoepf@ptsem.edu
Evita Girón Office Assistant evita.giron@ptsem.edu
Ian A. Clark
Benjamin Jacuk
Leslie Giboyeaux
Deborah Kwak
Andrew Mangione
Lauren Withfield
The Rev. Joanne Rodríguez MDiv, ThM Director joanne.rodriguez@ptsem.edu
Student Aides
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12 Library Place Princeton, NJ 08540 tel: 609.252.1721 toll-free: 800.622.6767 fax: 609.252.1738 email: hti@ptsem.edu www.htiprogram.org