USD Magazine, Summer 2003

NEW VIE ON RELIG by Krystn Shrieve Campus Center Promotes Latino/a Perspectives 0 rlando Espln's epiphany came at a conference, when a speaker won– dered aloud how the understanding of Catholicism might change if the subject was taught from a Latino point of view. Answering that question became a mission for the professor of theology and religious studies. He worked quickly. In 1996, a year after the conference, Espin opened USD's Center for the Study of Latino/a Catholicism. He first brought rogecher theologians from around the United Scares ro discuss how Latino perspectives could be better represented in education. The gatherings turned into a yearlong symposium, which crystallized in the notion that Catholic theology should better reflect the makeup of the Catholic Church. "Theology is the systematic reflection on the faith as it has ro do with people and the world," explains Espin, adding char nearly half the Roman Catholics in the United Scates are Latino. ''And if the Church is so dramatically changed by the Latino presence, it would be suicide not ro think of rheology from chat perspective." Espin and religious studies professors Marfa Pilar Aquino and Gary Macy form the core team directing the center. They hope their research will help educators change how Catholicism is caught in seminaries and uni– versities. Espfn's goal is ro encourage educa– tors to include che Latino perspective, and ro understand how Latinos interpret religion in their lives and how it shapes their behaviors, commitments, values and self-perceptions.

And, in April, the center received an award of excellence from the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United Scares. Aquino says the center now is looking inro how Latino Catholic faith is affected by che intersection of religion, culture, feminism and political power. This year, center repre– sentatives will attend conferences addressing the cultural, personal and religious conse– quences of migrations, and the effects of globalization on women. Espin and Aquino know some answers ro the question char inspires their work likely won't come for at lease a generation. Bue they say the pursuit is as important as che goal. "This type of work must be seen as long– term, " Aquino says. "Social changes cake a long rime, but if we stop having visions of these changes, they'll never cake place." For more information, log on to www.sandiego. edultheollatino-cath. html.

Students armed with these insights, he says, will be more effective as rheology teachers or when leading congregations. The center hosts conferences and seminars with similar centers in Mexico, Puerro Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil and Europe. Ir also funds research projects to study new ideas for the next generation of church leaders and theologians. The work represents a new school of thought in Catholic theology, and Aquino says the church sup– ports che center's efforts. "The bishops with whom we work see our work as supportive of the Church's effort to respond more efficiendy to the needs of che community," she says. "They appreciate what we're doing. " The center has received other endorsements. Adminiscrarors at the University of Notre Dame scrapped plans to scare their own center when they saw the progress made at USD.

USO MAGAZINE

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