The Hispanic Face of Jesus

A magnificent book that addresses the challenges and hopes of the Latin American people in the United States; a cultural, hermeneutical, and pastoral vision from the migratory reality of this people.

The authors, from different perspectives, arrive at the same conclusion: the need for Hispanic Pastoral action for the Latino immigrant people in the United States.

First, Raúl Zaldívar offers an anthropological, cultural, and historical analysis of what he calls "The Face of a Suffering People," exploring their culture, history, fears, and hopes. He draws a parallel with another immigrant face: that of Jesus. He invites us, as a people, to a theological re-evaluation of the content and form of our message in order to be effective. Ultimately, he calls for adapting our thinking to the context of diversity and cultural richness within our communities.

Next, Miguel Álvarez, starting from the perspective of hermeneutics, in his work "Toward a Hopeful Hermeneutics," offers us a vision of the different currents of Latin theology that exist today, in order to answer the question: How do Hispanics interpret the Scriptures? He proposes a method of integration that includes the Word, the Spirit, history, and tradition. With this methodology, he confronts the challenges and hopes of our context as a community of faith, so that we may be at the service of the believer and the church.

The conclusion that David E. Ramírez envisions is that of "The Commitment to a Better Future," where he solidifies and finalizes his vision of a new definition for the ministry of the Hispanic Church. He argues that the challenge facing the Church today demands an understanding of the immigrant's full and concrete reality and, therefore, a specific ministerial preparation, or as he calls it, a genuine Hispanic Pastoral Ministry.

A necessary book for commitment and solidarity with Hispanics in the United States and their mission in the Christian church today.