From HTI's Staff
For 30 years, HTI’s story has been written en conjunto. It lives in the scholars who have found community and belonging, the mentors and editors who have accompanied them, the institutions and partners who have invested in their journeys, and the friendships and collaborations that have continued long after degrees were completed. Together, these individual stories form a living mosaic of transformational impact.
This special anniversary edition of Journeys invites us to pause and reflect on that legacy while looking toward the future. The stories gathered here offer glimpses into how HTI has shaped the lives and work of those who have been part of its journey, and how their experiences, in turn, have shaped HTI. They also point to what becomes possible when people and institutions come together around a shared commitment to theological education and the formation of scholars.
As HTI prepares to gather in Denver for HTI’s 30th anniversary celebration, we invite you to experience this issue as a celebration of the many pieces that make HTI what it is today. Every story adds another piece to the mosaic, and en conjunto, they tell a larger story of 30 years of scholarship, community, partnership, and transformation, with many more stories still to come.
Happy reading, and we look forward to celebrating with you in Denver!
Logros: Community Milestones
Tap a category to explore HTI scholars' achievements
Laura Marcela Montoya Cifuentes — Emory University
Dr. Guilherme Brasil de Souza (Princeton Theological Seminary) successfully defended his dissertation, “Majoritarian Oppression and Countermajoritarian Resistance in Brazil: Towards a Liberative Pedagogy of Religious Freedom Rooted in Brazilian Religious Minorities,” on June 19, 2026. Dr. Brasil de Souza serves as Full Professor at Centro Universitário Adventista de Ensino do Nordeste (UNIAENE). Congratulations, Dr. Brasil de Souza!
HTI celebrates Dr. Austin Mathew Cruz (University of Notre Dame) on the successful defense of his dissertation, “History, Hagiography, and Canonization: Juan Diego and the Cult of the Saints,” on June 22, 2026. In August, Dr. Cruz began a one-year appointment as a Post-Doctorate Teaching Scholar at the University of Notre Dame. Congratulations on this exciting new chapter!
Dr. Jacob Leal (Boston University) earned his doctorate after successfully defending his dissertation, “Ancestors Among Us: A Decolonial Xicane Theology of the Ancestor,” on July 10, 2026. In September, Dr. Leal began a new role as Assistant Professor of Latine Theology at Molloy University. ¡Felicidades!
HTI celebrates Dr. Efraín Agosto as he joins McCormick Theological Seminary as Visiting Professor of New Testament & Latinx Studies! His scholarship brings together the New Testament, Latine theology, culture, migration, and ministry. Congratulations on this exciting new role!
A joyful congratulations to Dr. Xochitl Alvizo on receiving tenure! HTI celebrates this significant academic milestone and her continued contributions to scholarship and theological education.
Congratulations to Juan Martinez Benavides on his new appointment as Program Associate for Theological Education at Episcopal Divinity School. Congratulations, Juan, on this exciting new chapter!
Congratulations to Paola Márquez Leones, who has been named Director of the CTU-MTS Writing Resource Center at McCormick Theological Seminary! HTI celebrates this wonderful opportunity to support and strengthen the academic formation of theological students.
Congratulations to Dr. Hugo Magallanes on his appointment as Director of Hispanic Initiatives at Perkins School of Theology, effective January 1, 2027! HTI celebrates this new chapter in his leadership and his continued work expanding theological education for Hispanic and Spanish-speaking communities.
HTI congratulates President Patrick Reyes on his appointment as the 12th President of Auburn Theological Seminary! We celebrate this significant appointment and wish him continued success in his leadership and service.
Dr. Jorge Juan Rodríguez V has been appointed Executive Director of the Hispanic Scholars Program. HTI celebrates this exciting new chapter and wishes him success in his leadership! ¡Felicidades!
HTI celebrates its Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Joanne Rodríguez, on being named a recipient of the 2026 Justo & Catherine González Lifetime Award by the Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana (AETH). This distinguished recognition honors her extraordinary commitment, leadership, and contributions to theological education. The award will be presented during AETH’s 2026 Biennial Gathering, Roots and Horizons, October 15–17 in Decatur, Georgia.
Featured Stories
A Living Mosaic: 30 Years of HTI’s Story
A living mosaic of scholars, mentors, institutions, and relationships that have shaped HTI’s 30-year legacy of transformational impact.
Read the Full Story
When Scholarship Became a Place to Be Whole
Recent graduate Dr. Emanuel Padilla reflects on the people and community that helped him bring his full self to his scholarship.
Read the Full Story
"When HTI Shows Up"
Dr. João B. Chaves reflects on the relationships that have carried HTI across places, generations, and 30 years of life together.
Read the Full Story
The Gift of Friendship: 30 Years of Scholarship En Conjunto
Discover how 30 years of friendship, scholarship, and community continue to shape HTI’s en conjunto legacy.
Read the Full Story
A Precious Stone: Reconsidering Sor Juana’s Enduring Legacy
In the latest issue of Perspectivas, Dr. Theresa A. Yugar invites readers to encounter Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz anew, exploring her faith, theological legacy, and growing recognition within the Catholic tradition.
Read the Full Story
It’s a Duck! Demystifying Academic Writing at HTI
Ulrike Guthrie and Annabella Martinez share how returning to the fundamentals of academic writing helps scholars begin their doctoral journeys with confidence
Read the Full StoryHTI Open Plaza
HTI Open Plaza is a place where scholars engage diverse clergy, activists, artists, and thinkers in the public square to wrestle with questions about faith, justice, identity, and the sacred in the everyday.
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The Scholar’s Guide to Writing a Dissertation
Stephen Di Trolio talks with Dr. Patrick Reyes about doctoral education, guided writing practices, and the journey of completing a dissertation
Listen & ReflectEn Conjunto
Dr. Daniel Ramírez offers a personal meditation on the history of the Hispanic Theological Initiative
Read the Full VisionSor Juana Inés de La Cruz
Theologians Dr. Theresa L. Torres and Dr. Theresa A. Yugar discuss Latinx women's leadership in the context of the 17th-century Mexican protofeminist and ecofeminist
Listen & ReflectNewly Published Books
The Other Lutherans: Voices from the Global South
by Dr. Marcell Silva Steuernagel, Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M., Dr. Samuel Yonas Deressa
This collection brings together Lutheran perspectives from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and communities shaped by the Global South in North America. Contributors explore how these contexts inform Lutheran identity, theology, worship, the arts, and mission. Addressing migration, religious pluralism, cultural identity, and social justice, the volume invites scholars, students, and church leaders to engage voices that expand understandings of Lutheran Christianity around the world.
Learn More & Purchase →
Migration and Western Biblical Interpretation: Empire, Method, and the Politics of Displacement
by Dr. Gregory L. Cuéllar
Dr. Gregory L. Cuéllar examines how Western scientific and nationalist assumptions have shaped the study of migration and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible. Drawing on Ruth, prophetic literature, and the history of migration theory, he centers empire as a framework for understanding human movement and displacement. The book invites readers to reconsider inherited approaches to biblical interpretation and pursue scholarship attentive to the political and ethical dimensions of migration.
Learn More & Purchase →
Doing Theology Latinamente: The Protestant Latinx Academic Movement, 1965-1979
by Dr. Luis R. Rivera-Rodríguez, Dr. Justo L. González (Foreword), Dr. Felipe Hinojosa (Afterword)
Dr. Luis R. Rivera-Rodríguez traces how Latine Protestant leaders reshaped theological education through organizing, advocacy, and institutional change during the 1960s and 1970s. Connecting their efforts to broader civil rights and social justice movements, he examines the emergence of academic programs, networks of scholars, and new approaches to ministry preparation. This history illuminates the people and partnerships that helped establish Latine theology within the academy while continuing to challenge exclusion.
Learn More & Purchase →
Sanctuary in America: How Activists Defied the Government and Defended Immigrants―And Why It Still Matters
by Dr. Lloyd D. Barba & Dr. Sergio M. González
Dr. Lloyd D. Barba and Dr. Sergio M. González trace the sanctuary movement from its emergence in the 1980s through contemporary struggles over immigration in the United States. Drawing on archival research and personal stories, they examine how immigrants, faith communities, and activists have organized against detention and deportation. The book connects religious commitments with civil disobedience and public policy, offering historical insight into enduring debates about belonging, protection, and the responsibilities of communities toward their neighbors.
Learn More & Purchase →
Pedagogy of the Ancestors: Practices for Mentoring and Teaching Future Generations
by Dr. Patrick B. Reyes
Dr. Patrick B. Reyes explores how ancestral wisdom can guide educators, caregivers, religious leaders, and mentors in nurturing future generations. Drawing on Indigenous knowledge, spiritual traditions, and his experience as a scholar and pastor, he offers stories, rituals, and reflective practices that connect teaching with belonging and accountability. The book invites readers to recognize inherited gifts and wounds, interrupt harmful patterns, and cultivate communities where young people can flourish.
Learn More & Purchase →
When God Is Silent: Love, Lament, and the Work of Staying
by Dr. Santiago Piñón Jr.
Dr. Santiago Piñón Jr. reflects on grief, faith, and divine silence through his experience of losing his newborn twins. Drawing on the Christian tradition of the dark night, particularly the writings of St. John of the Cross, he explores how love and lament endure amid profound loss. The book invites pastors, communities, and institutions to accompany those who grieve with honesty, dignity, and sustained care, offering a theology grounded in the work of remaining present.
Learn More & Purchase →
God Has Named You: 25 Spiritual Identities to Reveal Who You Are
by Dr. Melisa Ortiz Berry
Dr. Melisa Ortiz Berry invites readers to explore their identity as children of God through 25 names and images drawn from Scripture. Moving from familiar identities such as forgiven and chosen to less familiar descriptions such as poem and teammate, she connects biblical reflection with questions of belonging, healing, and purpose. Through devotional practices, the book encourages readers to deepen their relationship with God and consider how spiritual identity shapes everyday life.
Learn More & Purchase →
Latine Lived Religions and Religious Identities in the United States: ¡Presente!
Edited by Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre & Dr. Edwin David Aponte
Dr. Miguel De La Torre and Dr. Edwin Aponte bring together established and emerging scholars to explore the diversity of Latine religious and spiritual life in the United States. Through accessible chapters on migration, race, gender, sexuality, disability, economics, and popular culture, the volume examines how lived experiences shape religious identities across generations. Including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Indigenous, and alternative spiritual perspectives, the collection highlights the communities and practices that sustain belonging and challenge narrow understandings of Latine religion.
Other contributors from the HTI network, in table-of-contents order:
Jibreel “Biel” A. Delgado Trabal; Dr. Rubén Rosario Rodríguez; Dr. Albert Hernández; Dr. Elaine Penagos; Damien Pascal Domenack; Dr. Rudolph P. Reyes II; Dr. Neomi DeAnda; Dr. Alexandra Rosado-Román; Dr. Francisco J. García Jr.; Dr. Jacqueline M. Hidalgo; Dr. Noemi Vega Quiñones; Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres
Of God and Idols: Reflections on Old Testament Political Theology from South of the Border (George W. Truett Parchman Lecture Series)
by M. Daniel Carroll R. (Author), W. Dennis Tucker Jr. (Editor, Foreword), Kimlyn J. Bender (Series Editor)
Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R. explores the religious life of ancient Israel through the perspectives of Latin American history, religion, and literature. Examining how understandings of God are shaped by culture, politics, and social realities, he invites readers to consider how theological images can both illuminate and distort the biblical witness. The book offers a contextual approach to Old Testament political theology rooted in dialogue between Scripture and Latin American experience.
Learn More & Purchase →Opportunities & Events
Job Opportunities
Share a new job post and/or check out the latest career opportunities and faculty positions from across HTI's consortium and partner institutions.
HTI’s 30th Anniversary
Join HTI for a seated dinner and anniversary program celebrating 30 years of scholarship and leadership on November 20, 2026, from 6:00–8:30 PM (MT) at Tivoli Turnhalle, Metropolitan State University of Denver on Auraria Campus. Registration is $100 per person. Seating is limited, and tickets will not be available at the door.
Registration Deadline: October 20th, 2026
Register Here→
Call for Proposals: ACHTUS 2027 Colloquium
ACHTUS invites presentation proposals for its 2027 Colloquium, “‘And Lifted Up the Lowly’ (Luke 1:52): Latine Theologies and the Life of Democracy,” taking place June 6–9, 2027, in Denver, Colorado. Proposals should explore the relationship between Latine theologies and democratic life, including questions of justice, community, and religious practice.
Proposal Deadline: October 16, 2026
Submit Here →
Teología Pentecostal: ¿Una Disciplina del Futuro?
Hosted by Universidad Teológica del Caribe, this virtual conference invites scholars, students, and ministry leaders to explore Pentecostal theology’s contributions to contemporary Christian thought and practice. Presentations will be offered in Spanish and English.
Event Dates: October 30–31, 2026, via Zoom
Learn More and Register →
El Semillero: Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising
Hosted through a partnership between the Hispanic Scholars Program, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, and the Association for Hispanic Theological Education (AETH), El Semillero equips theological practitioners committed to serving the Latine community with practical skills in finance, fundraising, and development. The program will be facilitated by Rev. Dr. Carlos W. Perkins and Dr. Jorge Juan Rodríguez V.
Event Dates: February 24–26, 2027, in San Antonio, TX
Priority Registration Deadline: December 1, 2026
Final Registration Deadline: January 1, 2027
HTI and Ecology Partner Events
P21-404
La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion Theme: Book Panel on Luis R. Rivera Rodríguez’s Forthcoming Book, Doing Theology Latinamente: The Protestant Latinx Academic Movement: 1965–1979 (Fortress Press, 2026)
Saturday, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Colorado Convention Center, Mile High 4C (Ballroom Level)
M21-400
Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE)
Theme: FTE Annual Alumni Reception
Saturday, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Colorado Convention Center, Bluebird 1A (Terrace Level)
M21-512
Louisville Institute Theme: Louisville Institute Reception
Saturday, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Colorado Convention Center, Bluebird 1B (Terrace Level)
P21-500
Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion (WABASH)
Theme: Wabash Center Reception
Saturday, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Hyatt Regency Denver, Centennial E (Third Level)
P22-402
La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion
Theme: Presente: Futuring Latina Scholarship, Teaching, and Leadership
Sunday, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM | Hyatt Regency Denver, Mineral C (Third Level)
Celebrate the Latine community at the AAR/SBL Annual Meeting. For additional information about events, lectures, and receptions, consult the Annual Meeting program or download the AAR/SBL mobile app.
Celebrations
We celebrate together because joy is meant to be shared:
Baby Announcements
Marriage Announcements
For Prayer
We hold each other up. Here are members of our familia who need our prayers:
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