New Voices in Theology

In recent decades hosts of “new” voices have joined and vastly expanded theological dialogue: African Americans, women, and “Third World”–Latin American, South African, Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan, Korean, etc.  More recently indigenous, Hispanic American, womanist, gay and lesbian, mujerista/Latina, Asian-American and Asian-Canadian, and ecological voices are expanding the dialogues.  And the number of new and newer voices continues to grow.  We will: trace the early history of dialogues among these new voices and sample more recent voices; identify points of convergence and divergence; examine hermeneutical and methodological issues concerning experience, standpoints, perspectives; probe the riches of diversity, the dangers of relativism and new grounds for authenticity and authority; explore new theological frontiers in (re)discovering/recentering theology in the Spirit and reconceiving history; survey the challenges and opportunities confronting theology and the church accompanying the eruptions of new voices in a rapidly changing world, and the struggles over the future. Readings, class participation, short papers, and (for AD students) research paper - adult learning process.