On May 22 and 23, the Hispanic Theological Initiative sponsored an ecumenical gathering of twenty faith leaders at Princeton Theological Seminary for a Church Leadership Formation Conference. Leaders in higher education, Latinx ministries and denominational life from Catholic, mainline and evangelical backgrounds met over the two-day conference to discuss the current context of Latinx Christianity in the United States and the role of higher education in training current and future leadership for the academy and wider church. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was represented by Rev. Lori Tapia (National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries), Rev. Dr. Loida Martell (Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary) and Rev. Dr. Jon Barnes (Director for Higher Education and Communications for HELM).
Presentations and discussions at the conference covered a range of topics, including the sharing of case studies on how different Latinx communities seek to address leadership development, a discussion of the changes that have taken place both within the Latinx community as well as the broader US context over the past decades, and a session on the role of denominational leadership in the future of Latinx theological education and formation. When reflecting on the importance of the gathering, Rev. Tapia said that “This ecumenical and collaborative event reminds us that we are stronger and our sphere of influence is greater when we are all at the table. Quality theological education for and in the Latinx faith community impacts and enriches both academia and congregational life for all throughout the world.” The conference included in-depth conversation of the realities of all forms of theological education influencing our congregations, with a focus on bible institutes, certificate programs and others. “There is a hunger for theological education and ministerial formation and we are called as the Body of Christ to ‘feed the hungry.’ This may mean we need to look at the bigger picture through a different lens if we are to accomplish this relevantly and justly.”
Rev. Dr. Loida Martell, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean at Lexington Theological Seminary, participated in a panel of HTI graduates that reflected on the impact of the program. At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Martell noted that “The Hispanic Theological Initiative’s gathering of important institutions involved in the development of Latinx religious leadership, for communities of faith and communities at large, underscores once again that the heart of the Latinx theological enterprise is collaborative in nature. Most important, it reminds us that Latinx theology has its roots in what Roberto Goizueta, Jr. once called a ‘praxis of accompaniment,’ an organic and holistic integration of the academic enterprise with eccesial and grassroots voices.” Dr. Martell also emphasized the importance of the collaborative nature of the conference and her hope that participants will be able to experience the same environment in their own contexts: “We gathered as denominational leaders, academic leaders (including the Hispanic Summer Program and the Association of Hispanic Theological Education), and theological educators to envision how we can best serve the Church and the world for the Reign of God. In so doing, I hope that we have reminded both the academic and ecclesial structures at large that we are called to serve together, in an integrated and collaborative way; or as we say in Spanish, en conjunto. As the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary (and alum of HTI), I was proud to participate in this conference and to be part of an educational institution that models this spirit of collaboration with the Church in its curricular design.”