Liberation theology, often thought of as a third-world phenomenon, lays its challenge squarely on the doorstop of an affluent United States. Marginalized communities within the U.S. also demand an awareness of the realities of their lives-realities that may vary widely from the "main-stream" of American life. In this book, representatives of these communities-Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, rural poor, and homeless-speak out about their conditions, their emerging theologies, and the consequences of these theologies put into action.
Part I provides an overview of liberation theology and its implications for the United States, showing parallels among Latin American, Hispanic, and Black theologies of liberation. Parts II and III present the visions that emerge from the different communities and show how praxis of these theologies liberates the communities themselves. Part IV articulates a feminist theology, a theology of peace, and a Jewish theology of liberation.