Corruption... The mere word brings up negative, and all too prevalent, images in our minds: bribes, abuse of power, and favoritism among our political leaders, business leaders, and even among our religious leaders. It is commonplace for Christians to rail against rampant corruption and lament its existence. What is not so common is to hear a thoughtful analysis of the factors that lead to and feed corruption. Even more scarce are practical and proven steps that we can take to reduce the levels of corruption in our societies. With these thoughts in mind, the Fraternidad Teológica Latinoamericana invited Christian leaders to tackle this issue head on at an international conference titled “Corruption Kills: Biblical, Contextual, and Ethical Perspectives.” Held in Lima, Peru from July 23–25, 2016, participants gave presentations that ranged from biblical and theological analysis of corruption to practical experiences of fighting it. Though our hearts are heavy due to the subject matter, it is our privilege to share with you in this issue of the Journal of Latin American Theology some of the key presentations of that conference.

Special Issue on Being Faithful to God in the Era of Trump What does it look like to live as citizens under God's reign and as seekers of God's justice in today's world? Donald Trump was inaugurated as the US president on January 20, 2017. Whenever there is a new person in that position, it is good for followers of Jesus Christ to pause and reflect under the light of Scripture regarding not only the new president's policies but also our own responsibilities as the people of God. This issue of the Journal of Latin American Theology is our invitation to pursue that hard work of reflection and action. The resounding message is that Christians today need to express a faithful public witness that Jesus Christ is Lord. The articles herein discuss certain facets of such faithfulness: what it means to be the people of God, just stewardship of money in light of international trade agreements, living simply and working hard to care for the planet God has entrusted to us, Christ-centered as opposed to fear-based relations between native-born and foreigners, understanding and acting upon the biblical connection between shalom and justice, and responding carefully to those who face scarcity in the land of plenty. May our readers be equipped to live as more faithful representatives of God's all-encompassing reign.

David Tombs offers an accessible introduction to the theological challenges raised by Latin American Liberation and a new contribution to how these challenges might be understood as a chronological sequence. Liberation theology emerged in the 1960s in Latin America and thrived until it reached a crisis in the 1990s. This work traces the distinct developments in thought through the decades, thus presenting a contextual theology. The book is divided into five main sections: the historical role of the church from Columbus’s arrival in 1492 until the Cuban revolution of 1959; the reform and renewal decade of the 1960s; the transitional decade of the 1970s; the revision and redirection of liberation theology in the 1980s; and a crisis of relevance in the 1990s. This book offers insights into liberation theology’s profound contributions for any socially engaged theology of the future and is crucial to understanding liberation theology and its legacies. This publication has also been published in paperback, please click here for details.

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U.S. Hispanic/Latino voices have emerged in the last ten years to become one of the strongest and most creative theological movements in the Americas. Fully ecumenical and organized in systematic, collaborative framework, this major volume features Hispanic theology's sources (the Bible, church history, cultural memory, literature, oral tradition, pentecostalism), loci (urban barrios, Puerto Rico, exile, liberation, social sciences, Latina feminists), and rich and vigorous expressions (mujerista theology, popular religion, theopoetics). Hispanic/Latino Theology not only celebrates the full flowering of U.S. Latino work, it also splendidly reveals the exciting possibilities and future shape of contextual theologies in close touch with the daily realities of struggling people.

The Latina/o culture and identity have long been shaped by their challenges to the religious, socio-economic, and political status quo. Robert Chao Romero explores the "Brown Church" and how this movement appeals to the vision for redemption that includes not only heavenly promises but also the transformation of our lives and the world.