Liberating Spiritualities
Reimagining Faith in the Américas
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A new perspective on spirituality and social change as seen through the work of six visionary thinkers
In Liberating Spiritualities, Christopher D. Tirres offers an in-depth exploration of spirituality as a catalyst for social transformation, showcasing the profound insights of six distinguished twentieth-century liberation thinkers from across the Américas. This thought-provoking work examines the contributions of Marxist philosopher José Carlos Mariátegui, renowned educator and philosopher Paulo Freire, innovative constructive theologian Virgilio Elizondo, influential cultural and feminist theorist Gloria Anzaldúa, activist mujerista theologian and social ethicist Ada María Isasi-Díaz, and groundbreaking ecofeminist theologian Ivone Gebara.
Tirres examines the distinct yet interconnected philosophies of these figures, showcasing their unified critique of colonial Christendom and their deep commitment to the marginalized. He adeptly articulates how their diverse religious and philosophical backgrounds come together in a shared vision of spirituality as a fundamental aspect of human life and intelligence. He further illuminates how these thinkers advocate for spirituality as a non-reductive, life-affirming practice, transcending traditional boundaries and offering an integrated approach to faith, culture, and social justice. Their collective insights form a persuasive case for re-envisioning spirituality as a crucial element in the quest for a more just and compassionate world.
Liberating Spiritualities is not only a tribute to these six influential figures but also a critical reflection on the relevance of their ideas in today’s global context. Tirres’s transdisciplinary study bridges liberationist and pragmatic insights, offering readers a fresh, highly original interpretation of socially engaged spirituality, making this book an essential resource for those seeking to understand the transformative power of spirituality in the pursuit of social justice and human dignity.
In this invaluable and novel work of uniquely compassionate scholarship, Christopher Tirres adeptly voices a polyphonic mix of historical context, philosophical and theological analysis, and deeply personal reflections to illuminate profound themes in what he calls a 'critical theory of spirituality,' set in an expansive Latin American framework that extends into the US-Mexico borderlands. Liberating Spiritualities shows how Latin American religious thought, out of a tragic history and against great challenges, continues to be propelled by immanence—embracing the quest for social justice, indigenous cosmologies, mestizaje, eco-feminism, and a phenomenology of the sacred, in the project of re-imagining faith, banishing hopelessness, and reclaiming human meaning.---John Phillip Santos, Author of Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation
Broadening our understanding of spirituality beyond the interior life, Tirres argues persuasively that spirituality is a core feature of human identity and action that involves the whole person. Liberating Spiritualities: Reimagining Faith in The Américas reminds us of the interconnection between spirituality, faith, ethics, and critical thought in light of structural injustice and human suffering. Informed by six liberationist intellectuals, this text offers a much needed theoretical framework for liberating spiritualities, grounded in concrete history and everyday life in the Americas. Liberating Spiritualities is a critical development in hemispheric theology and philosophy.---Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., Provost & Sr. Vice-President for Academic Affairs, The University of Scranton
. . .Explores the philosophies of six 20th-century thinkers—among them Marxist philosopher José Carlos Mariátegui and educator Paulo Freire—who drew links between spirituality and social justice.---Publishers Weekly
Liberating Spiritualities charts new ways of thinking about the interplay between spirituality, activism, and critical thinking. Focusing on six prominent twentieth-century Latine and Latin American thinkers, Tirres offers a compelling analysis that not only furthers our understanding of key figures across the Américas but also invites readers of all backgrounds to consider the deeper meanings and functions of spirituality writ large. This book is indispensable for people interested in liberation theology, liberation philosophy, and the history of religion and social movements in the Américas.---João B. Chaves, author of Migrational Religion: Context and Creativity in the Latinx Diaspora
Tirres has written a groundbreaking book of spirituality, certain to become part of every bibliography and recommended reading list in the field for years to come.---ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America
Introduction: Toward a Liberating Spirituality | 1
1 A “New Sense” of Religion: José Carlos Mariátegui’s Pragmatic Sensibility | 21
2 Conscientization as a Spiritual Praxis: Paulo Freire’s Implicit Spirituality | 36
3 A Cosmic Vision from the Borderlands: Virgilio Elizondo’s Evolutionary Cosmology | 51
4 Spiritual Activism as Conocimiento: Gloria Anzaldúa’s Mature Spirituality | 67
5 Subversive Everyday Knowledge: Ada María Isasi-Díaz’s “Conscientized Cotidiano” | 87
6 Ecofeminism and Relatedness: Ivone Gebara’s Pragmatic Inheritance | 100
Conclusion: Spiritual Praxis and the Fullness of Life | 109
Acknowledgments | 125
Notes | 127
Bibliography | 157
Index | 171
