Ruben Rosario Rodriguez: Theology, Liberation, & The Reformed Tradition

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 18 February 2025

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the episode, Ruben Rosario Rodriguez joins the podcast to discuss his unique blend of the reformed tradition and liberation theology, from his personal backstory rooted in the history of American colonialism in Puerto Rico to his deep dive into the theological influence of luminaries like Calvin and Tillich, Ruben shares how his vocation as a theologian was shaped. He addresses critical issues like the role of liberation theology in socio-political contexts, systemic racism, and the modern political landscape's impact on faith communities. This compelling discussion also delves into practical wisdom, the importance of community in theological work, and the pressing issues facing the American church today. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Dr.Ruben Rosario Rodriguez is the Clarence Louis and Helen Steber Professor of Theological Studies at Saint Louis University. His books include Calvin for the World: The Enduring Relevance of His Political, Social, and Economic Theology, Theological Fragments, Dogmatics after Babel: Beyond the Theologies of Word and Culture, and the edited volume T&T Clark Handbook of Political Theology. An ordained minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). A Five-Week Online Lenten Class w/ John Dominic Crossan Join us for a transformative 5-week Lenten journey on "Paul the Pharisee: Faith and Politics in a Divided World."This course examines the Apostle Paul as a Pharisee deeply engaged with the turbulent political and religious landscape of his time. Through the lens of his letters and historical context, we will explore Paul’s understanding of Jesus’ Life-Vision, his interpretation of the Execution-and-Resurrection, and their implications for nonviolence and faithful resistance against empire. Each week, we will delve into a specific aspect of Paul’s theology and legacy, reflecting on its relevance for our own age of autocracy and political turmoil. . For details and to sign-up for any donation, including 0, head over here. _____________________ Join our class - TRUTH IN TOUGH TIMES: Global Voices of Liberation This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hello everyone. I'm here with Ruben, Rosario Rodriguez.
0:13.5	Hey, Trim.
0:14.6	I've been looking forward to this conversation because I've recently read a number of his books, which on occasion, Rubin, that don't get creeped out, leads me to have very energetic dreams where I talk to people I've been reading.
0:33.0	But having got to meet you in person when you came to theology beer camp, then you know, then there was a little personality and flavor to it, you know.
0:40.0	I supply them to dead people when I talk to them in my dreams.
0:43.7	That's good.
0:44.4	Well, that's what reading a book is supposed to do.
0:47.0	It's supposed to be a conversation.
0:48.7	So, yeah, it doesn't creep me out at all.
1:09.0	Well, one of the things that is kind of fascinating in your own work is the way in which you bring the reformed tradition and the larger liberation traditions together.
1:15.1	And I imagine people that exist within one and not the other, don't see those as the most obvious conversation partners. Not at all. I've been having to explain myself
1:20.5	for pretty much my whole adult life. Yeah. I think it might be a fun way to start as to kind of tell us about your own vocation as a theologian and how these two traditions came to inform your own kind of constructive theological.
1:37.9	Yeah, well, I think to get started, you kind of have to go back to the history of American colonialism in Latin America.
1:46.6	And Puerto Rico in the 19th century was a mission field that was divided by all the nine
1:53.0	Protestant denominations.
1:55.4	And it's a small island, about 120 miles long, maybe 60, 80 miles wide.
2:03.4	Three and a half million people live there.
2:05.3	And so if you lived in one quarter, you were evangelized by the Presbyterians, in another
2:12.5	corner, the Lutherans, the UCC, you know, basically, American Baptist, they just divided the island.
2:21.9	My grandmother, I believe it was around 1941, her first marriage ended.
2:28.1	He'd become abusive.
2:30.2	She was worried for herself and her oldest son, tried to get the marriage annulled, and, of course, she was poor, didn't have resources, and the church said no.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.