Description:
Building a theological framework requires not only careful and robust engagement with ideas, but also deep attention to the social, economic, and cultural contexts in which faith takes shape.
What happens when theology emerges not from academic ivory towers but from the struggles and triumphs of everyday faith communities?
In Latin American Theology from the Ground Up, scholar and theologian Norlan Josué Hernández Blandón offers readers an ethnographic study that explores how real pastors and ministry practitioners in Nicaragua make sense of their theological frameworks within their contexts. From this methodological approach, Hernández Blandón constructs from the ground up a theological understanding that represents the varied realities that these pastors and ministry leaders experience, showcasing perspectives often overlooked yet deeply formative.
For these Nicaraguan leaders, theology isn't about rigid doctrinal statements but about responding to their communities' real needs. Their faith emerges from daily life challenges, creating a "ground-up" theology born not from theological elites but from ordinary people who have experienced God's power amid suffering.
What you'll find in Latin American Theology from the Ground Up:
- An ethnographic methodology that grounds theological construction in qualitative research with real Nicaraguan pastors and ministry practitioners
- A contextual theology that demonstrates how cultural, political, and historical realities, especially histories of marginalization and resistance, are inseparable from how faith is understood and practiced
- A framework centering the voices of Nicaraguan Christian leaders to reveal how identity, culture, and context form faith
- Analysis of how personal, relational, and collective identity shape theological understanding and ministry practice
- Practical tools for pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders to grow in culturally attentive leadership, fostering belonging, and guiding communities with wisdom in increasingly complex social and cultural landscapes.
This groundbreaking work equips ministry leaders to do more than just intellectualize a theological framework; with Hernández Blandón's ground-up approach, you can build something solid that represents the lived experience of the global church.
Brief description:
Norlan Josué Hernández Blandón (PhD, Biola University) is a senior leader at Fresno Pacific University. He is the founder of Faithful Teachings Inc., which partners with local faith-based communities on holistic initiatives for the transformation of society. A scholar-practitioner, Hernández Blandón explores identity, leadership, culture, theology, and inclusive excellence. He is an author, speaker, and contributor to edited volumes and has published in peer-reviewed academic journals as well as thought leadership outlets.