Abuelita Faith

Kat Armas has masterfully woven together her own story of faith with Scripture and theology, drawing on liberation theology as well as postcolonial, feminist, and womanist theology. The driving question she wants us all to consider is “What if some of our greatest theologians wouldn't be considered theologians at all?” Throughout this book, Armas tells the stories of the overlooked theologians in the Bible and in our world today. And they have so much to teach us.

“For centuries Scripture has been used and misused to justify atrocities across the globe, and as a Western, biblically educated Christian, my conviction is to offer tools so that others can read and reread it through life-giving lenses, as I believe liberation is central to God's story.”

Like Kat, I believe liberation is central to God's story.

I found this part to be particularly encouraging:

“Ada Maria Isasi-Díaz once said that “La vida es la lucha—the struggle is life.” She explains that for over half of her life, she thought her task was to struggle and then one day enjoy the fruits of her labor—“but above all I have realized that I can and should relish the struggle,” she says. “The struggle is my life; my dedication to the struggle is one of the main driving forces in my life.” Relishing the struggle involves recognizing God's presence within it, realizing that the struggle is sacred. And while la lucha is a personal struggle for survival, it also marks our collective struggle for liberation.”

“As Aboriginal elder Lilla Watson articulates so beautifully: our liberation is bound together. And that too—our collective struggle—is holy.”