Editorial from Senior Editor
As I looked at the papers in this 2025 issue of Perspectivas, it became evident that we—Latinas/os/xs—have made our mark on all levels of theological education. Whether from the positions of Presidents, Chief Executive Officers, or Chief Academic Officers/Deans, these scholars showcase the growing number of Latina/o/x voices shaping the future of theological education. Latinas/os/xs now boast of several organizations supporting theological and religious education, including the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI), the Association for Hispanic Theological Education (AETH), the Hispanic Scholars Program (HSP, formerly known as the Hispanic Summer Program), the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians in the US (ACTHUS), and La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion. These organizations often work together to support new generations of Latina/o/x scholars.
The papers also demonstrate how much further we must go. In a time of shrinking resources and closing theological educational institutions, these scholars in leadership represented in this issue of Perspectivas help us envision a more solid future for our communities. The challenges ahead are great, and increasing the number of Latina/o/x scholars of religion and theology will be a monumental task. Yet, the authors in this issue model the possibilities of aspiring to the highest levels of governance in academic institutions without compromising their commitment to our communities or abandoning their own sense of vocation to serve. Some of these authors also demonstrate that for Latinas/os/xs, the academy is an extension of our struggles at the grassroots. Entering high levels of leadership does not mean reproducing the prestige of the idyllic ivory tower disconnected from the reality of Latina/o/x communities. Instead, it means remaining connected with the broader communities of Latinas/os/xs who continue to experience discrimination, persecution, and marginalization.
It took some time to collect all the papers, and now I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the three guest editors: Luis R. Rivera-Rodríguez, Joanne Rodríguez, and David Vásquez-Levy. All the addresses are provided in the language in which they were first delivered. Since the speeches by Doris García and Juan Ramón Mejías Ortiz were originally delivered in Spanish, they have been translated into English. This collection of articles invites us to raise the proverbial glass and make a toast for the collective and individual achievements of these Latina/o/x scholars. I am deeply proud of what our peers can, and have, accomplished despite the social and political pressures that wish to keep us in positions of social servitude.
Néstor Medina and the Editorial team