Being Latino in Christ: Finding Wholeness in Your Ethnic Identity Book

3+ stars

I wanted to love this, and it is very good in many places--culture does have a place in Christianity for sure, and bi-culturalism as well. However, I am not fond of politics from the pulpit since Jesus specifically avoided getting caught up in the politics of the world.

The Latino community, which is actually very diverse and has plenty of division within it (Crespo writes about this a number of times in this book) may be the largest visible minority like this in the States, but it is not the only one. In addition to the problems any immigrant with a foreign accent gets here, and the extra those of minority races get, there are others who come from racially mixed heritages. Cape Verdeans are one example of this.

Good point: just because there is no male nor female, Jew nor Gentile (but that did not just mean Romans, it meant all non-Jews), etc in Christ doesn't mean we have no identities outside of that. What I am not sure he stressed enough, though, is that our primary identification as Christians is in Christ regardless of gender, race or culture. But the other part is important. This is why some churches stress having people do outreach in their own cultures/countries. Having people who know two or more cultures acting as bridges is excellent, particularly if they really understand both and realize that God can work in both.

However, even though some white Christians are racist--maybe even the majority in your neck of the woods, it is incorrect to judge as the world does or by your experience and buy into the world's views that it automatically means all white Christians are racist. I think that with all of the division the Church as a body (ie all Christians who have been saved, not talking about buildings or denominations) has already, it's important for any marginalized group as well as majority groups to do as Paul did and "forget, reach, press"-know the problem, be prepared to minister and help, but press toward the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. One body includes so many people different from us and if the church as a whole is unable to all come together because denominations are never comprised solely of people genuinely trying to walk in the steps of Jesus, then all who are need to remember that God is no respector of persons, has made all nations of one blood and that we are all part of the body of Christ.