By Miguel De La Torre Feb. 20 marked the one-year anniversary of Josseline’s death, a 14-year-old girl whose demise went unnoticed. She died of thirst and exposure to the elements of Arizona. She died because of prevailing United States policies….
A pop quiz for biblical literalists
By Miguel De La Torre No one reads or interprets the Bible literally — regardless as to what they profess. To do so is simplistic, if not dangerous. All of us read our bias, our theology, and our social location into the…
Why I am a heretic
By Miguel De La Torre Yes, I am a heretic — but then, I’m getting ahead of myself. As some of you might remember, I recently wrote what turned out to be the most controversial column in the history of…
Was Jesus a racist?
By Miguel De La Torre Our faith tells us that anyone can come to Jesus. The evangelistic message is that Jesus will turn no one away. We can come just as we are, ill and diseased. All who seek healing…
Wrestling with God’s word
By Miguel De La Torre Since converting to Christianity in my early 20s, I have found the biblical text to be a crucial part of my spiritual formation. I look to the Scriptures for truths and wisdom upon which to…
Bush response to shoe-thrower a shameless act
By Miguel De La Torre By now we have all seen the endless media loops of the Iraqi journalist named Muntadhir al-Zaidi throwing his size 10 shoes at President Bush on Dec. 14. Al-Zaidi called Bush a “dog” and hurled…
The Bible demands economic justice
By Miguel De La Torre Even before the economy crashed we were using oxymoronic terms like “a living wage” or “the working poor.” Shouldn’t all wages sustain a life? Should those who work remain poor? Somehow we have moved away…
Ethiopian eununchs and reading the text from the margins
By Miguel De La Torre As a man of color, I always read the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 with an emphasis on Africa. When we think of the gospel message moving beyond the Jews, we usually…