Dr. Daniel Rodriguez named Director of Latin@ Center

09-01-2009

Dr. Daniel Rodriguez has been appointed Director of the Center for the Study of Latin@ Theology and Ministry at McCormick Theological Seminary for the academic year 2009-2010. Dr. Rodriguez taught church history at the seminary for 15 years before attaining emeritus status in 2003. He succeeds Dr. Luis Rivera, who is now serving a five-year term as Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

A graduate of the National University of Mexico, Mexico City, where he received a Ph.D. in History and Latin American Studies, Rodriguez taught church history for 13 years at the International Institute of Higher Studies in Mexico City. He continued with a series of teaching engagements at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Wesley Theological Seminary and Baptist Seminary of Mexico in the 1980s and worked extensively with the United Methodist Church on anti-racism training and building awareness of United States foreign policy in Latin America.

Rodriguez’s published work includes Breaking Down Walls, Building Bridges: Education Against Racism and the co-edited volumes Hidden Stories: Unveiling the History of the Latino Church with David Cortés-Fuentes and Desde el Reverso:  Materiales para la Historia de la Iglesia with Justo L. González.

Under Rodriguez’s leadership, the Center for the Study of Latin@ Theology and Ministry is co-hosting  a series of events in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month with Catholic Theological Union and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Entitled, Doing Theology Latinamente: Dialogues with Popular Culture, the series brings to the seminary Latin@ theologians and local artists in a multimedia conversation about contemporary life.

For more information on the series, stay tuned to mccormick.edu or call 773/947-6310