This text examines liberation theology, arguing that at its very root it is an attempt to rebuild theology in view of the history of massive suffering produced by empire, and to juxtapose theology to the positive affirmation of marginalized communities of faith.

Simultaneously arising out of such diverse contexts as the black community in the United States, grassroots religious communities in Latin America, and feminist circles in North Atlantic countries, theologies of liberation have emerged as a resource and inspiration for people seeking social and political freedom. Over the last three decades, liberation theology has irrevocably altered religious thinking and practice throughout the Americas. Liberation Theologies, Postmodernity and the Americas provides a meaningful and spirited debate on vital interpretive issues in religion, philosophy, and ethics. The renowned group of scholars explore liberation theologies' uses of discourses of emancipation, revolution and utopia in contrast with postmodernism's suspicion of grand narratives, while assessing what the postmodernism/liberation debate means for strategies of social and political transformation. Guided by the experiences of those at the margins of social power, liberation theologies demystify the eurocentric myths of secularization and modernity, and calls for a re-appraisal of religion in contemporary societies. Contributors: Edmund Arens, David Batstone, Maria Clara Bingemer, Enrique Dussel, Gustavo Gutierrez, Jurgen Habermas, Franz Hinkelammert, Dwight Hopkins, Lois Ann Lorentzen, Eduardo Mendieta, Amos Nascimento, Elsa Tamez, Mark McLain Taylor, and Sharon Welch, Robert Allen Warrior

"A magnificent collection of essays by a stellar class of authors. The book is a timely resource for persons who want to assess the state of academic theology not only in the American academy but also in public spaces." -- The Journal of Religion
"This book represents a fine collection of texts illustration the convergence of the three themes mentioned in the title." -- Charron
"Insightful...worthwhile..." -- Religious Studies Reviews
"This book is an informative, up-to-date introduction to liberation theology in its struggles with postmodern reality and postmodern theories." -- Journal of the American Academy of Religion
"This collection raises important questions about the future of both Liberation theology and postmodernity, and, by association, Hispanic/Latino theology." -- Religious Studies Review