Teología, imaginación y otras maneras de ser hombre: A decolonial exploration of “Man” in Latin American and Caribbean liberation theologies.

“Inherited colonial conceptions of masculinity have not only distorted our understanding of Jesus as a man but also deeply influenced male social performance, underscoring the urgent need for decolonial approaches that creatively reimagine what it means to be a man within Latinx theological and ecclesial communities. ”

Team Members/Contributors

Rubén Bonilla-Ramos Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto Contact Me

About this dissertation fellowship

Growing up in Puerto Rico, I was immersed in heteronormative and dominant ideas of manhood, defined through physical strength, sexual virility, and violence. These traits were mirrored in the religious teachings I received as a Christian, portraying God as a dominant, enforcing male figure. My dissertation draws from my experiences as a Caribbean, Latin-American "man" in North America to investigate and expose the ongoing harmful impact of inherited colonial notions of masculinity in these regions, challenging and reimagining male gender ideas, theology, and the person of Jesus from a creatively unconventional decolonial lens. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that merges theological concepts, gender theory, decolonial thinking, and personal experience, my research exposes how colonial legacies continue to sustain harmful male gender perceptions and theological interpretations. My intention is to underscore the necessity for rethinking ideas of what a man is along decolonial and more inclusive forms of masculinity. Through my investigation, I examine the role of theological discourse and praxis in reinforcing traditional colonial male gender norms, demonstrating how perceptions of a virile, dominant, and violent God underlie contemporary theological discussions in Latinx, Caribbean, and North American communities. By confronting these entrenched colonial, theological, and gender notions, my investigation seeks to broaden theological discourse and praxis through a reimagination of Jesus and his masculinity from decolonial and unconventional perspectives that acknowledge the diverse male experiences of Latinx and Caribbean men in different settings. My goal is to contribute to fostering more inclusive and diverse expressions of theology and masculinity, transforming male-dominated ecclesial spaces, and nurturing creative, imaginative ways of being a man in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx North American communities.