Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo

Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo

Director, Research Center for Religion in Society and Culture

"On Faith" panelist Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo is Professor Emeritus of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies at Brooklyn College and Distinguished Scholar of the City University of New York. He has written more than 40 scholarly articles and authored nine books, including the four-volume PARAL series on religion among Latinos. His book Prophets Denied Honor (1980) is considered a landmark in Catholic literature. With his spouse, Ana María Díaz-Stevens, he authored Recognizing the Latino Religious Resurgence , which was named an Outstanding Academic Book for 1998 by Choice magazine. A spokesperson for civil and human rights, he has testified before the U.S. Congress and the United Nations and was named by President Jimmy Carter to the Advisory Board of the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights for two terms. Presently, he directs the Research Center for Religion In Society and Culture (RISC). Close.

Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo

Director, Research Center for Religion in Society and Culture

"On Faith" panelist Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo is Professor Emeritus of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies at Brooklyn College and Distinguished Scholar of the City University of New York. He has written more than 40 scholarly articles and authored nine books, including the four-volume PARAL series on religion among Latinos. more »

Main Page | Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo Archives | On Faith Archives


Leader of the Movement, not the Party

Were the historical Jesus in our midst, he would oppose the notion that running within the system would produce a president to change the system.

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All Comments (8)

Christie:

Catholics consider themselves to be Christians. Christians say they follow the teachings of the Christ. Jesus said God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). Would Christ be involved in politics? What does the Bible teach?

Jesus was not interested in or part of any political movement. When he was offered political power he refused it. (John 6:14&15) And rightly so, because Jesus knows Jehovah God’s purpose for the earth will not be realized through human governments but through God’s heavenly government.(Matthew 6:10&11)

Jaloney Caldwell:

Funny I have not been faithfully religious for years but this presidential campaign has brought me back to my long forgotten foundations. I don't pay much attention until somebody or something is radically off the path of what I learned was a foundation for Christianity. I consider myself liberal until things are so messed up I can't see Christianity anymore. One foundation I learned was a given for Christians was Church is for worshipping GOD, peroid. Giving God the sidelines in Church is a nauseating reality that causes me disgust and fear. Jesus was not political or racist and he would not condone a church such as Barack Obama's Chicago congrefation of Trinity United Church of Christ. Jesus would not condone a commitment to Black people, a commitment to Africa, Black leaders, Black liberation...A Nonnegotiable commitment to Africa, a church that asks for a commitment of personal resources to BLACK leaders. The fact that so many people ignore the conflicts between the Ten Commandments and this church and support Obama anyway scares me as it makes me wonder if popularity has become more important to people and GOD is now a sideline. This is not a racial issue for me. It is not about Black or white but one of People, and allegiance to GOD's word. How could one unite all colors in such a church? Impossible. How could one explain to a white or Bi-racial or Hispanic child or person the exclusive focus on BLACK people in a church of GOD? I found a youtube video that asks just that. Apparently I am not the only one who finds this sidelining of God in a church that calls itself a Christian church contradictory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMP40jSMqBE
In this a video a bi-racial family visits Trintiy United Church of Christ and the family sees the conflict through the child's eyes. "Doesn't God love Everyone?" the child asks. "Then why do they say BLACK people all the time?", the child asks. Why indeed? Blacks and Whites are coming together as friends, neighbors and spouses, and in this church they can't be together as GOD intended.

TJ:

Our panelist writes: "It was not necessarily the “End of the World” in Hollywood-style, with the heavens opening and angels descending; but it did represent an inversion of values."

I don't think the Romans got the memo. God's hand seems not so powerful given the wealth of evidence around us.

trailing begonia:

Historical Jesus? Is Jesus now a proven historical fact? When did this happen?

FRIEND:

Lawyer missing after criticising China's human rights record

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/08/china.olympicgames2008

loco_moco:

I agree with the Prof that the Jesus Movement, per se, should be "in the world but not of it".

However, in the practical sense, it is men and women who must transform the world -- at least until Jesus' return. And transformative change can certainly come from within individuals, and social structures (e.g., political parties), both.

It is past time for people of good will and high ethical standards -- irrespective of religious orientation -- to retake the reins of both political parties and the government itself. Our children, and our childrens' children, demand it of us.

Joshua:

There will be a rewind says the Lord, a rewind then a moving forward, from the past of what has already happened. Then they will say what do we do and why did we do this? Believe Me says the Lord this will be a way to learn and relearn what you have forgotten. For when April comes they will say is it too late for it to happen. For the year will be over and the will belong to Me says the Lord.

What do I speak of you ask? And I tell you that they will want to turn back the clock of time and I will not allow for in order to gain what is right there will be nothing of the sort. I will push them forward as they look to the one who is Radiant and Bright. And when they find him they will go to the Word and look at wars and hear of wars now and I will sow My plant in fertile soil and not where the pests are I will take those who are plotting deceit out and bring the righteous into the storehouse! I will take what has been lost and hidden from the sight of the prophet’s and reveal them the secrets of Armageddon! I will have the rams horn blow I will send My angels and Jerusalem will be an everlasting home for Me says the Lord.

The fundamentalist of religion will get knocked to the ground for their corruption watch what I do with the legal fundamentalists as they will be purged I will cleanse this nation of those who are misusing their privileges for the sake of My servants. I am going to begin this in Texas and Ohio you will see it, you will see it happen My servants will be brought up and raised up in this time and they will come from the fires of My potters wheel and I have molded them so that they will bend and not break. For in the times of the exposure of the nakedness of the fundamentalists I will put them in their proper place, I the Lord have waited for change and now I will bring the change that I was molding.

http://jcudell.blogspot.com/

FRIEND:

Professor Stevens-Arroyo:

You said:
What the life experiences of each of the above demonstrate is the non-transferability of moral conviction into a political commodity.

I would say that the eventual outcome of most of those mentioned was legislation. For example, the 19th amendment in Susan B. Anthonies case, the Civil Rights act of 1964 in Martin Luther Kings case, or Social Security in Eugene Debs case.

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