Overview

Since its inception, the Hispanic Theological Initiative has focused on impacting two important institutions-the academy and the church. Its focus on the academy stems from the historical underrepresentation of Latinos, both at the student and faculty levels throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Through its scholarship program, HTI has sought to increase the number of Latinos who would otherwise not consider further theological education or complete their doctoral degree for lack of financial assistance. Through its mentoring, networking and community building components HTI has endeavored to help students overcome the sometimes overwhelming sense of isolation and marginalization traditionally encountered by Latinos pursuing doctoral studies.

Its focus on the Latino faith communities, on the other hand, stems from an understanding of the teaching office as a ministry of the church and for the church. Helping to prepare qualified Latino candidates who will use their scholarship to serve communities through instruction of its leaders and through research that unabashedly highlights their Latino particularity, has been at the forefront of HTI's mission. For, if the theological instruction of our religious leaders is to be truly effective, it must be carried out by faculty that has both a heart and a mind for the issues that affect our churches, leaders, youth, elderly and communities in general. That is, faculty that can approach the impending issues with the knowledge of a theologian and the passion and vision of a prophet. Thankfully, this criterion does not require one to be a Latino, but it does require one to know much more than what one might find in a book. It requires the kind of commitment that includes intentional and continued experience with Latino communities. It requires, to use a well-known analogy, a personal act of incarnation.

This incarnational way of being with and for our communities is a non-negotiable criterion for our awardees. For this reason, candidates applying to HTI are required to submit four letters of recommendation: two from their professors, including the advisor, and one each from their pastor and another church or community leader attesting to the candidates' prior commitment to their parish and community through service.

Finally, HTI's commitment to our faith communities emerges, not only from the church's theological or instructional needs, but, most importantly, from a desire to return by grace what we have received by grace. Faith, community, and service through quality scholarship and excellent teaching, continues to express what is at the heart of HTI's work in helping to create and develop a comunidad of Latino scholars.