About Open Plaza
Public theology
en conjunto
HTI Open Plaza is an online platform within the Hispanic Theological Initiative that amplifies the voices of diverse thinkers, activists, and clergy in the public square.
HTI Open Plaza’s conversational and interdisciplinary space engages issues of religion, history, and social justice affecting Latinx communities, specifically in the areas of:
HTI Open Plaza contributors work en conjunto with a faculty-led team of editors from academic institutions throughout the United States and Canada.
HTI Open Plaza is made possible by the generous support of the Hispanic Theological Initiative and the Henry Luce Foundation.
For centuries, the plaza has been a central feature of city life throughout Latin America. Originally designed for the purpose of military protection, the plaza mayor was often surrounded by cathedrals, government buildings, and other structures of cultural and political significance. In fact, most colonial cities in Latin America were planned around this very square. It was the hub of commerce, communication, and political and religious life.
While the plaza mayor no longer serves as a place of refuge in case of a military attack upon the city or government persecution, this image of a public square as an organizing space, a unifying power, a facilitator of communication, and a catalyst for the exchange of goods, ideas, and services across cultures remains throughout the Americas.
It is precisely this public square image that is the driving factor for the Hispanic Theological Initiative’s Open Plaza.