Landing a Dove

podcastOPTalks
Written By Open Plaza

Rev. Dr. Joanne Rodríguez talks with Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. about Spirit Christology and what scripture says about the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ

Carl Newman, Spirit of Christmas, ca. 1915-1920, oil and tempera on fiberboard, four panel screen, 67 x 23 in. (170.2 x 58.4 cm.) each, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Anna McCleery Newton, 1971.88

 
 

In this episode of OPTalks, Rev. Dr. Joanne Rodríguez interviews Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M., full professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary St. Louis, on Spirit Christology, which integrates the study of the Holy Spirit and the life and mission of Jesus Christ, by combining Christology and pneumatology. Spirit Christology asks what Scripture says about the spirit in the life of Christ while examining the Holy Spirit's role in Christ’s ministry and its implications for Christian life today. According to Dr. Sánchez, renewed interest in the relationship between the Spirit and Christ has been sparked by the revival of Trinitarian studies, Vatican II, and the rise of Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.

Within the lived experience of Latine communities, the conversation examines how the Holy Spirit’s presence in Christ informs a theology of justice, marginalization, and inclusion. Drawing from biblical narratives of Christ's interactions with marginalized groups, Dr. Sánchez describes how Spirit Christology empowers believers to engage in mission work centered on justice and inclusion. He highlights the significance of Christ's border-crossing ministry as a model for addressing the socio-political realities of Latine immigrants.

By contextualizing Spirit Christology within this framework, Dr. Sánchez advocates for a spiritually transformative theology, encouraging solidarity and practical engagement with the struggles of marginalized communities. He claims that Spirit Christology “...shows how the spirit's place and activity draws Christ from a marginal place, because Christ himself, you know, is from Galilee…and ends up being also a marginalized figure.”

 
Featured
Joanne Rodríguez

Rev. Dr. Joanne Rodríguez is Executive Director of the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA. Since 1999, Rev. Dr. Rodríguez has collaborated with students, faculty, deans, presidents, and directors of non-profit educational programs to ensure that HTI doctoral students graduate as influential leaders in theological and religious education and the broader educational landscape. She holds an honorary doctorate from the Iliff School of Theology, where she served as the Commencement Speaker for the class of 2024. She also earned ThM and MDiv degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and a BA from Pace University. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) recognized her contributions with a 2024 Women in Leadership Trailblazer Award. Additionally, Rev. Dr. Rodríguez is a teaching elder at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Trenton, New Jersey.

Featured
Leopoldo A. Sánchez M.

Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. is the Werner R.H. and Elizabeth R. Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries, Professor of Systematic Theology, and Director of the Center for Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He received his PhD from Concordia Seminary and his MDiv from Concordia Theological Seminary. His latest books are T&T Introduction to Spirit Christology (T&T Clark, 2021) and Escatología: La esperanza cristiana (Concordia, 2020). Other works include Sculptor Spirit: Models of Sanctification from Spirit Christology, with a foreword by Oscar García-Johnson (IVP Academic, 2019), and two Pickwick titles, Receiver, Bearer, and Giver of God’s Spirit: Jesus’ Life in the Spirit as a Lens for Theology and Life (2015) and Immigrant Neighbors Among Us: Immigration Across Theological Traditions (2015), which he co-edited with M. Daniel Carroll R. Dr. Sánchez is Principal Double Bass with the St. Louis Civic Orchestra, the bassist for Di Kamer Kapelye, and an avid listener and student of the music of Rubén Blades.

Open Plaza
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Faith and Flight: A Trip to the Border