Real Life: Miguel de la Torre, the academic threatened with death for questioning ‘Eurocentric’ religion

An associate professor of social ethics at the Iliff School of Theology in Colorado, de la Torre has won several national teaching awards from the American Academy of Religion.

Although he is a Christian himself, he has a problem with what he calls “Eurocentric Christianity.”

“Christianity as we know it (in the United States) is influenced, constructed and designed by European philosophy,” he explained.

“When I talk about Eurocentric Christianity, I’m talking specifically about how that Christianity has manifested itself in the United States, which has become a white nationalist Christianity that has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus Christ, the gospel message, or the biblical text.

“White nationalism has worn this Christian façade since the founding of the nation.”

De la Torre goes so far as to say that he is not sure that true Christianity “ever existed in the United States.”

“Any religious tradition that genocides indigenous peoples, that enslaves African peoples, that invades countries south of its borders to steal their natural resources and cheap labor, cannot truly be Christian.

“It’s colonialism, I’m not sure it’s Christianity – it’s a fusion. So when we say Christianity is in decline, I say amen, hallelujah, and praise the Lord, because that kind of Christianity has to die.”

While de la Torre is now outspoken in his opposition to the religious right, just a few decades ago he was a minister in the Southern Baptist Church, “the most conservative right-wing religion in the United States.”

He also ran for the Florida House of Representatives as the most conservative Republican candidate, changing his name from Miguel to Mike to attract more voters.

“My mind was so colonized at that time that I wanted to assimilate into whiteness so that I could benefit from the privileges that whiteness has to offer,” he said. Real life.

“The colonization of my mind made me see myself through the eyes of my oppressor.”

It was only when he “stumbled upon a library” while studying to become a pastor that de la Torre discovered the writings of Latin American theologians focused on the liberation of the oppressed and had another “conversion” experience.

“If my thinking is inspired by these marginalized communities, then the message I’m giving to the world is highly revolutionary. It’s dangerous because it threatens the power and privilege of those who have become accustomed to their power and privilege,” he told Cowan.

“In my context, in the United States, undocumented people – African-Americans, the queer community – are the most oppressed people.

“I always say that if you want to know what God looks like, God is a black, undocumented, transgender woman. The one who is most oppressed by society is a deity among us.”

Real Life is a weekly show where John Cowan talks to special guests about their lives, upbringing and world views. Listen to it on Sundays from 7:30pm on Newstalk ZB or listen to the latest full interview here.