Corruption… The mere word brings up negative, and all too prevalent, images in our minds: bribes, abuse of power, and favoritism among our political leaders, business leaders, and even among our religious leaders. It is commonplace for Christians to rail against rampant corruption and lament its existence. What is not so common is to hear a thoughtful analysis of the factors that lead to and feed corruption. Even more scarce are practical and proven steps that we can take to reduce the levels of corruption in our societies. With these thoughts in mind, the Fraternidad Teologica Latinoamericana invited Christian leaders to tackle this issue head on at an international conference titled ‘Corruption Kills: Biblical, Contextual, and Ethical Perspectives.’ Held in Lima, Peru from July 23-25, 2016, participants gave presentations that ranged from biblical and theological analysis of corruption to practical experiences of fighting it. Though our hearts are heavy due to the subject matter, it is our privilege to share with you in this issue of the Journal of Latin American Theology some of the key presentations of that conference.
About the author
Lindy Scott, editor of the Journal of Latin American Theology, is Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. He is also the Treasurer of the Fraternidad Teologica Latinoamericana. He is the author of Christians, the Care of Creation, and Global Climate Change (Pickwick, Publications) and edited the book El cuidado de la creacion y el calentamiento global: perspectivas del sur y del norte (Wipf & Stock).