Princeton, NJ, May 25, 2011–The Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) at Princeton Theological Seminary announced that Dr. Sammy Alfaro, assistant professor of Christian studies at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, will receive its annual book prize for 2011. Dr. Alfaro was an HTI doctoral and dissertation fellow (2003–2005, 2007–2008) and is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary. The prize, awarded for his book Divino Compañero: Toward a Hispanic Pentecostal Christology (published by Pickwick Publications), will be presented at HTI’s fifteenth annual summer workshop at Princeton Theological Seminary on Saturday, June 25. Following the award presentation, Alfaro will discuss his book at 7:00 p.m. in Stuart Hall, Room 6. The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a reception and book signing in the Main Lounge of the Mackay Campus Center.

Divino Compañero, an original exploration of Jesus as the Divine Companion in a Latina/o Pentecostal context, examines the necessary foundations for constructing a Hispanic Pentecostal Christology. Alfaro proposes that Spirit-Christology is a more suitable paradigm for a Hispanic Pentecostal Christology and discusses the components needed to construct such a model.

“Dr. Alfaro provides a scholarly, yet readable, manuscript that presents an understanding of Spirit in Pentecostalism while exploring traditional and revisited Christological constructs,” said Jeanette Rodriguez, professor of theology and religious studies at Seattle University and a member of HTI’s book prize committee. She continued, “Surely, both academic and pastoral agents will be enriched by Divino Compañero.”

The Hispanic Theological Initiative manages the newly developed Hispanic Theological Initiative Consortium (HTIC), made up of nineteen prestigious Ph.D.-granting institutions. Together their mission is to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of Latina/o Ph.D. students across the nation, and to provide forums to exchange best practices to address the needs of Latina/o faculty and students in theological and religious education. The program provides doctoral and dissertation-level students with mentoring, workshops, and networking funds. HTI is funded by Princeton Theological Seminary and the HTIC is funded by member institutions. The book prize, which was established in 2002, is another way to encourage and recognize Latina/o junior scholars who publish works in the fields of theology and/or religion. For more information about attending Dr. Alfaro’s presentation, contact HTI or call 609.252.1721. 

Princeton Theological Seminary was founded in 1812, the first seminary established by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. It is the largest Presbyterian Seminary in the country, with more than 500 students in six graduate degree programs.