On this episode we ask the question, “Which language should take priority? How do we minister to English-Dominant Hispanics?” We raise the tension about language changes between American-born Hispanics and their native parents, and we go beyond language to worship and culture changes as well. English-dominant Hispanics simply don’t worship or live in the same ways as their parents. What do we make of that cultural shift?

Our guest on this episode is Karen Figueroa. Karen is from El Salvador. She is currently Dean of el Centro Hispano de Estudios Teologicos (better known as Chet) located in Compton, California. CHET has been training the Latino/a community for 30 years, recently graduating over 100 new students. Karen is committed to serving the underserved, those who don’t have access to affordable theological education. She is a mother of three teenagers, and we’ll hear about her struggles to shape their identity. Here’s Karen talking about language, culture, and motherhood.

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Books referenced in episode:

Daniel Rodriguez, A Future For the Latino Church: Models for Multilingual, Multigenerational Hispanic Congregations

Jeanette Yep, Peter Cha, Paul Tokunaga, Greg Jao, et. al, Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents