Being Latino in Christ: Finding Wholeness in Your Ethnic Identity

Being Latino in Christ 2008-09-28

Reviewer: VRA

I'm so glad I found this book! After reading it I wanted to find the author, sit at a Starbucks, and have a three hour conversation with him. So much of what he depicted was a reflection of my own experiences as a Christian Latina. It was brave, insightful, and well written. I have often referred back to it because Mr. Crespo put into words feelings and thoughts that I had but couldn't articulate. I now recommend the book to all my friends who thank me for it. Bravo, Mr. Crespo.Being Latino in Christ: Finding Wholeness in Your Ethnic Identity

A new kind of racism 2007-10-09

Reviewer: Leigh-Ann Mutino

This book came very highly recommended to me by friends I met in LaFe, the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Latin Fellow. It sat on my shelf for almost year simply due to lack of time to read. I've just finished reading the book, and I must say that, as a Latina, I am embarrassed that this book was published. The first half of the book is wrought with typos and grammatical errors. The citations are clearly slant and quoted out of context. As for Crespo's motives, I feel that he has taken a few incidents of racism that he has experienced in his own life and blown them completely out of proportion into a mission to incite a Latino uprising within the United States. Has the man learned nothing from history? It's unfortunate and awful that he was discriminated against, but I would go so far to say that Crespo is actually racist against white people. In addition, he seems to be perpetuating a dichotomy (or trichotomy, as the case may be) in racial relations by consistently grouping Americans into either White, Black, or Latino. What happened to all of the Asians, Native Americans, Middle Easterners, etc. who comprise other racial backgrounds in the United States? Furthermore, Crespo aims to stereotype White people in the same way I believe he finds Latinos stereotyped. On one page, he lists some "typically White activities" as "playing golf, watching hockey, and listening to heavy metal." What a gross generalization! Crespo's messages are insufficiently researched, volatile, incendiary, and dangerous. I would only recommend this book to those who would need to read it for research purposes.

Not just for Latinos 2005-01-06

Reviewer: a professional student

"If Christianity is for everyone, then what difference does ethnicity make?" The author shows that ethnicity is not something we need to overcome, but something that needs to be embraced.

Rather than arguing a cultural perspective, Crespo speaks gently as a Latino American who stuggled to find his own personal identity and identity in Christ.

If you're looking for a thoughtful dialogue on faith and culture from a personal perspective, this is a good place to start.

What the Latino community needs 2004-03-03

Reviewer: Michelle

I absolutely recommend this book to any and every Latino in the US. Orlando Crespo goes into what our history is as Latinos, the oppression that our ancestors have gone through, the struggles we go through with identity being part of two cultures and other issues we face. Using the Scriptures, he takes us through God's plan for us as an ethnic culture and how He uses our ethnic identity to reflect a part of who He is. I also recommend this book to those who are curious about the Hispanic Christian community and those wanting to minister in that area.