Ivan Petrella

Ivan Petrella ( born November 8, 1969), Iván Petrella, is an Argentine theologian and political publicist. He is a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Miami.

Life

Petrella grew up as the son of former Vice- Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, Fernando Petrella, in a Catholic family, but considers himself an agnostic. He studied International Relations at Georgetown University and theology at Harvard, where he also his Ph.D. acquired.

Political and journalistic commitment

Petrella is committed with book publications and through its publishing activities for a programmatic replacement of liberation theology. It had the option for the poor remain central.

The classical theology of liberation, as they emerged in the 1970s in Latin America, he accuses an uncritical reception of the dependency theory, which they had fallen into a state of political incapacity after the end of the dictatorships of national security. Liberation theology must now develop a new historical project, which is adapted to the changed political circumstances. Featured Records Petrella sees such a project in Roberto Unger's theory of " alternative pluralisms ".

Petrella is the book series Reclaiming Liberation Theology out ( until her death in 2009, together with Marcella Althaus -Reid ). During the U.S. presidential election campaign in 2008, he called for the establishment of a religious think tank to support the Democratic candidate. Even in his native Argentina Petrella is represented in political debates.

Works (selection)

• (Ed.): Latin American Liberation Theology. The Next Generation. Orbis Books, New York 2005, ISBN 1-57075-595-7.
• The Future of Liberation Theology. An argument and Manifesto. SCM Press, London 2006, ISBN 978-0-334-04061-3.
• (Ed. among others ): Another Possible World. SCM Press, London 2007, ISBN 978-0-334-04094-1.
• Beyond Liberation Theology. A Polemic. SCM Press, London, 2008, ISBN 978-0-334-04134-4.