Liberation theology has, since its beginnings over forty years ago, placed the poor at the heart of theology and revealed the ideologies underlying both society and church. Meanwhile, over this period, the progressive church appears to have stagnated and the poor of Latin America have turned increasingly to neo-Pentecostalism. The Poor in Liberation Theology questions whether the effect of liberation theology is to provide a pathway to God or really to construct idols out of the poor. Combining the conceptual language of the philosophers Jean-Luc Marion and Emmanuel Levinas with the methodology of the liberation theologian Clodovis Boff, the volume outlines how liberation theology can work to ensure the poor do not become an ideological construct but remain icons of God. Drawing on a wealth of material from Latin American and Europe, the book demonstrates the continuing validity and importance of liberation theology and its further potential when engaged with contemporary philosophy.

Art and Belief explores communication between faiths through an examination of contemporary artistic practice. The book discusses how a range of artists formulate their worldview and what motivates them to engage in dialogue. These artists are engaged in a wide range of artistic forms and practice and come to dialogue from diverse religious positions. The aim of the book is to question the assumptions of interreligious dialogue as a largely intellectual exercise in defining the religious "other" and to explore dialogue as a manifestation of interpersonal ethics.

Another World is Possible examines the many peoples who have mobilized religion and spirituality to forge identity. Some claim direct links to indigenous spiritual practices; others have appropriated externally introduced religions, modifying these with indigenous perspectives and practices. The voices of Black people from around the world are presented in essays ranging from the Indian subcontinent, Japan and Australia to Africa, the UK and the USA. From creation narratives to trickster heroes, from the role of spirituality in HIV positive South Africa to its place in mental health and among the poor, spirituality is shown to be essential to the survival of individuals and communities.

The centre of gravity of contemporary Christianity has shifted to the southern hemisphere where, with the exception of Latin America, almost all Christians are minorities in their home countries. Christians in Asia live amongst Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Shamanist or Taoist majorities and this context shapes the local Christian theology. The same is true in Africa where traditional religions and beliefs influence African Christians. Central to this change in both Africa and Asia is the creation of a new Jesus, one who accretes local beliefs and concerns and who, in that process, is transformed. The Non-Western Jesus reveals how a new theology - with its own images and concepts - is coming into being. A wide range of embodiments of Jesus is examined: Jesus as Avatara and Guru in the Indian context; as Bodhisattva in the Buddhist context; and Jesus within Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, African and Indonesian religious contexts.

Christianity has been both the cause of oppression among Black communities and a source of liberation. Black Christianity has sought solace in the redemptive figure of Christ in its struggle for human dignity and freedom. Working Against the Grain addresses the displacement of Black theology in Diasporan African churches by charismatic and conservative neo-Pentecostalism. The essays present a radical Black theology that empowers disenfranchised Black people whilst challenging White power to see and act differently. Working Against the Grain is an essential text for all those interested in the pursuit of racial justice and other forms of anti-oppressive practice, both inside the church and beyond it.

Contemporary tourism and travel have become a form of religion, a new opiate of the masses. However, could Church and theology be religious forms of tourism and travel? Bibles and Baedekers offers a theology of tourism and exile for a modern and postmodern world. It examines the ways in which location, identity and movement have made use of religious texts and metaphor and questions the relative absence of secular texts and ideas in theology. The theology of the tourist and traveller is one of new experiences, the acquisition of identity through movement. Bibles and Baedekers uniquely applies this to the postmodern Christian, embodying the fulfilment of Bonhoeffer's "religionless Christianity", dislocated from both a secular and "religious" world.

An estimated two-thirds of Caribbeans live outside their homeland. Home Away from Home identifies the different forms of Caribbean diasporan identity and argues that the faith Caribbean people brought with them into the diaspora plays a central role in their development. The study provides a theological interpretation of the diasporan experience, and outlines the principles of diasporan theology and the distinctiveness of its church. Focusing on the Caribbean diaspora in the US, and analysing aspects of the Caribbean British diaspora, the book forges a Black Atlantic theology. The volume also engages with wider discourse on the Black diaspora to offer an inclusive Caribbean diasporan ecclesiology that overcomes Black African-American/Euro-American binaries.

Black theology has flourished within the academy. Its theories, however, have not always translated into practical use for Black people. Dramatizing Theologies outlines the strong practical dimension of Black theology. Combining Black theology with dramatic, dialogical sketch material, the book produces an accessible approach to Black theological dialogue. The chasm between the academy, church and grassroots communities is overcome through the use of drama. Dramatizing Theologies offers a unique methodology for Black theological conversation with the poor, marginalized and disenfranchised.

Transportation, telecommunications and the internet are all part of a process of globalisation that affects every sphere of life. This new phase in human evolution is central to the thinking of Leonardo Boff - one of the founders of Liberation Theology. In Global Civilisation Boff presents a philosophical and theological enquiry into all aspects of globalization - from market forces to politics, military force, technology and science, communication and spirituality. The book describes the revolution taking place - in consciousness, the meaning of life, holiness, the economy, politics, culture, work standards, and ethics. Boff explores the contribution of Christianity to the 'new global civilisation' and presents a utopian future for humankind.