Where does the commitment of the Latin American Church to justice come from? Father Pedro Trigo returns to the roots in a new course from Cebitepal.

This course proposes a journey through the history of the Church in Latin America, from the early years of evangelization to the present day, to understand the origin of its identity, its tensions, and its challenges.

How did the Church relate to indigenous peoples and the State? What happened in Medellín and why does its mark remain alive? To answer these questions, a list of dates is not enough: one must read the texts that marked history and understand why they were written.

The proposal, which the Cebitepal Theological Center of Celam includes in the closing cycle of its 2026 academic year, invites us to look back to walk better forward: to recognize the decisions, conflicts, and searches that made the Latin American Church what it is, and to learn from all of this for the present.

The course is not limited to narrating the facts. Each week, participants work with a recorded class, texts, and historical sources chosen by the teacher, and from that material, questions are raised.

The program starts with evangelization and the Patronage, and continues with the first voices that rose for justice, such as Montesinos' sermon, and with the controversy between Sepúlveda and Las Casas regarding the Spanish presence in America. It also goes through the encounter between the Gospel and cultures, the debate on the priesthood of the indigenous people, the reductions, and the condemnation of slavery.

The bet is that history serves for something more than knowing: for discerning. By the end, each participant will have keys to interpret the current challenges of evangelization in their own reality, with the perspective of those who walked that path before.

We will do it alongside Pedro Trigo, SJ, who has been based in Venezuela for decades and is a reference in Latin American theology and reflection on the Church from the perspective of the poor and grassroots communities. He holds a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical University of Comillas, is a professor at the ITER in Caracas, was an expert at the Venezuelan Plenary Council, and is the author of books such as Psalms of the Gospel and In the Market of God, a God beyond the market. He lives in a popular area and closely accompanies those communities.

 

The course, 100% virtual, will take place from October 1 to November 26, 2026, and will combine nine recorded classes with four live meetings on Thursdays, October 15 and 29, and November 12 and 26, at the following times:

9:00 to 10:30 hrs (Colombia)

8:00 to 9:30 hrs (Mexico)

9:00 to 10:30 hrs (USA/Miami)

10:00 to 11:30 hrs (Venezuela/Bolivia)

11:00 to 12:30 hrs (Brasília/Argentina)

15:00 to 16:30 hrs (Madrid/CET)

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