Defense Date

3-29-2021

Graduation Date

Spring 5-6-2021

Availability

One-year Embargo

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Theology

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

James Bailey

Committee Member

Gerald Boodoo

Committee Member

Anna Scheid

Keywords

Natural Law, Latinx, Latino/a, Social Ethics, Narrative

Abstract

This dissertation will argue concepts rooted in Latinx social ethics provides a corrective to acontextual and ahistorical, Euroamerican natural law frameworks by positing natural law as a type of moral reasoning rooted in the contexts, histories, and narratives of particular communities. Rooting natural law in the narrative practices of Latinx communities not only reveals the need for justice for oppression against Latinx bodies from the wider community, but also offers a corrective to ahistorical and acontextual Euroamerican natural law frameworks. A Latinx natural law functions as a radical and prophetic critique against systems of oppression that destroy the lives of Latinx communities as well as provides an epistemological framework to be able to discern the universal. Latinx social ethics is a privileged place for discerning natural law not just for the Latinx community, but for dominant Anglo-communities as well. This dissertation will derive a natural law framework from Latinx narratives, histories, and social practices. This dissertation also argues that natural law is not only corrected by Latinx social ethics but it is also realized in the liberation of the Latinx community from oppression. In light of the marginalization of the Latinx community and the need for the Latinx community to be able to make normative claims against their marginalization, this dissertation posits that natural law is judged and revealed through the social, cultural, ethical and narrative practices of the Latinx community.

Language

English

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