Beyond the Four Walls

The summer of 2007 was coming to an end and I was about to embark on one of life’s most challenging roads: graduate school. Not knowing exactly what I was getting into, I decided to attend a two-year graduate program to study theology (more specifically, Church History and Society) at Union Theological Seminary (UTS) at Columbia University in New York City. What I, a Roman Catholic, heterosexual, first-generation Latino man from the South Side of Providence, Rhode Island experienced in and out of these academic walls would eventually change my life forever. While studying at UTS, I began to see how God was bringing me together with other people of diverse backgrounds to discuss the common realities of our times—poverty, homelessness, racism, etc. Over time, it became clear to me the importance of having a dialogue with the very thing that defines us as humans—our society. Consequently, I made the decision to break through the “bubble” or “box” that I was living in order to reach out and help (more broadly) my brothers and sisters. This epiphany was the reason I came to admire the efforts that are being made by the Ecumenical Movement. Ecumenical by definition suggest a unity between the various denominations that exist within Christianity. One can go as far as to say this unifying ideology includes other world religions as well, such as Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, etc. Regardless of the definition of Ecumenical, love of God, love of self and love of neighbor are considered to be fundamental characteristics of every faith because they serve as emblems for justice, peace, truth and unity! For me, togetherness is God. But to come together, we first need to understand that God has presented Himself to people based on their own sociopolitical, economical, historical and cultural realities. In other words, God speaks to us in different ways but He expects all of us to do the same thing—to bring God’s Kingdom a little closer to earth. Throughout my time at UTS, I’ve learned that God can be encountered in many places outside of the church. For example, I was able to experience God’s presence in many “unusual” places like supervised therapy sessions, travel seminar classes to places like Colombia in South America, and weekly meetings to discuss community-related issues by a group of women who were formerly incarcerated—just to name a few. Yes, Church is a place where we can talk to and encounter God. However, I would be lying to myself if I were to say that God’s spirit is limited to the four walls of the Church and therefore is unable to reach out to the broader secular places of our world. For me, there is no separation between God and human beings no matter where they are, who they are and how they do worship. It is what I perceive to be God’s spirit that brings people together to talk about life, happiness, sadness, anger, hope and love. In my view, one of the best platforms for intersecting God with our society is Hip-hop music and culture. Hip-hop has always served as a platform for people of diverse backgrounds, especially those that are living in the margins of our societies. Its dialogical style of rhyming, free-styling, graffiti art work, dance and DJ-ing are like magnets to the millions of people who embrace it. When openly received, it creates a spiritual, sociopolitical and grassroots-centered consciousness that unifies all of God’s people. Hip-hop has had such an impact in our world because it has given countless silent voices the ability to be heard and to be part of this historical meta-narrative. Throughout my existence here on earth, I have seen the positive influences of Hip-hop music and culture in the following ways: graffiti art work to demonstrate the oppressive/negative side of politics in Geneva, Switzerland; alternative programs for Colombian inner-city youth who are struggling with guerilla army recruitment; and continuous contributions to academia using performances and workshops to convey lessons to students in schools like Columbia University. In reality, this book can be interpreted in many ways—all depending on the reader of course. For some, it may be viewed as an interesting read while for others it may be viewed as wishful thinking. But for many, including myself, this is a book about how Hip-hop helps to bring the spirit of God to youth ministers, professors, clergy, politicians, activists, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, prisons, the projects, the Gaza strip, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, to the elders, to the youth, etc. To a larger extent, this book serves as a testimony to my experiences growing up listening to Hip-hop and living in an environment similar to that which is portrayed in many songs in the Hip-Hop culture. When I think about my experiences growing up and my experiences at UTS (especially the research that I did for my masters thesis on Hip-hop), I would say that I bring to the table the best of both worlds—the scholarly knowledge that is learned in the academic world and the wisdom that is acquired in the streets. Because of Hip-hop, I have been given the opportunity to visit many places throughout the world and to meet so many incredible human beings. For all these opportunities and more, I thank God for bringing Hip-hop into my life!