American Magnificat

When Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, she sent him to the bishop with the message that she desired a hermitage where all people would be welcomed and would experience her love. And yet, until recently, the message of Guadalupe has been limited to Catholics, particularly Mexicans and Mexican Americans. With this volume of essays, however, a variety of Protestant theologians engage the tradition surrounding Our Lady of Guadalupe to demonstrate that she has a place in Protestant churches. The multicultural dynamic of today's churches, Catholic and Protestant alike, means that cultural elements of people's faith cannot be dismissed. Rather, they are to be explored and contemplated, possibly embraced and integrated into the broader church life. By critically and thoughtfully engaging the Guadalupe story, the authors in this volume provide insights on how Our Lady can be welcomed into the prayer life and worship of Protestant communities.

With a foreword by Timothy Matovina and concluding reflection by Virgil Elizondo.

Maxwell E. Johnson, PhD, is professor of liturgy at the University of Notre Dame and an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is author of The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation (Liturgical Press, 2007, revised and expanded edition) and several other Liturgical Press books as well as being a frequent contributor to Worship.