Editorial

The publication of issue No. 174 of Theologica Xaveriana corresponds to July-December, 2012, and it coincides with the seventy-fifth anniversary of the restoration of the School of Theology from the Pontifical Javeriana University, on August 24, 1937, as well as with the fiftieth anniversary of the inauguration of the Second Vatican Council on October 11, 1962.

It is within this ecclesial and theological context that we offer this issue which includes seven articles, a clear expression of research processes, finished or ongoing, which reflect the raison d'être of the current theological work and its dynamics: two of the articles are written by two teachers of our School and the other five by teachers from other milieus like Peru, Chile, Brazil and Spain.

Eduardo Arens K., PhD., is a member of the Studio-rum Novi Testamenti Societas and of the Catholic Biblical Association; he is also a professor at the 'Instituto Superior de Estudios Teológicos', ISET, in Lima. In his article "Rethinking Biblical Inspiration: Some Observations and Reflections", he invites to rethink the idea of biblical inspiration based on the development of studies on Communication and Linguistics and, particularly, on critical exegesis, which undoubtedly enriches the traditional concept of inspiration by analyzing, in more detail, the difficulties affecting the transition from oral transmission to textual materialization in the books of Scripture.

Arturo Bravo R., PhD., is a professor at the Instituto de Teología de la Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción en Chile. In his article "Isaac the Incompetent: an Example of Humor as a Literary Resource to Express Grace in the Bible" he evidences a dimension that has been generally absent when approaching the biblical text: humor. Isaac's features shape a character with a humorous profile as he is not really a skillful patriarch, he is passive and incompetent: he is some sort of "anti-patriarch" through whom God acts and keeps his promises graciously.

Juan Alberto Casas R. is a professor at our School of Theology. In his article, "Where is your God? Notes for a Theological Reflection at the Outset of the 21^st Century", he assumes that God's speaking-acting in history is at the foundation of any theological elaboration as well as at the foundation of Christian praxis. All belief options stem from understanding it since history is the theological scenario par excellence where the salvation encounter with God takes place.

Miren Junkal Guevara, PhD., is a professor at the School of Theology of Granada (Spain). In her article "Exile and Diaspora: Israel without the temple?", based on the books of Kings and Chronicles, wants to show how to approach the alleged total disappearance of the cult within the Israelite community, around the fall of Samaria and the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It is, therefore, to approach other facets of cult from those exiled and émigrés.

María Clara Lucchetti Bingemer, PhD., is a professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and the Vice-Dean for Development of the Centro de Teología y Ciencias Humanas at this university. In her article "Current Challenges and Tasks of Theology in Latin America", she states that, nowadays, Theology is challenged to rethink itself, and most of all to reconfigure itself, and explains the characteristics of a non-discursive Teology aimed at giving answers to the burning issued posed by the contemporary world.

Victorino Pérez P., PhD., is a professor at the universities of Santiago de Compostela and La Coruña (Spain). In his article "Discovery and Concealment of God in the Experience of Humanity" he uses as a starting point the certainty that human history, despite its contradictions, is also a history of the search for mystery when acknowledging that "God is there." It is in such pursuit in which, although God is discovered and allows to be discovered, that it would seem that the more we know Him the more elusive He becomes. Anyway, He is always more and although we wish to talk, in a legitimate manner, about Him, we always "know Him as an unknown person."

To conclude, Silvestre Pongutá H., S.D.B. is a professor from our School. In his article "The Oracle against Israel: a Reading of Am 2: 6-16" he carries out an exegetic approach of a representative text from the book of Amos aimed at characterizing the accusations the prophet makes against Israel on behalf of God.

It is with these research papers and theological reflection that we keep making contributions to the discernment and deepening of our readers on topics of the utmost interest for Theology and their influence on teaching, research, education and pastoral praxis.

José Alfredo Noratto Gutiérrez, Ph.D.
Editor