TMST 7247 Theologies of Justice and Liberation in the U.S.

Liberation theologies are modes of theological discourse that rethink the purpose of religious thought and practice by placing attention on distinctive experiences of injustice and inequality encountered by different individuals and social groups. Although the liberation theology movement is now a global one, the United States has been the birthplace of a good number of liberation theologies. This course examines the emergence, development, emphases, and methodologies of four of these, including African American/Black theology of liberation, feminist theology of liberation, Latino/a theology of liberation, and LGBTQ theology of liberation. Besides offering a solid introduction to liberation theology, the course analyzes basic concepts underlying theories of injustice, domination, and oppression.

Course overview

Department
Theology and Ministry
School
STM
Credits
3
Level
Graduate
Offered
Periodically

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating
4.29 / 5 · Very Good
24 responses
Instructor rating
4.42 / 5 · Very Good
24 responses
Terms evaluated
4
Most recent: Fall 2024

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
TermInstructorCourse overallInstructor overallWell organizedClear learning objectivesIntellectually challengingHelpful assignmentsApplicable beyond courseAttendance necessaryWeekly effortResponses
Fall 2024Benjamin Valentin4.14.14.54.44.14.44.84.31–3 hrs/week8 of 9
Fall 2023Benjamin Valentin—————————3 of 7
Fall 2022Benjamin Valentin4.74.74.74.74.34.75.04.77–9 hrs/week3 of 9
Fall 2021Benjamin Valentin4.54.84.84.64.34.64.94.54–6 hrs/week10 of 16

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Benjamin Valentin
    Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 · Official rating 4.42/5