Buried Seeds: Learning from the Vibrant Resilience of Marginalized Christian Communities

Named One of Fifteen Important Theology Books of 2022, Englewood Review of Books

This book demonstrates how two overlooked ministry models--base ecclesial communities of the Global South in the late twentieth century and hush harbors of the US antebellum South--offer proven strategies for the twenty-first-century church and contemporary social movements. These ministry models provide insight into the creation and sustenance of vital Christian community, particularly for those seeking indigenous culturally-rooted models, and show how to integrate vibrant Christ-centered faith and mission with world-changing social justice and political action. The book includes on-the-ground stories from multiethnic communities, a foreword by Robert Chao Romero, and an afterword by Willie James Jennings.

Alexia Salvatierra (DMiss, Fuller Theological Seminary), a national leader in faith engagement in immigrant justice for over twenty years, is the academic dean of Centro Latino and associate professor of integral mission and global transformation at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. She serves as the madrina (godmother) of Matthew 25/Mateo 25, a network of immigrant and non-immigrant churches in Southern California.

Brandon Wrencher (MDiv, North Park Theological Seminary) is a minister, community organizer, teacher, and facilitator. He works across faith, higher education, and nonprofit sectors at the intersections of decolonizing church, contemplative activism, and local presence to build beloved communities.