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Part of the mission of Jesus the Liberator Seminary is to produce publications in an effort to strengthen our growing community inside and outside of the walls of the prison. We have published three books (see below), including our most recent publication, More to this Confession: Relational/Prison Theology (2020).
Our books are free of cost. However, you are free to give a donation to support the work of the organization. Contact us, if you would like hard copies of the book(s) mailed to you. Or, download a copy by clicking the link below.
God loves you! We love you!
Conceived and edited by Chris Barbera.
Cover Artwork by Peter Rentz.
Design by Peggy Matteliano.
Published by Jesus the Liberator Seminary of Religious Justice in 2013.
“Prison Theology is an extension of Liberation Theology. At their core, both express a ‘preferential option for the poor’. Both work to articulate a theology that empowers people disaffected by dominant paradigms of power. Both articulations are born among the struggles of oppressed people. … And so we start from where we are.”
Download a free pdf copy of Prison Theology here.
Meditations on Crime, Illness, Healing and Liberation
Conceived and Edited by Chris Barbera.
Cover artwork by Kathleen Sambrotto.
Design by Margaret Matteliano.
Published by Jesus the Liberator Seminary of Religious Justice in 2015.
“The United States of America incarcerates and medicates people at a greater rate than any nation on earth. This is the first response to real or perceived crimes and illnesses. Bringing light to this situation is the intention of this book. The authors have survived the prison and mental health systems and/or have worked to bring healing and liberation to people within this system and/or have worked to create a new way of addressing crime and illness. Some of the authors have questioned the foundations of what is considered a crime or illness and/or have worked through crime and illness to create transforming insights and/or have documented nonviolent histories, methodologies and poetic, speculative insights based in the experience of their work. Implicit within this is liberation from personal and social limitations.”
Download a free pdf copy of Dreamers, Romans and Prisons here.
Conceived, designed and edited by Gabrie’l J. Atchison and Chris Barbera.
Cover artwork by Vanessa DiBernardo.
Published by Jesus the Liberator Seminary of Religious Justice in 2020.
Our experience has shown us that inmates want their voices to be heard. They want people to know that they are thinking, feeling and spiritual beings. They want people to know of the conditions that exist in captivity. The silence and darkness of repression is often more painful than bars limiting physical wandering. The freedom of mind remains alive in the written and spoken word. Inmates long for freedom. We feel compelled to share these words of longing. They are a testament to human freedom. We take the
responsibility to tap into the essence.
Download a free pdf copy of More to the Confession: Relational Prison Theology here.
Prison Theology 