This work explores the contribution of major Latin American theologians to the intellectual and pastoral discussion of Christian involvement in contemporary politics. Aguilar argues that within the Latin American context there has been a rediscovery of a fluid, dualistic, and sometimes contradictory relation between the practice of religion and the practice of politics.

Christians in the Latin American context were forced to respond to a general crisis in politics, whereby their own beliefs, ritual practices, and way of life was pushed to the limit by human rights violations and absolutist forms of government. The Christian response was a confrontation against the state as was the case of Chile, or a dissenting silence, as was the case of Argentina. However, the historical relations between Church and state, Christian communities and secular powers, were inscribed in literary texts in Latin America. These texts expressed an archaeology of historical and theological memory.