Between Worlds

In Between Worlds, Richard Frontjes writes that we still have much to learn from Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695), a gifted and provocative reader of religion, literature, and society. With a focus on her importance to Spanish Baroque literary and religious movements, Frontjes locates Sor Juana at the tumultuous intersection of European and Mesoamerican culture.

Between Words reads a selection of Sor Juana’s best-known drama, poetry, and prose to illuminate Sor Juana’s engagement with culture and her transition from a literary wonder to a controversial voice in public theological discourse. Even when faced with institutional resistance, Sor Juana’s deep desire for knowledge drove her to fight for new and inclusive ways of knowing the divine.  Frontjes also explains how Sor Juana’s prescient insights regarding the role of gender and access to important public conversations matter for everyone interested in the health of religious and political discourse today.

Richard Frontjes is a bilingual Episcopal priest who has served parishes in Texas, Michigan, and Illinois, including multicultural and bilingual congregations. The analysis and experience of cultural encounter is at the center of his work as a preacher, teacher, leader, and author.

Frontjes earned his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in 2006 and began his work in the Episcopal Church as a Deacon at Iglesia San Francisco de Asís in Austin, Texas. After working in parishes in Michigan and Chicago, Frontjes earned his Master of Theology (Th.M.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in the history of World Christianity and Mission, focusing especially on the life and work of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695).

Calling his encounters with cultural diversity – including a formative experience as a cabinet maker in a multilingual shop – the greatest journey of his adult life, Frontjes strives to understand and appreciate the power and promise of cultural encounter.