The Alberto Rembao Manuscript Collection

Dr. Alberto Rembao was born in Chihuahua, Mexico on September 26, 1895. His uncle and aunt, Rafael and Silvina Rembao, were leaders in the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1911. Rembao did not finish high school in Mexico. He was 16 when he enlisted in General Orozco's army, and 18 when he lost his leg and was smuggled to the U.S. by Protestant missionaries for life-saving care. After his recovery, he started high school again in New Mexico, and completed his high school requirements and graduated in 1917 from Alhambra City High School, in Alhambra, California, at the age of 21. Then he started at Pomona College later in 1917. He received an A.B. degree from Pomona College in Claremont, California. From there he moved to Mexico to be a teacher and eventually principal of the Colegio International in Guadalajara. Dr. Rembao also was a professor of Spanish language and literature at the University of Guadalajara.

Rembao returned to the United States in 1924 to begin graduate studies at the Pacific School of Religion, in Berkeley, California. He graduated with a Masters and Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1927. While studying there he also served as pastor for a Spanish speaking Presbyterian Church, Casa del Buen Pastor in San Francisco. Rembao went on to graduate study at Yale University and the University of California at Berkeley. He also received an honorary D.D. from the Pacific School of Religion.

While a student at the Pacific School, Dr. Rembao began working on Nueva Senda, a Spanish-language monthly. In 1931 he became the editor of La Nueva Democracia, a Spanish-language quarterly that was published by the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America of the Foreign Missions Division of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. This publication was designed to carry a non-sectarian message to Spanish-speaking peoples of Latin America to promote Christianity, and the values of democracy and internationalism. He began helping with some of the editorial duties around 1931 and was named general editor of the publication in 1933.

At various times Rembao served as a guest lecturer at the College of the City of New York (Latin American History); at the Hartford Seminary Foundation (Contemporary Thought in Latin America); at the Biblical Seminary in the City of New York (Church and State in Latin America); and Princeton Theological Seminary. He was also a visiting professor at Matanzas Theological Seminary, Matanzas, Cuba. He lectured widely both in the U.S. and at Latin American Universities.

Rembao's books in English include Lupita, a Story of Mexico in Revolution, Outlook in Mexico, and Horseman of the Lord. His books in Spanish cover many subjects, including transcendentalism, evangelism, theology and the philosophy of religion. Titles include: Chihuahua de mis Amores y Otros Despachos de Mexicanidad Neoyorquina, Democracia Trascendente, Flor de Traslaciones: Ensayos de Tiempo de Angustia, Meditaciones Neoyorkinas, and Vida Heroica. Dr. Rembao was married to Mrs. Julia Garcia de Rembao. He died of a stroke on November 10, 1962 at his home in New York City.