8b. The Churches of Latin America Flashcards
Communist Manifesto
Marx was asked to leave France, and he made his way to Brussels, Belgium where in 1848, he wrote The Communist Manifesto.
What were the Catholic numbers in Latin America in 1900, and in 2000? Why are those numbers important?
92% in 1900, 85.9% in 2000. The religious complexion has begun to shift throughout Latin America for the first time in 500 years, and it has a decidedly different complexion to it. At one level, these numbers seem to be relatively insignificant, yet they mark something very significant. They mark an end to the unchallenged Roman Catholic hegemony in the region.
What percentage of Latin American is currently Protestant?
9.1%
Protestants are usually seen as Evangelical in Latin America. What percentage of the Evangelical Church is actually Pentecostal?
85%
What are the three major threats to Catholicism in Latin America?
First, since Vatican II, the Roman Catholic Church has generally seen a decline in the number of vocations, that is, fewer men are entering the priesthood, and fewer women are entering the convent. This has meant that fewer priests on a regular basis are serving the needs of the people and people must wait until a priest visits their area before they can receive the sacraments. Second, during the 20th Century, Latin America saw a steady rise in what might be described as secular forces working in its midst. The rise of Marxism among some people (Cuba, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, etc.), and the obsession with neo-colonial manifestations of material interests has had an impact on many. Third, the rise in the number of Pentecostals and Neo-Pentecostals in the region has contributed substantially to a viable competing form of Christian faith.
When did colonialism end in Latin America?
1820s and 30s.
Liberal State
Secular governments that were anti-religion.
How did the Liberal State view the Catholic Church?
The “Liberal State” was not always kind to Roman Catholicism in the latter half of the 19th Century. The Roman Catholic Church was often, though not always, viewed as a symbol of European colonialism.
What did the Liberal State do to the Catholic Church?
Colombia declared the separation of Church and State as early as 1853, leading the way for others to follow. South American followed, and then Central America. In so far as conservative governments were able to take power away from the liberal governments, the Roman Catholic Church often benefitted.
What else began to erode the power of the Catholic Church?
Immigration, and the presence of the Protestant Churches.
What helped the Catholic Church engage with the people after all these threats?
Vatican II
What did Vatican II bring to Latin America
- Priest learned to preach.
- Liturgy translated.
- New Music
- Theology was contextualized.
- Catholics encouraged to own bibles and read them.
What was the response to Vatican II?
Mostly positive. People began going to church again and engaging with God. But there were those who wanted the old ways.
Opus Dei
Group of individuals who gathered around their bitterness towards Vatican II.
Liberation Theology
Liberation Theology attempted to translate the meaning of the Bible into a contemporary Latin America, a Latin America that was becoming increasingly dominated by newer forms of economic neo-colonialism. Many of these theologians tended to embrace some form of socialism and in some cases even Marxism, but their primary concern was the poor, the marginalized, and what they saw as the unmitigated materialism of capitalism. Liberation theologians spoke often of a “preferential option for the poor.”
base communities
These communities, which typically undertook Bible studies that brought a theological undergirding to their social engagement, often understood themselves to be communities of “experience which enable the poor to assert their civil rights as active participants in society and Church.”
Name three important Liberation Theologians
- José Míguez Bonino
- Ruben Alves
- Juan Luis Segundo
- Gustavo Gutiérrez
- Leonardo Boff
What were the two major weaknesses of Liberation Theology?
- It was a theology for the poor, but not written by them.
2. It often ignored the fact that ultimate liberation was liberation from sin.
Who wrote “A Theology of Liberation”?
Gustavo Gutiérrez
What were the consequences of Liberation Theology?
Sermons began to reflect liberation theological themes, and people were empowered by participation in base ecclesial communities that often took strong anti-governmental positions. As a result, many Catholics who embraced Liberation Theology found themselves persecuted as they stood up to various governmental powers in the region. People disappeared. People were “martyred” for the liberation cause. The poor, whether Christian or not, were often viewed as the face of Jesus. And the hierarchy of the Church was sometimes viewed as a dysfunctional enemy.
Why did Liberation Theology come to and end?
The rise of Pentecostalism.
The poor went along with Liberation Theology for a time, but in the end, many of them came to view it with disdain. Part of the reason for this disdain arose because another theology was developing simultaneously, a theology not viewed as being developed on behalf of the poor, but a theology that was being developed by the poor. This fact has led someone to note the irony in the fact that, “while the liberation theologians opted for the poor, the poor opted for Pentecostalism.”
When did Pentecostal missionaries arrive in Mexico?
1906
What was the strength of Pentecostalism in Latino America?
Think “Billy Graham”-type crusades . . .
Pentecostals were among the first to bring mass rallies and evangelistic crusades to the region, in part through tents, but later on in stadium meetings that brought together as many as one hundred thousand people for evangelistic or healing crusades. Furthermore, Pentecostals began to experiment with and then embrace the use of radio, and later television and satellite broadcasting, purchasing, running, and maintaining their own stations.
What are the 7 reasons for the rise of Pentecostalism in Latin America?
- HOLINESS. First, the Pentecostal Movement has frequently attracted people from the lower classes of society as well as people who are in the midst of personal crisis. Those who gambled, smoked, drank, or participated in any number of vices before their conversion, are confronted with a message of salvation that includes a commitment to a different lifestyle – a life of holiness that involves self-sacrifice.
- COMMUNITY. Second, Pentecostal churches provide a forum for new community. Parishioners may not be able to own their own homes, but they believe that they do have “material possession” when they contributed to the building of “their” church.
- EMOTION. Third, Pentecostal churches take seriously the emotional side of their people. They value experience. They do not view responses to God as merely cerebral responses to cerebral demands, but rather, they grant legitimacy to the whole person, body, mind, and soul responding to God.
- POWER. Fourth, power is a critical ingredient to Pentecostal success. The issue of power emerges first in Pentecostalism in the discussion surrounding the baptism in the Spirit. People are encouraged and taught to pray. Through prayer, they can resolve many of their personal problems and conflicts.
- LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY. Fifth, Pentecostal churches provide opportunity for gifts to be tested and charismatic leadership to emerge. Every member of a Pentecostal congregation is understood to be in ministry.
- HIGH MORAL CODE. Sixth, Pentecostal churches take seriously a high moral code.
- VERSATILITY. Seventh, Pentecostal churches are highly versatile. No two Pentecostal congregations are exactly alike.
