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David University
189
Turning
Protestant?
1990),.4 24
pp.
(Berkeley:
$24.95.
Stoll,
Is Latin America
of California
Press, ISBN 0-520-06499-2
Reviewed
by
Brother
Jeffrey Gros,
F.S.C.
invasion of
The Latin American
bishops
are often heard to be concerned about the
the “sects” from the north. In official and individual com- ments,
these concerns about Protestantism
ica,
are often
coupled
with sus- culture and even the CIA and
picions
about
linkages
with United States
affirmations of the
unique relationship
of Catholicism and Iberioameri- can culture. On the other
hand,
when North American
religionists, Protestant and
Catholic, speak of the “new reformation”
in Latin Amer-
the various schools of Liberation
Theology
often comes to mind. The
purpose
of this volume is to undermine both of these
mispercep- tions with the
survey
of some recent
history
and movements.
The thesis of this volume is that the Conservative
Evangelical
Protes-
in Latin America will have a greater influence on the future than will the results of Liberation
tant
developments
attempts
with careful documentation
Theology.
The author also and
analysis
to show that the
identifying everything faith missions;
United States based New Christian
Right
and conservative Protestantism are not
merely
to be
equated. Furthermore,
from
Pentecostalism,
ity
the
oversimplification
of Baptists,
Adventists and
and Jehovah’s
only
through
the semi-Christian Mormons
Witnesses to the Moonies and other eastern cults
totally
misses the real-
under discussion. This volume will be useful
reading
for those con- cerned with
politics,
social
analysis, religion,
and
pastoral
action not
for Latin
America,
but also
among
United States
Hispanics
and other Catholic ethnic minorities.
proponents
While the author not a believer and
attempts
to take the various move- ments on their own
terms,
his
political preferences
and evaluations of the various
groups
considered is not concealed.
Indeed,
Roman Cath- olics and
Evangelicals
alike are not
likely
to be enthusiastic about his evaluation of them.
However,
the critical
perspective
allows him to dif- ferentiate the rich
variety
of movements and
groups
and deal with them more on their own terms than is possible
by defensive
Catholic voices or
of
any one
of the various Protestant
groups.
Both Catholics and others devoted to the Christian witness in the world will do well to
decisions,
and
pastoral
take account of this
data, making
their own
judgments
and
charting
further research and ecumenical contacts that will enhance
Gospel
reconciliation and decrease the
potential
for violence inherent in the religious
polarization.
The author
surveys
the
growth
of the various Protestant
groups,
the
in Roman Catholicism in Latin America and its implications, the decline of Liberal Protestants and the internal debates
among
various of the
Evangelical groups serving
Latin America from the United States.
changes
1
190
majority
of
Evangelical especially among gation
Christians
cases
Ecuador, Nicaragua complexity
of the
situations,
is
extremely
useful, but that
Theology
or the New
Religious
Particularly
useful are the
typologies
he provides for the various
groups associated with the New
Religious Right
and their contrast with the
in Latin America. In
many cases,
the
Pentecostals, indigenization
of clergy and
congre-
has taken
place
more
quickly
in these
groups
than in the centuries old Roman Catholic
pastoral presence.
In addition to surveys of theologies, institutions and
movements, three
are
explored
in more
depth.
The
surveys
of
specific situations
in
and Guatemala are
very helpful
in
disclosing
the
and the
over-simplifications
entailed in the usual evaluations of either Liberation
Right
based in the United States It is the conviction of this author that the
hypotheses
adduced here are
very important
to be tested and the data
Liberation
Theology,
internal Roman Catholic renewal and the denominationalization
Protestantism
even more
complex
than
projected
here. What is made
perfectly
clear is the United States Catholic
responsibility
an ecumenism that
gives priority
to
finding ways
of
relating
to this sector of American Protes- tantism and of
relating
to Latin Catholicism
fourth
generation
“sectarian”
reception
of new
understandings
process
within third and will
provide
for a scenario
for
in a
way
that serves its of
ecumenism,
Church and
culture,
and North American
reception
of its full
variety
within and
beyond
our
borders.
Ecumenical and
Interreligious Bishops, Washington,
D.C.
Brother
Jeffrey Gros,
F.S.C. is Associate Director of the Secretariat for
Affairs,
National Conference of Catholic
2
