<underfire> Evangelical Internationalism

[Michael H Goldhaber]

Ana, et al.,

500 years into the history of Protestantism , and the Catholic Church  
is still puzzled at its success? The "low" churches that flourished  
in England in the seventeenth century are probably the antecedents of  
evangelicalism in the southern Americas now. Thought they may stem  
from American missionaries, they have little hierarchy, are  
uncentralized, do not have much in the way of doctrine handed down or  
adjudicated from on high, are not also the church of the wealthy and  
powerful, are homey, if not home-grown, and allow whoever to start a  
church, interpret scripture, etc. Add to that the Catholic Church's  
disavowal under John Paul II of liberation theology, and who should  
be surprised?
And as Marx said, the call to abolish religion is  the call to  
abolish the conditions that give rise to  it; those conditions  
certainly flourish in the favelas, etc.


Best,
Michael

On Nov 18, 2006, at 4:45 PM, Ana Valdes wrote:

> Melani, I wonder still if you could enlighten me about why the
> Evangelical Churches have so much impact and success in Central and
> South America. I am in Brazil now, visiting townships (favelas) an
> discussing with activists and academics. They are all baffled over the
> growing of those evangelical congregrations in the poorest
> neighboorhoods. The Catholic Church, which traditionally had a
> irongrip over the region, is very concerned. Central and South America
> have always been the source of the most of the priests and nuns
> vocations.
> Not any longer. Do you have some research about it?
> Kindly
> Ana Valdes

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