Power, Politics, And Pentecostals In Latin America [Paperback]

Today over forty million Latin Americans classify themselves as Protestant, of which the overwhelming majority belong to some form of Pentecostalism. The rapid dissemination of Pentecostal beliefs has produced vibrant alternatives to traditional dominant culture and changed relations within the family, locality, and workplace. This volume introduces broad issues in the Pentecostal movement, including gender relations, political power and organization, and inter-Pentecostal and ecumenical relations. These themes are then examined more specifically in the country case studies, which address the historical foundations of the Pentecostal movement, patterns of and explanation for its growth, and the consequences of its expanding presence, including increased political influence.Introduction: Pentecostals, Prominence, and Politics -- Pentecostals, Politics, and Public Space in Latin America -- Pentecostalism and Women in Brazil -- Private Power or Public Power: Pentecostalism, Base Communities, and Gender -- Interchurch Relations: Exclusion, Ecumenism, and the Poor -- Chilean Pentecostalism: Coming of Age -- Pentecostalism, Conversions, and Politics in Brazil -- Guatemalan Pentecostals: Something of Their Own -- Brincando el Charco/Jumping the Puddle: A Case Study of Pentecostalisms Journey from Puerto Rico to New York to Allentown, Pennsylvania -- The Sound of Tambourines: The Politics of Pentecostal Growth in El Salvador -- Pentecostals and Evangelicals in Venezuela: Consolidating Gains, Moving in New Directions -- Latin American Pentecostals: Old Stereotypes and New Challenges