Christianity and Democracy in Latin America: Religious Practice and Citizenship in Catholic and Protestant Organizations in Bolivia, Guatemala and Argentina
Final Report Abstract
The Christian faith is deeply rooted in Latin American societies. However, it has been changing in recent decades: While the societal influence of the Catholic Church hierarchy is diminishing almost everywhere, a vibrant involvement in evangelical churches, but also in Catholic lay movements and popular saint festivals can be observed. Faced with persistent poverty, lack of healthcare, and inadequate protection against criminal violence, many seek improvement through God and participation in Christian communities. At the same time, the rise of Christian conservative actors, who stand for authoritarianism and oppose progressive politics on issues such as abortion, gender, social justice, and the protection of indigenous territories, is altering the composition of political spheres. It seems self-evident to attribute the critical state of democracy, at least in part, to the teachings on secular and divine authority disseminated in many churches. However, upon closer examination, some details come to the fore that prevent simplistic conclusions. Firstly, religious transformation is not as homogenous as suggested by general characterizations regarding the spread of charismatic Christianity or the role of religion in coping with personal and societal crises. Secondly, the attitudes, practices, and ethical principles that believers carry from Christian communities into secular societies are also diverse. Therefore, this project aimed to gain an overview of the influences that religious life has on formations of the Self in the context of secular society and the State. Special attention was given to interdenominational comparison and the cultural elements that provide a vernacular shape to religious life and civic behaviors. Ethnographic work with Catholic and Protestant groups in Argentina, Bolivia, and Guatemala revealed that personal spiritual growth, praying for divine intervention in social affairs, and evangelizing one’s social environment play comprehensive roles in the Christian citizenship emerging from Latin American communities of faith. While the faithful generally understand these three elements as contributing to the religious conversion of secular societies, significant differences exist in their weighting and practical forms. Religious fundamentalisms undermining civic commitments appear as a central risk to the stability of democracy in many parts of the world. Through the example of changing Christianity in Latin America, the results of this research project contribute to a better understanding of the impact that religious communities have on democratic culture and the shaping of civic values and practices.
Publications
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Leadership in the Mold of Jesus: Growing the Church and Saving the Nation in Neo‐Pentecostal Guatemala City. The Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology, 24(3), 746-762.
Reu, Tobias
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“Sociología del pentecostalismo en Guatemala: Ensayo bibliográfico”. In: Mansilla and Mosqueira (Hg.) Sociología del pentecostalismo en América Latina. Santiago: RIL editores. (Pp. 177–211.)
Reu, Tobias
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Individualismo y subjetividad protestante. Revista Protesta y Carisma, 1(1).
Reu, Tobias
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Obra social y la guerra espiritual en el testimonio de un pastor guatemalteco. Cultura y Religión, 16(2), 110-129.
Reu, Tobias & Rosado, Valencia Erika
