Issue 130 Latin American Christianity: Colorful, complex, conflicted

What's inside

Christianity converted

The initial encounters between Europeans and Latin Americans

Brian Larkin

Dancing sickness, ancient gods

Religious traditions clashed in Latin America 

Javier Villa-Flores

Making faith their own

Worship, devotion, and folk religion in Latin America

Matt Forster

Strangers in a strange land

Protestantism and power in nineteenth-century Latin America

Joel Morales Cruz

Virgins, nuns, preachers

The many roles of women in Latin American Christianity

Evelmyn Ivens

Latin American Christianity, Did you know?

Mistaken identity, apostolic number, the tenth muse, and Calvin’s hope

the editors

Letters, Christian History 130

Readers respond to Christian History

readers

Editor's note: Latin American Christianity

The desires, faith, and practices of elite colonizers, politicians, and church bureaucrats opposed those of the poor, enslaved, and oppressed.

Jennifer Woodruff Tait

A long road

Slavery and Christianity in colonial Latin America

Pablo Miguel Sierra Silva

Map: Indigenous cultures & principal groups, c. 1500

Map of indiginous groups when Europeans arrived in the new world

the editors

Mother of Mexico

The Virgin of Guadalupe

Edwin Woodruff Tait

Colonial Latin America map

A map of colonial Latin America about 1800.

the editors

Christian History timeline: Latin American Christianity

Christianity in Latin America has a rich and complicated, history encompassing many different countries, traditions, and political situations. This timeline offers a brief introduction to both church (in bold) and state (in italic).

the editors

Central and South America 20th century map

Map of Central and South America in the twentieth century

the editors

“¡Llegaron los pentecostales!”

How Pentecostalism spread in Latin America and the Caribbean 

Carlos F. Cardoza-Orlandi

The delicate balance of church and state in Latin America

The role of religion in Latin America remains strong, and religious voices on all sides can be heard amid current political debates. 

Joel Morales Cruz

“A new Pentecost”

The story of Medellín

Edgardo Colón-Emeric

Charity toward all

Fascinating stories from 500 years of Latin American Christianity

Charlie Self

Pope Francis (b. 1936)

In 2013 Francis became the first pope from Latin America

Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Rooted and released

Diversity and complexity mark today’s Latin American church

the editors with Justo L. González and Ondina E. González

Latin America: Recommended resources

Here are recommendations from CH editorial staff and this issue’s authors that begin to explore the complex subject of Latin American Christianity.

the editors
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