Christianity in Latin America: A History (review)

The Gonzálezes have done an admirable job of packing 500 years of history from two continents into one slim volume. This book takes a sweeping overview of the history of Christianity in Latin America, encompassing not just the Catholic Church but also the many Protestant groups that have been active in the region over the last two centuries. The task is daunting. The book is divided into ten chapters, plus an introduction and conclusion. Furthermore, each chapter is also divided into discrete topical pieces, making it more easily consulted. There are a few footnotes scattered about the work, a short list of “Sources Referenced,” and a few pages of suggested further readings.

The first chapter provides the reader with some necessary background to the native religions of the New World, looking at the major civilizations of the Aztecs and Inca. It further explores the key aspects of Spanish Christianity of the late-medieval period and also considers various features of African spirituality, all setting the stage for the encounter of the different cultures in the New World. In chapter 2 the authors focus on the initial contact between the Spanish and the native peoples and consider the many aspects of the evangelization as they seek the underlying foundations for the Church in Latin America. Following that, chapter 3 considers the development of Christianity in both the Hispanic and Portuguese New World as the colonial period developed and the European presence consolidated its hold on the region. Chapter 4 focuses on the political and cultural changes that spread across the European and American world in the eighteenth century, which resulted in both reform of the Church and the eventual independence of most of the Latin American states.

The last six chapters outline the development of Christianity since independence. Chapter 5 particularly considers the changes that independence brought to the Catholic Church as the old imperial systems disintegrated. It also looks at the impact of the Church and the changing times on various populations, such as women and slaves. In chapter 6 many of these themes are continued as the authors consider the development of the Church as it responds to local political and cultural concerns. Chapters 7 and 8 step back a bit and consider the arrival of various Protestant groups in Latin America. Chapter 7 highlights issues concerning the immigration of Protestants to Latin America, while chapter 8 considers the impact of Protestant churches in the political and cultural realm, especially as a result of Protestant missionary activity among nominally Catholic populations. Issues concerning the impact of the Second Vatican Council on Latin America constitute the theme for chapter 9, including the rise of liberation theology and its hallmark institutions such as “Base Ecclesial Communities.” Chapter 10 analyzes the impact of Pentecostal churches; the charismatic movements; and autochthonous religious movements on Mexico, Chile, and Brazil, with some general considerations about the region as a whole. The work is then closed with a solid conclusion that explores ideas raised in the chapters before it, looking at future challenges.

This book is a good introduction to the extremely complex issue of Christianity in Latin America. As noted, it is a massive topic, made more so by the fact that the Gonzálezes have chosen to study not simply the Catholic Church in the region but all of Christianity. If there is any criticism it might be that the bibliography is a bit thin, but this is a concern only for other scholars, since students, the logical audience, will be adequately served by the sources referenced and suggestions for further reading. There is no doubt that this book will prove to be a very valuable textbook in survey courses dealing with the Church in Latin America. It could also be profitably used in survey courses of Latin American history to provide a unique topical focus...