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Conflict and Competition: The Latin American Church in a Changing Environment
by Edward L. Cleary (Editor: Hannah Stewart-Gambino)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Lynne Rienner Pub (1992-05)
ISBN: 1555873324
EAN: 9781555873325
Dewy Decimal #: 282.809049
Paperback: 240 pages
SKU: N2707
Condition: Very Good
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Customer Reviews
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A kaleidoscopic tour of Latin American religion in motion
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-01-07
This is a great collection of insightful essays, showing many dimensions of change in Latin America's churches. We have stories of husband-wife evangelical teams in the slums of Brazil, Catholic lay catechists in Peru, or activists for Mother Mary, inspired more by the ministrations of local grandmothers than church fathers.
The contributors document growing movements among both the poor and the rich. They show declining interest in contests over religious power, and a rise of more positive kinds of competition. While progressives offer their services in the impoverished barrios, conservatives offer formal education and high ritual to the affluent. As contributor Brian Froehle explains, "in the final analysis, the Venezuelan church simply goes in many directions at once, and the most compelling result of the struggles between conservatives and progressives has been that both the winners and the losers are stronger than ever today". (p.113)
I found the both book realistic and respectful in describing local people's efforts to move their communities in new directions.
--author of "Different Visions of Love"
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