In this welcome study, sociologists Mulder (Calvin College), Ramos (George Fox University), and Marti (Davidson College) summarize recent survey research on Latinos in the US with special attention to ethnographic findings from the Latino Protestant Congregation (LPC) Project funded by the Lilly Foundation. It is estimated that by 2030, one-third of the US population will be Latino and that half of all Latinos in the US will be Protestants. Chapter 1 documents the growth and dispersion of Latinos in the US, and chapter 2 examines the decline of foreign-born Latinos and the rise of US-born Latinos. Chapter 2 also provides valuable information on Latino living arrangements, language, socioeconomic status, and health care. Chapters 4 and 5 address religious conversion. Though a majority of Latinos in the US are Catholics, the longer Latino families reside in the US, the more likely they are to become Protestant. Chapter 4 focuses on issues of identity among Protestant Latinos. What does being a non-Catholic Latino mean? Chapter 6 addresses social issues. The authors found that Protestant Latinos are overwhelmingly conservative and opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. This well-researched book contributes greatly to the understanding of the changing face of Latino Protestantism in the US.
Masterfully interweaving threads of ethnographic accounts, survey data, journalistic work, historical scholarship, and occasional theological references, three sociologists—Mark T. Mulder, Aida I. Ramos, and Gerardo Martí—depict the colorful tapestry that is Latino Protestantism in the US.. .. The book’s treatment of ethnic identities within Latino Protestant congregations is among its greatest theoretical contributions.. .. there is no current text that engages with the wide array of scholarly voices on Latino Protestantism brought forth in this volume. The authors’s engagement in the field makes the book current and timely.. . the book makes clear directions worthy of continued and concerted attention in the study of Latino Protestantism. As such, this work is valuable to anyone wading through the numerous opinions on Latino Protestantism and seeking an empirically based, socio-scientific presentation of current research.
An ambitious, comprehensive, and nuanced exploration of Latino Protestantism in the United States, this book draws on survey data and extensive qualitative fieldwork to demonstrate the variety of Latino Protestant identities and communities. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand this fast-growing portion of the American religious landscape and how it is reconfiguring the American Latino community.
In this landmark study, the authors unpack the complexity of Latino Protestants, drawing on a variety of empirical studies, including surveys and ethnographic description. The book makes a major contribution to our understanding of the changing face of Protestantism, the conversion of Latinos from Catholicism, and the demographics of immigrants from Latin America.
This volume takes readers inside the numbers to highlight the many reasons Latino Protestants are growing as well as the diversity of this group. It offers a nuanced picture of Latino Protestants in America, from worship practices to political engagement. The narrative helps readers move beyond misconceptions about Latino religion and offers a window into the diverse ways that religion plays out in real life.
Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology
With Latinos being among the fastest growing racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., the study of Latino Protestants will only increase in importance. Latino Protestants in America is on the cutting edge of this trend, and offers one of the first social scientific introductions to the topic. Full of rich analyses and careful to emphasize the complexity and nuances of these religious groups, this book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in understanding the shifting demographics of American religion and the future of U.S. religion and politics.
In this welcome study, sociologists Mulder (Calvin College), Ramos (George Fox University), and Marti (Davidson College) summarize recent survey research on Latinos in the US with special attention to ethnographic findings from the Latino Protestant Congregation (LPC) Project funded by the Lilly Foundation. It is estimated that by 2030, one-third of the US population will be Latino and that half of all Latinos in the US will be Protestants. Chapter 1 documents the growth and dispersion of Latinos in the US, and chapter 2 examines the decline of foreign-born Latinos and the rise of US-born Latinos. Chapter 2 also provides valuable information on Latino living arrangements, language, socioeconomic status, and health care. Chapters 4 and 5 address religious conversion. Though a majority of Latinos in the US are Catholics, the longer Latino families reside in the US, the more likely they are to become Protestant. Chapter 4 focuses on issues of identity among Protestant Latinos. What does being a non-Catholic Latino mean? Chapter 6 addresses social issues. The authors found that Protestant Latinos are overwhelmingly conservative and opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. This well-researched book contributes greatly to the understanding of the changing face of Latino Protestantism in the US. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most levels/libraries.
This monograph is a concise survey of the broad and unwieldy topic suggested by its title…. [T]his book is a concrete demonstration of the array of peoples and their beliefs subsumed under the title “Latino Protestants.
Weaving together a rich array of sources, these authors demonstrate that Protestant churches in the United States function as increasingly important sites for the production of Latino identity, even as they show that this identity cannot be reduced to any singular definition. In its extensive reach across the country and through its interdisciplinary approach, Latino Protestants in America captures the nuances of religious faith as an everyday practice that also has the power to redefine the political and economic forces that shape our lives.
Growing, diverse, and little understood—Latino Protestants receive here a thorough and much-needed examination. Drawing together existing historical, survey, and ethnographic data, the authors add systematic new observations from a team of research fellows. The result is a book that will be the go-to reference in the years ahead.
This book combines both current scholarship, some of it historical, with original, ethnographic research carried out among different Protestant Latino congregations across the country. I applaud the authors, whose findings are significant not only for Protestant congregations but also for our own US Catholic Church.
04/03/2017
In this welcome study, sociologists Mulder (Calvin College), Ramos (George Fox University), and Marti (Davidson College) summarize recent survey research on Latinos in the US with special attention to ethnographic findings from the Latino Protestant Congregation (LPC) Project funded by the Lilly Foundation. It is estimated that by 2030, one-third of the US population will be Latino and that half of all Latinos in the US will be Protestants. Chapter 1 documents the growth and dispersion of Latinos in the US, and chapter 2 examines the decline of foreign-born Latinos and the rise of US-born Latinos. Chapter 2 also provides valuable information on Latino living arrangements, language, socioeconomic status, and health care. Chapters 4 and 5 address religious conversion. Though a majority of Latinos in the US are Catholics, the longer Latino families reside in the US, the more likely they are to become Protestant. Chapter 4 focuses on issues of identity among Protestant Latinos. What does being a non-Catholic Latino mean? Chapter 6 addresses social issues. The authors found that Protestant Latinos are overwhelmingly conservative and opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. This well-researched book contributes greatly to the understanding of the changing face of Latino Protestantism in the US. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most levels/libraries.
06/01/2017
