Latino Protestants in America: Growing and Diverse by Mark T. Mulder
This is a great book though a bit outdated on Hispanic demographics (up to 2016 or 2017 when book was published. Much has changed since then) but this is understandable, but it is totally worth reading. It is based on a qualitative study of 20 or so Protestant churches of various denominations. It gives an overview of the characteristics of Latino Protestants in the United States and how they are different compared to Catholic and Hispanics in general. They content that not much research has been done on this particular demographic which is growing and expected to grow. Much of the attention nowadays is on Latinos in general, especially politically but not on how Protestants are growing and diverse. They assert that there is a lot of research that needs to be done and give a list of questions that need to be explored. One aspect of interest to me that they mention but hasn’t been studied is Protestants within an American English-speaking church. This is what I have been doing for the last 9 years and there is not much available in how to integrate Hispanics into the English-speaking churches. In the years to come, it will be more common, and churches will have to learn to adapt, and Latinos will also adapt, as the authors assert. They will bring “Latinidad” to the churches. These Hispanics will not express their culture “native to their ancestral cultures” but will be a blend of both cultures. I believe this will be a demographic that will the growing force of the Latino Protestants in America. It is coming.
Here are the chapter titles with some of my annotations:
1. Latino Protestants are More Than “Not Catholic”. There is more to it. They are redefining themselves.
2. The Early History of Indigenous and Immigrant Latino Protestants. This is very fascinating because it deals with Protestants during this time not just history.
3. The Latino Reformation Today. It deals with why Latinos are leaving the Catholic Church and how they are joining Protestant churches. Protestants also are more likely to move up in economic status.
4. Ethnic Identity and Varieties of Latino Protestant Churches. Protestant churches are very different, there many denominations. Charismatic or Pentecostals are the fastest growing.
5. The Centrality of “Doing Church” among Latino Protestants. Latinos don’t worship all the same, having a big fiesta. This is a wrong assumption. Many of them are becoming more “mainstream” (my words). They enjoy much of the current worship and not necessarily need to be in a liturgical church (the authors say this can be confusing). Protestants (not part of mainline denominations) attend church more often than Catholics or mainline Protestants.
6. Latino Protestants and Their Political Engagement. Latinos are not all Democrats but most are but they hold traditional values. It is kind of paradoxical. My opinion is that they are more driven by their “existential” status more than their convictions. I believe this will change though. They believe (62%) that they should be engaged in political issues.
7. Latino Protestants and the Future of American Christianity. The authors ask questions that need to be researched and answered.
