Conversion of a Continent : : Contemporary Religious Change in Latin America / / ed. by Edward L. Cleary, Timothy Steigenga.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Rutgers University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013
• MitwirkendeR: Birman, Patricia,; Carozzi, Marí A Julia,; Chesnut, Andrew,; Cleary, Edward L.,; Corr, Rachel,; Frigerio, Alejandro,; Garrard-Burnett, Virginia,; Gooren, Henri,; Kovic, Christine,; Smilde, David,; Steigenga, Timothy J.,; Wightman, Jill M.,
• HerausgeberIn: Cleary, Edward L.,; Steigenga, Timothy,
• Place / Publishing House: New Brunswick, NJ : : Rutgers University Press, , [2009]; ©2007
• Year of Publication: 2009
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (298 p.)

A massive religious transformation has unfolded over the past forty years in Latin America and the Caribbean. In a region where the Catholic Church could once claim a near monopoly of adherents, religious pluralism has fundamentally altered the social and religious landscape. Conversion of a Continent brings together twelve original essays that document and explore competing explanations for how and why conversion has occurred. Contributors draw on various insights from social movement theory to religious studies to help outline its impact on national attitudes and activities, gender relations, identity politics, and reverse waves of missions from Latin America aimed at the American immigrant community. Unlike other studies on religious conversion, this volume pays close attention to who converts, under what circumstances, the meaning of conversion to the individual, and how the change affects converts’ beliefs and actions. The thematic focus makes this volume important to students and scholars in both religious studies and Latin American studies.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- PART ONE. Approaches to Conversion -- 1. Understanding Conversion in the Americas -- 2. Analyzing Conversion in Latin America -- 3. Conversion Careers in Latin America -- 4. Specialized Spirits -- 5. Relational Analysis of Religious Conversion and Social Change -- PART TWO. Conversion to What? -- 6. Conversion from Afro-Brazilian Religions to Neo-Pentecostalism -- 7. Conversion to Afro-Brazilian Religions in Buenos Aires -- 8. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal -- 9. Conversion to Native Spirituality in the Andes -- PART THREE. The Implications of Conversion -- 10. Indigenous Conversion to Catholicism -- 11. Stop Suffering? -- 12. Healing the Nation -- 13. The Politics of Pentecostalized Religion -- CONTRIBUTORS -- INDEX