The Politics of Latino Faith : : Religion, Identity, and Urban Community / / Catherine E. Wilson.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter New York University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013
• VerfasserIn: Wilson, Catherine E.,
• Place / Publishing House: New York, NY : : New York University Press, , [2008]; ©2008
• Year of Publication: 2008
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource

Pundits and commentators are constantly striving to understand the political behavior of Latinos-the largest minority in the United States and a key voting block. As Catherine E. Wilson makes clear in The Politics of Latino Faith, not only are Latinos a religious community, but their religious institutions, in particular faith-based organizations, inform daily life and politics in Latino communities to a considerable degree.Timely and discerning, The Politics of Latino Faith is a unique scholarly work that addresses this increasingly powerful political force. As Wilson shows, Latino religious institutions, whether congregations or faith-based organizations, have long played a significant role in the often poor and urban communities where Latinos live.Concentrating on urban areas in the South Bronx, Philadelphia, and Chicago, she provides a systematic look at the spiritual, social, and cultural influence Latino faith-based organizations have provided in American life. Wilson offers keen insight into how pivotal religious identity is in understanding Latino social and political involvement in the United States. She also shows the importance of understanding the theological underpinnings at work in these organizations in order to predict their political influences.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. The Development of a Religious Identity Politics -- 2. Latino Faith-Based Organizations and the Urban Context -- 3. The New Liberationists -- 4. Latino Pastoral Action Center: A Ministry of Personal Outreach -- 5. Nueva Esperanza: A Ministry of Institutional Development -- 6. The Resurrection Project: A Ministry of Community Empowerment -- 7. Speaking the Language of Religious Identity Politics -- Appendix: Sample Questionnaire -- Notes -- Index -- About the Author