| Publication |
2014.
|
| Summary/Abstract |
A majestic, powerful figure, Christ the Redeemer stands far above the Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro-a physical manifestation of the power and authority of the Catholic Church. Upon its completion in 1931, the statue symbolized the hope and prosperity of Catholicism in Latin America. But no longer. In the slums and favelas below Christ's welcoming embrace, fewer and fewer turn towards the Catholic faith for solace.
Protestantism and similar, more liberal Christian sects continue to grow across the region-a result of long term demographic changes. A wide variety of missionary groups, primarily Evangelicals from North America, arrive each year to successfully spread the faith in areas with little influence from the church or the state. Over 50,000 Evangelicals ar- rive in Honduras alone each year. Without social services, missionaries fulfill a critical role in providing infrastructural
|