1. Religion and Politics in Latin America

2. Historical Role of Church
Conquest of the Americas
Reconquista as backdrop for conquest of Americas
Cross and sword
“Archangel with a Matchlock
Gun,” Cuzco School, 17th c.

3. Excerpts from a requirimiento
"...we will not compel you to become Christians, unless after being so informed regarding the truth, you desire to be converted to our faith..."
"But ...if you do not do this...I will come among you powerfully and make war upon you everywhere and in every way that I can"
"I will take your persons, your women and children, and will make slaves of them and sell them or dispose of them as their Highness shall command"
"...the damage and death which you suffer thereby shall be your own fault and not the fault of their Majesties, nor of mine, nor the knights who accompany me."

4. Colonial Era
Religious instruction for native peoples on encomiendas
Jesuit missions (reducciones) to protect and educate indigenous groups,

5. Post-Colonial Era Owned 50% of arable land at time of independence
Very conservative political force

6. Church Modernization, 1960s
Vatican II, (Pope John 23rd, Pope Paul VI)
Background to Vatican II

7. Response to new conditions:
Ecumenism
Religious pluralism (esp. relationship with Judaism)
Church as a “Pilgrim People of God’’
Rethinking of:
Relations within Church
Church’s relationship with other institutions
Importance of lived experiences

8. José “Chencho” Alas, priest in Suchitoto, El Salvador in 1970s (right)
Medellin Conference, 1968 (Pope Paul 6)
Bishops conference to apply Vatican II to Latin America
Background to Conference
José “Chencho” Alas, priest in Suchitoto, El Salvador in 1970s (right)

9. Medellin II Developments:
Social injustice and structural violence declared “sinful”
Liberation Theology (content and method)
--Liberation through education, questioning
--Consciousness-raising techniques of educator Paulo Freire

10. Puebla Conference, 1979 (John Paul II)
Background to meeting
“Preferential option for the poor” – action to end injustice
Positive emphasis on Christian Base Communities (ecclesiastical base communities, CEBs)

11. Kireye (Carlos Mejia Godoy)
Cristo, Cristo Jesús
Identifícate con nosotros
Señor, Señor mi dios
Solidarízate
No con la clase opresora
Que exprime de hora la comunidad
Sino con el oprimido
Con el pueblo mío dentro de paz
Christ, Jesus Christ
Identify yourself with us
Lord, Lord my God
Show your solidarity
Not with the oppressing class
That now squeezes the community
But with the oppressed
With my people working for peace

12. Progressive Church in El Salvador
Archbishop
Oscar Romero,
1977

13. Violence Against Salvadoran Church
Paramilitary Organizations
White Warriors Union (UGB)
ORDEN

14. State Violence Against Church

15. Investigation of “crime scene” (left)
6 Jesuit priests and 2 other workers killed at University of Central America in San Salvador, 1989 (right)

16. Contemporary Religion and Politics
Changes for role of religion in politics:
Shift in Church leadership under John Paul II
Restoration of civilian rule throughout Latin America
Rise of protestantism in Latin America

17. Papacy of John Paul II,
More traditional and politically conservative Church
Staunch anti-communist

18. Redefining Church:
At Vatican II, opposed definition of Church as “Pilgrim People of God”
For John Paul II, Church is an “institution in which laity work under direction of hierarchy to achieve ‘truth.’”
More traditional institutional authority patterns

19. Vatican Appointments:
Cardinal Ratzinger, head of Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, has critiqued liberation theology
Latin American hierarchies filled with traditionalists and conservatives (members of proto-fascist Opus Dei organization)
Seminaries preaching liberation theology closed

20. Demise of Military Regimes
1970s-1980s
Advocate of human rights and social justice
Mediator between opposition parties and military governments
1990s-present
Progressive stance on issues of poverty (charity), international debt, immigration
Church should limit itself to “restoring faith”

21. Rise of Protestantism 15% of Latin American population
Greatest growth has been in Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal groups,

22. Explanations for growth of Pentecostalism in LA:
Evangelicals provide an ideology of personal improvement.
North American resources invested in Latin American missions

23. Impact of Pentecostalism on LA politics:
Some will promote right-wing politics
Others not interested in political involvement; Emphasis on salvation not matched with awareness of earthly responsibilities