Conversion of a Continent: Contemporary Religious Change in Latin America

Forty years ago Latin America was almost uniformly Catholic, but religious pluralism has fundamentally altered the social and religious landscape of the region. This welcome and well-edited volume transcends the usual focus on individuals who switch from Catholicism to Protestantism to consider conversions to other religions like Mormonism, Seventh Day Adventism, Afro-Brazilian cults, and indigenous religious movements. Steingenga and Cleary emphasize that African Diaspora religions are among the fastest growing in the region, while historic Protestant groups (like the Methodists and Presbyterians) are losing members. The chapters in this volume cogently chart dramatic changes in the region and attempt to establish dialogue between North American, European, and Latin American scholars. Earlier models of conversion were developed mainly for use in the United States and Europe. Contributors to this volume propose new models for the analysis of conversion. Notably, contributors introduce notions concerning minimal as opposed to radical conversion arguing that conversion should be seen as a process rather than a single event. In chapter six, Patricia Birman deftly outlines key factors driving neo-Pentecostal conversion in Brazil, and, in chapter seven, Maria Julia Carozzi convincingly underscores the role of personal narratives in the study of conversion to Umbanda and Candomble. Chapter nine by Rachel Corr addresses the recent growth of indigenous movements in Ecuador, while Christine Kovic's chapter deals with conversion from traditional Catholicism to "Word of God" Catholicism in Chiapas, Mexico. Kovic's chapter is outstanding. Recommended. .