Protestant Streams into Latin America

1. Protestant Streams into Latin America Hy 476, Fall, 2009 Last Third of Course

2. Early Protestantism • The beginnings of Protestantism in Latin America; largely small Protestant communities, usually of Englishmen, traders, bankers, merchants, in Latin American ports who wished to be able to worship as Anglicans, Methodists, etc. • They found the new governments—especially the Liberal ones—quite willing to allow for religious toleration, although not really ready yet for religious freedom. • From these beginnings, Protestantism would take off in the mid-twentieth century, so that today—for example—fully half or more of Guatemala’s population is Protestant

3. The Missionary Impulse (1) • Greenway, “Protestant Mission Activity in Latin America,” chapter (seven waves or elements in the evolution of Protestantism in Latin America); John MacKay and Victor RaúlHaya de la Torre in Peru as one example of the intersection of Protestantism and politics in one Latin American country. Cover some of the following: • The missionary impulse following imperialism in the nineteenth century as it spread from Europe across the world. Provided numerous examples—English speakers in South Africa (also Dutch), Zimbabwe, etc. • And, with the Dutch, English, Germans, etc. came missionaries. • Also develop the concept of HOW successful missionaries operate. I. E. you bring in (schools and hospitals for example in the Latin American case) methods and tools of bettering people’s lives, and through this medium the evangelical dimension is introduced.

4. The Missionary Impulse (2) • Streams of Protestantism into Latin America • 1.           Begins with a trickle in early 19th century. • 2.           The Missionary Movement • a.                       Modern movement begins in 1790s with William Carey • b.                       The “Particular Baptist Society for Propagating the Gospel amongst the Heathen” (shortened to Baptist Missionary Society), founded 1792. • c.Church Missionary Society, Church of England expression of the missionary movement. • d.                       In U. S., Congregationalists founded the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions • 3.           Missions enjoyed widespread support • 4.           Women played a role in missions, especially in teaching, nursing, care for the aged, etc.

5. The Missionary Impulse (3) • 5.           Sometimes took responsibilities in preaching and organizing churches forbidden to them at home. • 6.           And the ecumenical movement born out of the missionary enterpreise • 7.           In Latin America, new governments—especially Liberals—open and sympathetic to these early Protestants, and encouraged immigration for different reasons, and immigrants often brought in their faith (largely Protestant) • 8.           First missionary to arrive in Argentina was a Scotsman, James Thomson, a Baptist representative of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Buenos Aires, 1818. • 9.           Missionaries to Latin America concentrated not necessarily on salvation, but also on “edification,” building schools, churches, then Bible-training institutes for native born clergy (moving into 20th century), and finally into the second half of the 20th century, launched publishing houses, radio stations, private-aircraft services, etc. • 10.  Bible translations key to the evangelical work of the Protestants • 11.  William Cameron Townsend one of the most successful Bible translators. • a.                       Translated the Bible in Guatemala into Cakchiquel, established the Wycliffe/Summer Institute of Languages (SIL) first in Guatemala, then Mexico (1920s-1930s) then Peru (1940s-1950s).

6. Slow Growth in the 20th Century, the Peruvian Case • A message based simply on the Word and Scripture will fall on deaf ears if not accompanied, or preceded by, the “doing good” element of missionary practice • President Augusto Leguia, 1919-1931 • Was a great friend of the U. S.; admired the U. S. • Social gospel and personal salvation, two keys of Protestants in early twentieth in Latin America • The BIG Problem was disparity in the distribution of wealth and resources, in Peru and virtually every other Latin American country in the 20th century.

7. Slow Growth in the 20th Century, the Peruvian Case • The Peruvian Reality was devoted to the BIG problem. • John Mackay, Presbyterian minister who came to Peru in 1920s • MacKay taught Victor RaúlHaya de la Torre about the “revolutionary” Christ, and Haya later incorporated the “salvation” message into the principles of APRA, especially embodied in the slogan “Solo el APRA para el Peru,” or only APRA for Peru. I.E., like Christianity, it was the ONLY way to salvation, in the APRA’s case, in a secular sense—deliverance from the oppressive system of capitalist exploitation (and all its many phases) that had so divided Peruvian society. Haya borrowed symbols of Christianity, like the “suffering servant,” Christianity as the only road to salvation, martyrdom, etc. • Apristas, massacred in the city of Trujillo in northern Peru in 1932, became “martyrs” to the APRA revolutionary ethos

8. Reaching into Catholic territory through the amerindians • Summer Institutes of Languages (SIL) • Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT) • Indians marginalized, were seen to be apt subjects for integration into Peruvian national life by SILs Indianists and anthropologists and other politically active Latin Americans looked to SILs as positive agents of transformation and change.