Latino Protestants and Their Congregations: Establishing an Agenda for Sociological Research

• In Event: 305 - Section on Sociology of Religion Paper Session. Race, Immigration, and Religion

Abstract

This paper provides background on Latino Protestants and their churches (LPCs), describes why a scholarly focus on LPCs is important, and suggests a framework for establishing an agenda for future sociological research. Many scholars are aware that due to immigration and high birth rates, Latinos (or “Hispanics”) are rapidly growing as a proportion of American society faster than any other racial-ethnic group. However, most are not aware that a growing number of U.S. Latinos are not Catholic but Protestant. Moreover, more than mere personal religious devotion, their churches capture and channel Latino Protestant religiosity to a greater extent than Roman Catholic churches. While the study of LPCs should be methodologically open and paradigmatically diffuse, it is likely that researchers will recognize each other only by coalescing around a common set of questions, specifically around worship and liturgy, ethnicity and identity, and civic and community engagement. These three focal points are described as a starting point to foster cooperative dialogue and stimulate further scholarship.

Author

• Gerardo Marti, Davidson College