I have just finished a book by Jose Leonardo Santos, Evangelicalism and Masculinity: Faith and Gender in El Salvador.
Jose Santos studied the interaction of evangelicalism and masculine ideals in violent post-war El Salvador. Evangelicals in El Salvador (who have Fundamentalist, Pentecostal, and Holiness traits) have attracted equal numbers of men and women, unlike most other religious groups in the Americas. Evangelicals tell a compelling narrative in which men reject a masculine code of violence, honor, drinking, promiscuity in order to become patriarchs, servant leaders who dedicate themselves in self-giving, affectionate love to their wives and children and to society at large. They separate themselves from the masculine “world,” rejecting even the universal passion for soccer, and begin a new, Christian life.
Santos does not know why, but Evangelicals have had more success in effecting male conversion than similar Catholic groups such as the Charismatic Renewal, which uphold a similar idea of true manhood. Perhaps the Evangelicals are able to present divinely ordained rules of behavior in the Bible, while Catholic voices are sometimes discordant and uncertain. For Evangelicals there is no doubt that male and female roles are divinely ordained, and that fatherhood “is a divinely commissioned responsibility and authority.”
Also the Evangelicals have the advantage of many pastors. One priest has the care of several large parishes and has little contact with his flock of 10,000-15,000 nominal Catholics (mostly women). Evangelical congregations are much smaller. There are a few large churches, but most congregations number in the scores or low hundreds. Evangelicals also realize that when the father is converted, the rest of the family almost always follows; but the same is not true if the mother converts.
As a secularist Santos is not happy with the patriarchy, however benign, that the Evangelicals foster, but he admits that Salvadoran women like it, and it is vast improvement on the hyermasculine, destructive male behavior that is common in El Salvador.
Jesus’s title in Spanish is “El Senor” and it is also the Spanish name of all individual men. In English the word is translated “Lord” and it does not refer to all men. In El Salvador and other Latin countries all men are El Senor which is the same name Hispanics call Jesus. Thus Jesus represents the ultimate fulfillment of Male-ness. In English, Jesus is LORD and in old English the Lord (laird) was the keeper of the loaf (of bread) or “breadwinner”. Not all men were lords. Not all were equal in status. Thus in England the Parliament is composed of the House of Lords and House of Commoners…. But in Spanish, the title of “EL SENOR” CONFERS IMMEDIATE IDENTITY TO ALL MEN EQUALLY! JESUS THEREFORE IN SPANISH IS OUR ELDER BROTHER and one all men can follow. After all, Jesus said “Follow Me!” not “Bow down and worship Me.” The title of EL SENOR makes JESUS more easily accessible and closer and more intimate. The title “Lord” makes Jesus more remote and distant and unapproachable. Here in New Mexico, all hispanic men call each other “Mano”(brother) or “Hermano” or “Primo”(cousin) when they greet each other! This custom unites and binds them in a male brotherhood or band of brothers with Christ (El Senor) as their elder brother.
Well i was born in el Salvador and i can tell u that for over 500 years the great mayority of priest were from Europe(Spain, Italy, Belgium) and the United States, however in the last 10 years the mayority ordained are from el Salvador.
We have about 400 seminarians in 4 mayor seminaries and 500 priest born in el salvador.
‘One priest has the care of several large parishes and has little contact with his flock of 10,000-15,000 nominal Catholics ‘
That is NOT true, u have to take in consideration that about 3 million salvadorenos are living outside el Salvador so that reduce about 5,000 or less the flock.
My experience is that in the 70 to the 90’s La ‘teologia de la liberacion’ was preach in most of el salvador while the sects preached about been saved, sin, heaven etc.
Since the appoinment of new bishops that are concentrating in the spiritual and not in politics and the demised of la ‘teologia de la liberacion’ i have see a BIG change in el salvador.
I am a former fundementalists (now am Catholic).
The fundies attract men brave behavior is prized. Mark Shea on his blog has stories of evangelicals making converts in Muslim countries. Preach Christ and him crucified. The pre-Vatican II church sounds more dedicated to spreading the Gospel.
The CC now seems to have lost it’s voice. We had priest from a third world country come, all he could talk about was increasing social services……
I spent time in Fundie and evangelical circles (now am Catholic).
Maybe, the fundies attract men because brave behavior is prized. Mark Shea on his blog has stories of evangelicals making converts in Muslim countries. I’ve heard from other sources as well.
The per-Vatican II church sounds like it was dedicated to spreading the Gospel. The CC now seems to have lost it’s voice. We had priest from a third world country come to our parish, all he could talk about was increasing social services……
That is good to hear, Tony.
vickie, In my experience the term “fundie” is a derogatory name. My definition of “Fundamentalist Christian” is a person who believes that the Scriptural Writings are literally true. Even if one believes that Scriptural Writings are allegorical rather than literal, I see no reason to use derogatory words to describe those who hold a different opinion. In all things charity…..
Hi Janice:
I used fundie to describe myself. Although I am in the Catholic church, I still have a fundie heart. Nothing derogatory was meant.
Oso Pius, what you said regarding the use of the word “senor” in Spanish is also true in Greek of the word “Kyrios”. As you know, the New Testament was written in Greek, the international language of the time. Of course, in those days, probably only government officials, etc. would have been addressed in a formal manner. Now however, “Kyrie” is a common term of address., as is the feminine equivalent
I’d like to read more about why the charismatics aren’t drawing in male converts to the same extant as the evangelicals.
Father Michael, The same is true of the word “sir” and the word “sire” in English. Sir is short for “mister” or “master”. “Sire” is used for royalty and feudalism. We still used this title in words like “landlord” or “slumlord”. As a student of “koine” or New Testamnet Greek, I find it more than curious that the only Greek words that are used in the Mass are “Kyrie eliason” and Christe elaison”. Here we have both uses of the word “kyrios”. The Spanish “el senor” also refers to “elder” as in “senior citizens”. The English King James Bible tooks this word to refer to the high-class “lords” and the high Episcopal Church and therefore Christ was seen as a cut above and in elite royalty class. The Feast of Christ the King was originally instituted because the Papacy was afraid of the French and American Revolutions against Kings and they wanted the faithful in monarchies to rever Christ as KING and never revolt. The Mexicans and hispanics, however, saw Christ (and Guadalupe) as one of them, like a common publican vs. an elite pharisee AND Christ as an older, wiser and an elder brother and NOT above and beyond. This use of “kyrios” as Lord/King served the needs of the Royal Monarchies to ensure their power. The other use of “kyrios” as sir and “senor” enabled the common people. The Cristero Revolt in Mexico in 1926-29 combined the two ideas in their peasant mantra “VIVA CRISTO REY!” The new movie, “For Greater Glory” was released in April 2012, just when the Pope was visiting Mexico. Today Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles at its premier on 9-11-12 uses the film about the Cristero War to as an timely example of the Government (O’Bama e.g.) taking away religious freedom and liberty! The film is now on DVD, just in time for the National Presidential Election and it is being used to rally Hispanics to vote Republican. The film is financed by the Knights of Columbus and was the most expensive film ever produced in Mexico! “KYRROS” was a code word for the Early Christians because it had a double meaning since Caesar called himself “Lord”. Since the New Testament was written in Common (not Classical) Greek (except Luke uses some Classical forms in his Gospel preamble) it originally appealed to the underclass and immigrant, uneducated laborers and peons before it appealed to the nobility and monarchs. Since the Catholic Church is a central monarchy and not a democracy and the evangelicals are more radically and locally dispersed and based in their individual communities, they appeal to the rugged individualism and male/warrior mystique.
Hi all,
Great to read the thread. I actually wrote the book in question, so thought I might lend some insight. Tony- you’re right about the numbers, there seems to have been a 0 added in there. The priest in question was responsible for multiple communities, totaling between 1000-1500 (not 1o,oo0) people.
As far as the queries as to why charismatics aren’t drawing in as many converts as Evangelicals, the book notes a few relevant factors. Many grew up Catholic and are disenchanted with it. Though the Charismatic Renovation is radically different, it is still “Catholic”. Trying to get someone to come to a retreat at a church that has already disillusioned a person is different than offering them transformation through abandoning the thing that has disillusioned them. A related issue is Evangelicalism’s unyielding efforts at converting Catholics. One chapter gives an in depth view of a specific family which began as wholly Catholic, and has since converted to Evangelicalism. Please let me know if you have more questions!
I think there’s another factor that needs to be discussed. Evangelical churches, by and large, have not entered into symbiotic relationships government and non-religious social institutions, or with a national elite (the U.S. being a recent exception). Consequently, they can maintain their theological and spiritual focus. Catholicism, however, put itself in the position of relying on such institutions for survival, let alone privilege — especially in Europe and Latin America. Consequently, its spiritual impact is neutered. It has gained the whole world while losing its soul.