Los Protestantes - by Juan Martínez (Hardcover)

About the Book

Contradicting the widely held but false belief that all Latinos are Catholic, this book offers a concise one-volume introduction to America's Latino Protestants, the fastest growing segment of U.S. Protestantism today.
Los Protestantes: An Introduction to Latino Protestantism in the United States, the first to provide a broad introduction to this rapidly growing population. At its core is an exploration of the group's demographics, denominational tendencies, and potential for continued growth. Current information is supported by a survey of the history of Latino Protestants in the United States, which dates back to the efforts of missionaries in the mid-19th century.

Los Protestantes brings together data from formerly disparate studies of various aspects of the community to create an insightful overview. The work presents brief descriptions of principal denominations and organizations among Latino Protestants. It notes marked differences that separate Latino Protestants from other U.S. Protestants, and it examines an evolving Protestant/Latino ethno-religious identity. Readers will come away from this study more clearly understanding the current state of Latino Protestantism in the United States, as well as where Latino Protestants fit in the overall picture of U.S. religion.

• A graph charting the various types of Latino identification with Latino culture
• A graph showing the implications of this identification for probable church attendance
• An extensive bibliography of most published materials on Latino Protestantism since the mid-19th century

Book Synopsis

Contradicting the widely held but false belief that all Latinos are Catholic, this book offers a concise one-volume introduction to America's Latino Protestants, the fastest growing segment of U.S. Protestantism today.

Los Protestantes: An Introduction to Latino Protestantism in the United States, the first to provide a broad introduction to this rapidly growing population. At its core is an exploration of the group's demographics, denominational tendencies, and potential for continued growth. Current information is supported by a survey of the history of Latino Protestants in the United States, which dates back to the efforts of missionaries in the mid-19th century.

Los Protestantes brings together data from formerly disparate studies of various aspects of the community to create an insightful overview. The work presents brief descriptions of principal denominations and organizations among Latino Protestants. It notes marked differences that separate Latino Protestants from other U.S. Protestants, and it examines an evolving Protestant/Latino ethno-religious identity. Readers will come away from this study more clearly understanding the current state of Latino Protestantism in the United States, as well as where Latino Protestants fit in the overall picture of U.S. religion.

Review Quotes

"Martinez's study comes to life in the final chapter outlining critical ways in which the Latin American Protestant presence is transforming U.S. religious culture. . . . This is a useful work for students of Hispanic American culture and U.S. religious life. Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty." --Choice

About the Author

Juan Francisco Martínez, PhD, is associate provost, director of the Hispanic Center, and associate professor of Hispanic studies and pastoral leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA.