Spain: Evangelicals Weary of ‘Cult’ Label

Evangelicals Weary of Religious ‘Cult’ Label

There are some who throw tomatoes and eggs at us, some who call us a sect, some who call us witches,” Francisco José Martinez shouts in a sermon to 300 Spanish Gypsies after a loud round of snappy, flamenco-style worship.

“But let’s not be cowards-take up the torch of the gospel and live consecrated, apart and holy.”

This is one congregation that does not have to work at living apart. As with most of Spain’s 300,000 evangelicals, the marginalized Gypsies of the charismatic Philadelphia Church in Madrid are shunned as religious fringe in predominantly Roman Catholic Spain.

Although new laws have expanded religious liberty, such guarantees have yet to translate into greater acceptance of evangelicals within Spanish society, according to Pedro Tarquis, spokesperson for the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE), an umbrella organization.

“Overall, Spain is very antireligious,” Tarquis says. “But there is the feeling that if there’s going to be religion, the only serious religion to be recognized will be Catholicism.”

However, the Protestant population in Spain, which is 90 percent evangelical, is at its highest point in history, Tarquis says. But more than 400 years after Spain led the bloody Counter Reformation, Protestant evangelicals are routinely portrayed in the media as heretical cult members.

LEGAL STANDING: An estimated 80 percent of evangelical churches closed by force under Gen. Francisco Franco’s 36-year regime that ended in 1975. In 1980, evangelicals won full legal rights to worship. In 1992, additional easing of restrictions gave full legal footing to minority religions, including evangelicals. “The problem is that we signed accords with the state, but not with society,” says journalist and author Juan Antonio Monroy. “To penetrate the society is more difficult.”

Monroy says Spanish society today is more open to evangelicals than during Franco’s reign. He recalls that as a newly enlisted soldier in 1952, an army captain threatened to shoot him if he refused to kneel before an image of the Virgin Mary at an open-air mass.

In spite of the new freedoms, evangelical leaders say their growth from 30,000 at Franco’s death could have been much greater if not for subtly employed Catholic resistance to the spread of evangelical churches.

“The Catholic church has carried out many campaigns against sects, giving the impression that everything that is not Catholic is a sect,” says Tarquis of FEREDE. “Most Spaniards do not distinguish between evangelicals and the scores of sects that have entered Spain in the past decade.”

Tarquis says discrimination extends into other areas of Spanish society. The state-run network Television Española has ignored evangelical pleas to be included on talk/debate programs dealing with moral, ethical, or religious themes. “The influential people of Television Española, who come from the Franco era, are Catholic,” Tarquis says.

Last year American missionary Greg Jacob found his independent evangelical church in Madrid vilified as a Mexico-based sect on the popular evening news program of commercial network Antenna 3. “No one from Antenna 3 ever contacted me,” Jacob says.

Evangelicals say they also experience discrimination firsthand. For example, Iciar Fernandez of Madrid, then age 15, was the only evangelical at a Catholic-run high school when the religion teacher showed an antievangelical video to her class. “The video said the evangelical religion was a sect, that they work through cults and that we’re crazy,” recalls Fernandez.

THE LIMITS OF ECUMENISM: Julian Garcia Hernando, director of interconfessional relations at the Spanish Bishops Conference, denies that the Catholic church strives to stunt evangelical growth subtly or otherwise.

“That is a thing of the past; in current times there is no animosity nor acrimony with regard to Protestants,” says Hernando, editor of the three-volume Religious Pluralism in Spain. “There may be indifference in many realms of society; but attack, absolutely none.”

Most Spanish evangelicals view ecumenism, broadly defined as dialogue toward better understanding and mutual cooperation, as a Catholic ruse to absorb them into the Roman church, he says.

As a result, ecumenical efforts can only be described as “modest,” Hernando says. “Most Protestants in Spain speak harshly against Catholics because they are converts, and converts from Catholicism simply do not have the willingness necessary for ecumenical dialogue.”

Some 91 percent of Spain’s 40 million people call themselves Catholics, although church studies show only 23 percent attend mass regularly.

Hernando notes that any evangelical church growth must take place “in an atmosphere where 95 percent of the people are already baptized in the Catholic church.”

Evangelical growth has been swiftest among Pentecostals, now with 250 churches, according to FEREDE. Baptists have 240 churches.

Evangelicals are concentrated primarily in urban areas in Spain, and most of the 7,500 towns without evangelical churches have populations of fewer than 5,000 people, according to John Blake of the U.S.-based missions organization Decision.

Still, there are 580 towns with populations of more than 5,000 without an evangelical presence, Blake says.

Tarquis, of FEREDE, has been encouraged by the further recognition of evangelicals by government officials in recent months.

“Things are starting to go better,” he says. “The groundwork is being laid for the kind of growth that we should have in a country of 40 million people.”

Copyright © 1996 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Last Updated: October 2, 1996

Also in this issue

Why the Devil Takes Visa: A Christian response to the triumph of consumerism.

Our Latest

My Friend, Bill Pannell

A reflection on the trailblazing Black theologian and his influence on American evangelicalism.

What Are Parents For?

Scripture has a clear vision for parents as stewards of our children. It’s not an instruction manual for modern parenting spats.

News

When the Elder Calls—From Outer Space

Two sick church members in their 90s got a pastoral “visit” from a friend—an astronaut stuck on the International Space Station.

Being Human

Trauma, Tenacity, and Trusting God with Beth Moore

The Bible teacher and author reflects on the Lord’s presence throughout her life.

News

Died: Jack Iker, Anglican Who Drew the Line at Women’s Ordination

The Texas bishop fought a bitter legal battle with the Episcopal Church and won.

Why Can’t We Talk to Each Other Anymore?

Online interactions are draining us of energy to have hard conversations in person.

How Priscilla Shirer Surrenders All

The best-selling Bible teacher writes about putting God first in her life and how healthy Christian discipleship requires sacrifice

Church Disappointment Is Multilayered

Jude 3 Project founder Lisa Fields speaks about navigating frustrations with God and fellow believers.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube