New Protestantism in Latin America

There is a new Protestant Reformation in Latin America. It must be seen to be appreciated. Whole new churches are emerging, or have already emerged, in this fascinating area. There are frequently no counterparts to these churches in the States; their names are scarcely known.

Leaders of these churches are understandably suspicious of the ecumenical movement since those at the head originally indicated that Latin America was not a proper field for Protestant missionary endeavor. This gratuitous contribution to the myth of monolith, which the Roman Catholic church has long fostered, was not appreciated by evangelicals. (In Colombia, for example, they contended that the 99 percent figure which the hierarchy is so fond of citing fades to 20 percent or 25 percent of those who actually practice the Catholic faith).

Partially as a result of this blunder, the overripe harvest in Latin America was denied to old line Protestant denominations and has fallen to new groups. These observations are centered on Colombia where I recently visited, but they apply somewhat in general to Latin America.

Leaders of the new Protestantism are men with a passion for souls. Unlike many former Protestant leaders, they do not regard Latin America as a Roman Catholic preserve where her “no poaching” signs must be respected. They believe that freedom of religion should be a universal concept, and view every nominal Catholic—and every practicing one, too—as the legitimate object of their appeal. After all, they argue, was not Martin Luther a practicing Catholic when he was converted? “Proselyting” techniques of evangelicals differ from those that the Knights of Columbus use on Protestants in the United States, but they are considerably more effective. One leader in Colombia commented on the relative productivity of Latin American pastors. In the States, he said, a pastor averages only about 10 converts a year, but in Latin America as many as 50!

The full impact of the new Protestantism was evident in the Latin American Conference on Evangelical Communications held at Cali in September. The familiar denominations were, of course, represented—Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, and Baptists were there. But at the front, running the program, were leaders of some other groups. Prominent in the deliberations were representatives of the Latin America Mission, Inter-American Mission, World Gospel Crusade, Assemblies of God, Christian and Missionary Alliance, The Evangelical Alliance Mission, Spanish Evangelistic Crusades, Youth for Christ, West Indies Mission, Central American Mission, Four Square Gospel and Union of Christian Evangelicals. To these we must add at least New Tribes Mission and the ubiquitous Pentecostals of many varieties, as well as Seventh-day Adventists who now constitute the largest Protestant group in Colombia.

Presbyterians were among the first to take root in Colombia, and they have continued to do well. Southern Baptists seem to be enjoying their usual success. Methodists are forceful in a number of countries. Some groups like the Christian and Missionary Alliance are minor in the States but major in Latin America.

THE OLD AND THE NEW

One has the impression that the unction and drive that may yet win the continent for Protestantism belong to the churches with the new names. The new Protestantism has not bumptiously superseded the old. It has merely filled a vacuum which could not continue in a world where evangelical Christians live.

Several features of the new Protestantism deserve attention. It is first ecumenical in the good sense of that word. This is to be observed in the excellent rapport between the new Protestantism and the old. I attended an interdenominational prayer meeting in Bogotá at the Assemblies of God church. Staid, scholarly Presbyterians of the Collegio Americano worshiped in perfect harmony with members of most of the groups mentioned above. All were joining in an ecumenical fellowship (though they might have demurred at the designation!).

The pastor of the church admonished his members to go easy on the shouting since, he said, “many of our brethren here are not accustomed to it.” On the next night, at the congregation’s own weekly prayer service, the pastor thanked his people for their muted behavior the night before and remarked that they could now freely worship in their own way. They did.

FUNCTIONAL ECUMENISM

The ecumenism one sees here is of a functional, parish level kind. In this it contrasts with the ecumenism in the States which is largely the domain of high level professionals and rarely penetrates to the parishes. The spirit of it can be demonstrated by citing an example. While I was in the country a tremendous revival erupted at Bucaramanga, department of Santander. The preacher was a 24-year old Assemblies of God evangelist, a Puerto Rican from New York named Eugene Jiminez. Cooperating in the services were the two Protestant congregations of the city—Presbyterian and Four Square Gospel.

The revival, conceived as a modest affair in the 300 capacity Four Square church soon outgrew these quarters. There was a transfer to the athletic field where 1,500 could be accommodated. Soon another move was necessary—this time to the athletic field of the Presbyterian school. One night a crowd of 8,000 stood three hours in the rain for the service. The services then were moved to the city’s largest meeting place, the coliseum where 25,000 could be seated.

What does Jiminez preach? His theme is two-fold, and his emphasis falls in this order: Christ as Saviour and Christ as healer. Some of the Presbyterians have serious reservations about the healing emphasis, though they cooperate because the primacy of the appeal is to Christ’s redeeming work. Perhaps as they learn that “healing missions” are becoming fairly frequent in Protestant Episcopal and Methodist parishes in the States, they may come to understand and appreciate this phase of the revival. Jiminez would contend that Christ’s healing is available not only for well-to-do neurotics in a plush setting but also for the masses in need.

At any rate, the revival was shaking the city and there had been no display of hostility or violence on the part of Catholic Action. All had been accomplished without a single line in the press or plug on the radio, or even a poster.

This sort of cooperative venture would be extremely difficult in the States aside from the “almost exception” of Billy Graham. In Colombia it is the rule rather than the exception.

NEW NAMES, NEW FACES

This new Protestantism presents some interesting personalities who are themselves part of its definition. One of the outstanding evangelicals in Colombia is the Rev. Joseph K. Knapp. This man recently turned over to a national preacher, whom he had trained for the purpose, the largest Protestant congregation in Colombia at the Four Square Gospel church of Barranca Bermeja. Knapp, a former truck driver who once helped Dave Beck in organizing work for the Teamsters Union, experienced a sound conversion and a call to the mission field. Armed with a diploma from the Four Square Gospel school in Los Angeles, Knapp set off for Latin America. He started to study Spanish at the language school then located in Medellin, but he quit after four months because he felt he should delay his work no longer. Butchering the Spanish, yet equipped with a captivating personality and immense organizing talent, Joe Knapp built a church which frequently outdraws the Roman Catholic cathedral at Sunday services.

Catholic Action succeeded in closing his church for a 15-month period during which he and his wife were exposed to many forms of harassment and even brutality. Now after persistent representations to the authorities the church is open again but subject to two conditions: (1) the doors must remain shut during services (the sight of such a throng of worshipers and the sound of the hymns are considered an affront to the established church), and (2) the congregation must not start a school (Barranca is in mission territory where the Roman church has been given a monopoly on education).

All through Latin America men like Knapp are bringing a new Protestantism to birth. Or is the Holy Spirit doing it? Persons are being won, congregations are being built, and evangelicals are emerging as a real spiritual and numerical force in this part of the world.

EMERGENT EVANGELICALISM

It is noteworthy that most of these evangelicals are not dependent on the older churches for their ordinations. Originally they were, but now they provide their own schools for training their clergy and have their own procedures for ordination. These procedures, which are quite similar for most of the missionary churches, have been developed in consultation with each other. As truly as Mr. Wesley’s consecration of Coke, Vasey and Whatcoat cast the die for a Methodist Church separated from the Church of England, so these new Protestant churches have now been separated from the older bodies in the States and abroad. Those who believe that God has limited himself to a continuity of one particular ordination pattern will be unhappy. Perhaps the real question is not the state of their emotions but whether God is working in and through this new program.

The analogy with Methodism may be fortunate. Perhaps it can also suggest the significance of the New Protestantism. Methodism was a demonstration of the continuing vigor of the Reformation. Thoroughly Lutheran in inspiration, it added something to Luther. The new churches in Latin America, being unquestionably and indelibly Protestant, have thus enhanced the Protestant tradition.

Methodism filled a vacuum. The Church of England was failing to reach the working classes which needed to be reached. Roman Catholicism is failing to reach the soul of Latin America. The older Protestantism, despite notable and brilliant exceptions, did not put forth an all-out effort. Hence, we are witnessing the new Protestantism. Methodism, imbued with a “groaning passion for souls,” breathed a new warmth and vitality into the Protestant enterprise. Here is a like concern that extends across all fences, respects no man-built barriers, and unabashedly reaches to the least and the last.

These new Protestant groups are sects still in the process of becoming churches. Such a transition is in some respects unfortunate, but it is also inevitable. The warm sympathy and wise counsel of the traditional bodies are needed. During the coming decades there should be much interaction between the old and the new—an interaction that will be mutually enriching.

Jacob J. Vellenga served on the National Board of Administration of the United Presbyterian Church from 1948–54. Since 1958 he has served the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. as Associate Executive. He holds the A.B. degree from Monmouth College, the B.D. from Pittsburgh-Xenia Seminary, Th.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and D.D. from Monmouth College, Illinois.

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