Latino Pentecostal Identity : Evangelical Faith, Self, and Society

Latinos recently surpassed African Americans as the largest US minority.

Of the approximately 37 million Latinos living in the United States, nearly 5 million declare themselves to be either Pentecostal or Charismatic, and more convert every day.

This volume examines the rise of Pentecostalism among the Latinos and their conversion from other denominations, the difficulties involved in reconciling conflicts of ethnic and religious identity, how evangelical groups encourage the severing of ethnic ties in favour of spiritual community, and the ambivalence Latinos face when their faith fails to protect them from racial discrimination.Drawing upon extensive fieldwork, surveys and personal interviews, the book also considers issues such as the commodification of Latino evangelical culture, the Latinization of Pentecostalism, and the ways in which Latino Pentecostalism have differentiated themselves from the larger Latino Catholic culture.