Latino migration to protestantism: A historical, socio-cultural, ecclesiastical analysis

Abstract

The “browning of America” in the 21st century has brought about many social changes within the heterogeneous group known as Latinos and among the general U.S. population and its other ethnic groups. One notable change is religious preferences among recent immigrants and second and third generation Latinos in favor of Protestantism. Although Latinos have for many years had a limited presence among Protestant groups, over the last decade or two there has occurred a significant defection from the Roman Catholic Church to evangelicalism in particular. The implications of this are quite unknown to social workers and social scientists but are slowly unraveling in light of this organic social trend. This paper examines this social phenomenon through cultural, historical, sociological and ecclesiastical lenses and argues for an understanding of this trend from an anti-essentialist position rooted in an intersectionality perspective.