Think religion in Latin America and Catholicism automatically comes to mind. There, within even the most desolate and economically deprived areas, one often finds ornate leviathan churches. These churches continue to mark the Catholic heritage embedded in the culture ever since the Spanish conquest. However, Catholicism is under major threat. Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches, some Catholic but most Protestant, have been sweeping through Central and Latin America; in the last fifteen years, the phenomenon has been particularly widespread. This might spell danger for the traditional Catholic Church.
Times have changed since Protestant Evangelism’s introduction to Latin America some fifty years ago. In 1950, 90% of Latin America was Catholic; nowadays, in countries like Guatemala, some 25 to 40% of the country considers themselves to be of Protestant faith. However, this wave of Protestantism has been less than united: there are some three hundred groups of these fundamental Christians, some more extremist and some more conservative than others.
The comparison between the services in these ‘new’ Churches and the traditional Catholic mass is much more relevant in Latin America than we in Europe can appreciate. Proceedings are often lively and electric; pastors bombard their congregation with questions that are not rhetorical, but that expect answers. The crowd replies with shouts, cries and general uproar. Song and dance form an integral part of many services; biblical songs have set choreography performed and rehearsed by children and the hymns are not drowned out by an organ, but instead accompanied by guitars or even backing tracks.
Certain denominations organise mass gatherings of the faithful within the country in which they are based. Here, communal confirmations take place, religious events are dramatised on stage and throngs of followers are often held in the palm of a very charismatic and influential orator. As an outsider looking in on the service, even the most sceptical atheist would not be able to deny the contagious atmosphere of these often raucous events.
Not only do these Churches bring innovative services with them, but believers are also required to revolutionise their lifestyle. Look at the example of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which is established worldwide: the lifestyle they prescribe is particularly distinguishable. Diet is regulated; many are vegetarian or do not eat certain meats such as pork, and the consumption of alcohol is forbidden. Advice is given on suitable dress and conduct: “While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit.”  The Sabbath is strongly adhered to on a Saturday and most young Adventists are discouraged from entering nightclubs, or mixing with peers from other religious groups in the evening.
At a first glance one might think these strict codes would be enough to deter most Latin Americans, but as the Evangelical Covenant Church boasts: “We believe that God is up to something in Latin America and that it is finding an echo in the hearts of Covenant people around the world.” Instead of being seen as disruptive to people’s lifestyles, evangelism actually appeals through its radical mandates and obligatory lifestyle alterations. In targeting poorer areas of the world, evangelical churches are able to offer an alternative to poverty and strife, with dedicated ministers sent out to recruit their parish.
The Evangelical Covenant Church includes in its mission statement that “we commit ourselves to intentionally reaching the unconverted, baptizing them in water, and leading them to unite with the Church. This commitment will be demonstrated by viewing all the nations of the world as our mission field.” Evangelical missionaries are sent down into Latin America to preach in churches, indirectly taking advantage of the lack of Catholic priests. For example, in Honduras there are only 450 Roman Catholic priests for seven million people − one priest for about every 15,000 inhabitants.
However, not all evangelical churches are conservative, nor practice radical forms of Protestant Christianity. Furthermore, it is not justified to say that this breed of Christianity is a new form of ‘cultural imperialism’ within Latin America − as theologian Christian Niles has dubbed the phenomenon. On the negative side, the evangelical approach towards integrating new followers is to impress upon them a lifestyle rather than to accommodate another.
There are, however, positives; by dressing in a certain manner, behaving in a certain way and having a new moral foundation upon which to build a new way of life, the converted Christian instantly feels a sense of belonging. Many women feel empowered; in a continent in which alcoholism and domestic violence is more widespread than in Europe, this can be considered a desirable transformation. Another route into many of these Churches is via natural disasters. A denomination can offer aid in return for respect for their faith, often leading to continued worship.
Within the evangelical Churches, the emphasis on ‘personal experience’ faith, or being “born again” as preached in the Gospels,  contrasts with the more humanitarian and community-based practices of Catholicism. Perhaps part of the evangelical appeal lies in the ‘manda’ aspect of the religion, the concept of command or obligation that may be at the heart of popular religion. This could lead to an expectation of reciprocity − ‘I do something for God, God will do something for me.’  Furthermore, the evangelists use language that is more accessible to the poor; they go from house to house, and many preach the theology of prosperity.
Crucially though, separate branches keep to themselves, which is indeed a by-product of the fragmented and pluralistic evangelical Church. So, although women can find new roles, lives can be changed and improvements can be made, it is this very emphasis on the individual which has marginalised many followers from the mainstream. In turn, this pushes to the forefront a conservative ideology which encourages believers to abstain from participation in unions, community organisations and other secular groups.
Conversely, evangelical leaders have cited biblical references to support the notion that political and military rulers − with the exception of leftists −  are ordained by God and should be passively obeyed. Evangelical Central American politicians have become notorious, mainly due to the Guatemalan figurehead Ríos-Montt. This minister in the evangelical ‘Church of the World’ razed four hundred mostly indigenous villages to the ground − a perpetrator of acts of genocide and anti-communist activity who has contributed to the evangelicals’ often negative image.
Having entered into the evangelical way of life, a dependency on the Church for guidance in all aspects of life is often developed, with believers sometimes becoming increasingly isolated from those around them. It is in this degree of separation that the Catholic Church most feels the effects of evangelism. Catholicism remains the dominant religious institution in Central America but the continued rapid growth of the evangelical movement feeds on the failure of the Catholic Church to address its own weaknesses.
Although Catholic mass can also accommodate more modern aspects of religious practice with modern music, dance and live bands, it is very hard for Catholicism to shake off its stale and archaic image. Nowadays talk centres around hostility between the two Churches in what has become a scramble for souls. Some ministers have even gone as far as to accuse the CIA of covertly financing evangelical growth. Furthermore, some have accused the Guatemalan church hierarchy of branding the evangelical movement an imperialist conspiracy, in order to block revolutionary change and maintain US political and economic dominance.
The question is therefore one of competition. The tussle is segregating rather than unifying communities, where evangelicals abstain from meetings, community gatherings and traditional ceremonies due to a faith that preaches individual salvation rather than community involvement. We should also take into account the cultural infringement of such practices, where followers neglect their own heritage in favour of an all-out commitment to their new-found persuasion. Perhaps this emphasis on a personal relationship with God, rather than a broader sense of unity means that these Churches are not the answer many Latin Americans have been looking for. Perhaps they ignore the problem rather than addressing it.
Rather than a search, there is a race for souls in Latin America. In a region in which religion still has a hand in all domains of society, including politics, medicine and education, this is inevitable, and therefore extremely important for the future of Latin America. Evangelists address day-to-day living in a more abrasive, conservative and yet seemingly effective manner, as opposed to the Catholic Church. Evangelism presents itself as a happy medium. Ironically, the religion that won many of its followers through oppressive conversion techniques and missionary work − Catholicism − is being defeated by its own former methods. The question remains as to whether evangelicals will continue to win people over or whether its non-monolithic and sporadic growth will eventually be found to have fault.
Serving humanity is considered one of the principal purposes of the Christian community; if the Catholic Church hopes to regain some ground in keeping the focus on the community, without having to rely on the aspect of personal gain at the core of evangelism, it had better think fast.