The Politics of the Spirit: The Political Implications of Pentecostalized Religion in Costa Rica and Guatemala

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The Politics of the Spirit is a masterful study of the political effects of evangelical Protestantism in Central America. Timothy Steigenga's thoughtfully crafted work questions whether the spread of Protestantism in Latin America has reinforced authoritarian elements in political culture or deepened nascent democracy. Steigenga provides a thorough review of the literature on religion and politics in Latin America, putting many of the hypotheses generated in this literature to the test through an analysis of comparative survey data and qualitative interviews. Steigenga investigates the impact religious affiliation has on political activity and belief, and the influence of cross-denominational religious beliefs and practices on Latin American life. His comparative work explores how different political systemsthe established democracy of Costa Rica and the transitional system of Guatemalaimpact the politics of religion. This enlightening interdisciplinary book will appeal to scholars seeking to understand the relationships between religious and political change in Latin America.

Reviews

Timothy Steigenga's work leads us to the juncture of important future studies. Its provocative and meticulous conclusions, laid out cleanly without rhetorical flourishes or over-reaching analysis, suggest exciting new venues for research in ecumenical political behavior, gender analysis, and in religious behavior in civil society. * American Political Science Review *
This is an excellent study. . . Steigenga has produced a thoughtful, complex, and nuanced analysis of a major development in contemporary Central and Latin America. * Journal of Church and State *
This book is carefully researched and offers new insights for both political scientists and scholars of religion. It will make an excellent teaching resource for an advanced level course. * Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review *
In showing how the link between religion and politics is meditated by multiple factors, The Politics of the Spirit makes a valuable contribution...Beyond providing good accounts of the histroy and current state of Protestantism in Guatemala and Costa Rica, The Politics of the Spirit enriches our theoretical and methodological conversations about the changing face of religion in the Americas. -- Manuel A. Vasquez, University of Florida * Latin American Studies *
Timothy Steigenga adds important quantitative and comparative dimensions to our knowledge of Protestantism in Latin America without sacrificing a nuanced understanding of religion as a sociopolitical variable gained from earlier work. He stresses the influence of national contextoften invisible in case studieswhile also attempting to capture the microlevel aspects of religious belief all too often lost in large surveys. He sheds new light on the complexity of predicting the ways in which the pentecostalization of religious belief will affect Latin American society and politics. -- Carol Ann Drogus, Hamilton College

Author Bio

Timothy J. Steigenga is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University.