Click here to see a video interview with Emelio Betances. Click here to access the tables referenced in the book. Since the 1960s, the Catholic Church has acted as a mediator during social and political change in many Latin American countries, especially the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Although the Catholic clergy was called in during political crises in all five countries, the situation in the Dominican Republic was especially notable because the Church's role as mediator was eventually institutionalized. Because the Dominican state was persistently weak, the Church was able to secure the support of the Balaguer regime (1966-1978) and ensure social and political cohesion and stability. Emelio Betances analyzes the particular circumstances that allowed the Church in the Dominican Republic to accommodate the political and social establishment; the Church offered non-partisan political mediation, rebuilt its ties with the lower echelons of society, and responded to the challenges of the evangelical movement. The author's historical examination of church-state relations in the Dominican Republic leads to important regional comparisons that broaden our understanding of the Catholic Church in the whole of Latin America.

The contributors to this volume -- scholars and clergy from both North and South America -- describe the complex relationship between religion and state in Latin America. They discuss the intense self-examination by Latin American Christians, the development of new theologies, new religions and social practices, and a heightened sensitivity to social problems.

Complex and profound changes have been taking place in the Latin American Catholic Church in the 20th century which have often been misunderstood and misrepresented. This is a collection of essays written by scholars working in the fields of history, political science, sociology, law and theology.

The author surveys the literature on the reasons for Pentecostal growth and Catholic retrenchment in Latin America and assesses the socioeconomic and political implications of these religious changes for democratic governments, many of which follow upon a decade or more of military rule in their respective societies. He argues that although a coalition between the two groups could have a strong impact on public policy, the differences in their political agendas could complicate the debate in the years ahead. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

No book in any language equals The Church, Dictatorships, and Democracy in Latin America for its comparative breadth. Historians, social scientists, and general readers will cull from it the conditions needed for the church to play a positive and creative role in furthering human rights and democracy. -John A. Coleman, SJ Loyola Marymount University Jeffrey Klaiber's book offers a wonderfully informative history of the Church's role in Latin American struggles to defend human rights and achieve democracy. Anyone who has followed with concern and interest these recent struggles-from military dictatorships in Brazil and Chile, through the violent conflicts in Central America, to the most recent struggles in Chiapas, Mexico-will find this remarkably comprehensive study of eleven different nations an invaluable text. -Arthur F. McGovern, SJ University of Detroit This volume provides readers with the first comprehensive view of the church during a defining period of Latin American history. This is an invaluable study by a longtime and astute observer. -Edward L. Cleary, OP Providence College A compelling account of the role of the church during the dictatorships and internal wars in eleven countries of Latin America . . . by an eminent historian. -Gerald H. Anderson Director of Overseas Ministries Study Center

The authors examine popular religion as a vital source of new values and experiences as well as a source of pressure for change in the church, political life, and the social order as a whole and deal with the issues of poverty and the role of the poor wit

The authors examine popular religion as a vital source of new values and experiences as well as a source of pressure for change in the church, political life, and the social order as a whole and deal with the issues of poverty and the role of the poor within the church and political structures. Exploring areas from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, and Chile, the authors analyze the transformation in popular religion and reevaluate the growth of grassroots organizations.