Abstract

Since the 1960s in the 20th century, scientists have tried to find an answer to the question of why Pentecostals have grown in Latin America so rapidly? Anthropologists, sociologists and political scientists have given several different explanations. In the 80s, leftist circles and circles associated with the Catholic Church tried to proof that it is the result of the cultural expansion of the United States, but many authors proved that the role of American missions was only marginal. American missions usually supported non-Pentecostal denominations. According to some sociologists, due to industrialisation and urbanisation, Latin American society was decomposed and the influence of the Catholic Church was weakened and as a result the Protestant churches became more successful. One reason is that Pentecostalism has very successfully absorbed Latin American culture. Pentecostalism is also attractive to poor people and indigenous inhabitants. Among other proposed reasons for the growth are: enculturation and the appeal to the emotional nature of human beings. Probably a combination of all proposed factors explains things the best.