Endorsements
"The Histories of the Latin American Church: A Handbook is a much-needed, splendid introduction to the diverse Christian communities that inhabit the spiritual imaginations of Latin American and Caribbean men and women. The author is deeply aware of the significant changes in the global spread of Christianity—from the North and West to the South and East—and the increasing varieties of its ecclesiastic theologies, liturgies, and institutions. Its wide-ranging perspective combines academic thoroughness and ecumenical empathy. I strongly recommend its careful and attentive reading to anybody with interest in either Latin American and Caribbean social history or the history of the Christian faith."
—Luis N. Rivera-Pagán, Henry Winters Luce Professor in Ecumenics and Mission Emeritus
Princeton Theological Seminary
"This ambitious book is an invaluable resource for those interested in Latin American religion. Cruz’s text provides comprehensive accounts of the big stories of Latin American religious history, while remaining sensitive to many of its forgotten little stories. Although no single volume can fully capture the countless expressions of Latin American religiosity, this balanced work moves skillfully in the right direction, inspiring us to explore further."
—Christopher D. Tirres
DePaul University
"When considering the historicized story of Christianity as a global movement, there is no more intricate terrain than the Latin American expression of that story. In The Histories of the Latin American Church, the author provides a usable cartography to navigate the complex interactions between long-standing spiritual traditions, diverse ethnic and cultural groupings, contextual and universal exigencies, and politico-religious practices in the shaping of assorted representations of autochthonous Christian narratives and communities. The map of this vast continent has been made more comprehensible once again through the keen eye of a historian who is capable of pinpointing, through concise narrative and abridged charts, whatever is pertinent and indispensable to reenter the geo-religious landscape of a dynamic cristianismo that is still persistently emerging."
—José R. Irizarry
Cambridge College, Puerto Rico