A Pentecostal Paradigm for the Latin American Family

Abstract

"The Pentecostal movement in Latin America has furnished the people with hope in the midst of their suffering. Although Pentecostalism has been a major liberating force primarily among the marginalized masses, its message of the resurrected Christ and life in the Holy Spirit is available and essential to all people. One of the most effective instruments through which the Pentecostal message can reach communities is the fundamental social unit of society, the family. Harvey Cox in his book, Fire from Heaven, points out, “For decades Pentecostals were persecuted in many parts of Latin America. So, since they could not gain access to the public arena, they worked mainly through family networks.”