Latina/o Pentecostalism

Abstract

That Pentecostalism stands out as among the fastest growing religious movements of the twentieth century in the United States and Latin America is a well-documented fact among scholars. Not until recently, however, scholars started to critically examine the rise of Latino Pentecostalism within the United States, a phenomenon that has been in the making for over a century. To better understand the historical development of Latino Pentecostalism in the United States, this chapter offers a three-part periodization: (1) Foundation: 1906–1929; (2) Building: 1930–1965; and (3) Expansion: 1966–2006. The conclusion then takes stock of the movement from 2006 to 2020, examining the sociopolitical climate in which Pentecostalism continues to flourish. Within these periods, this chapter traces broader cultural, organizational, and educational contours of denominations as they developed within the context of three macro-forces fundamental in the shaping of Latinidad in the United States: shifting racial sensibilities, immigration policies, and labor market demands.