The Rise of Pentecostalism in Modern El Salvador: From the Blood of the Martyrs to the Baptism of the Spirit. By Timothy H. Wadkins

Abstract

In The Rise of Pentecostalism in Modern El Salvador: From the Blood of the Martyrs to the Baptism of the Spirit, Timothy Wadkins aims to demonstrate how “Spirit-filled forms of Christianity” have contributed to “a massive grassroots and socially complex religious movement that is deeply embedded in El Salvador’s shift toward modernization” (p. 9). He hit his mark! Combining historical prose, live interviews with key Pentecostal leaders, and extensive historical research, Wadkins weaves a gripping narrative that answers questions that other research has overlooked in the quest to explain the remarkable shift toward modernization in El Salvador. While Catholicism and Vatican II have played a part, reliance upon that factor as a complete explanation overlooks the alarming growth of non-Catholic Christian groups, predominantly comprised of Pentecostals. In this “New World Order” (Chapter 3), Wadkins identifies Protestant contributions, sociological factors, and modernization as the impetus that has led to such vibrant growth among Pentecostals and as an explanation for the resulting modern El Salvador. Typically, Wadkins points out, modernization—such as “immigration and urbanization, education and literacy, industrialization and technology, and capitalism and democracy” (p. 52)—has been at odds with religion, usually leading to educated citizens, but empty churches. He explains, “while religion may very well be an expression of modernization, it is also likely that modernization opens up opportunities for new religious movements and plays a vital role in shaping religious preferences” (p. 53). Wadkins describes dissent against the old, static social order (Catholic hegemony) and recounts the actions of “resistance movements such as student organizations, trade unions, Liberation Theology and the base communities” (p. 54). The historic event that galvanized each of these forces was the Salvadoran Civil War, resulting in the demise of the old social order and the establishment of modern El Salvador, characterized by its “fitful entry into the global market economy, increased literacy across all sectors, a new emphasis on individualism and equality, and an openness to democratic political structures” (p. 54).