Faith and Power

"Features an array of fascinating topics, with appropriate diversity of historical period, religious affiliation, region, and subject. The editors have gathered an impressive group of scholars whose contributions form a compelling analysis of political action among Latinx religious communities." ~Timothy Matovina, University of Notre Dame

"Historians of Latinx politics have typically downplayed the importance of religion, and studies of Latinx religion have tended to focus on spirituality, belief, and cultural expression, while ignoring politics. Featuring an extraordinary lineup of scholars—including some of the top influential Latinx historians—Faith and Power is an impressive resource for understanding Latinx religious politics." ~Geraldo Cadava, author of The Hispanic Republican: The Shaping of an American Political Identity, from Nixon to Trump

"

One of the book’s most appealing aspects for me was its use of narratives throughout, which provide, in anthropologist Clifford Geertz’s term, a “thick description” of the role of agency among populations, especially those who have endured decades of prejudice or oppression within their faith communities or outside of
them. While the book’s range of scholarship—as the footnotes and index reveal—is certainly commendable, overall it makes for an interesting, colorful read.

" ~The Journal of Arizona History

"The strength of this volume lies in the breadth and diversity of expressions of Latino religious politics covered, ranging from rural agricultural contexts to urban centres of power, including histories from within Roman Catholicism, Pentecostalism, and even Mormonism... This is an insightful volume for scholars and students wanting to know more about and further reflect on an oft forgotten history." ~Mission Studies

"Faith and Power demonstrates that an adequate understanding of Latina/o history requires an accounting for the role of religion. Scholars of Latina/o history might read Faith and Power as a provocative revisionist history, as well-known topics in the field are newly explored from the vantage point of faith communities." ~American Religion