|
|
|
|
To return to Comiskey home page, click here: To return to the Small Group Research page, click here:
SOCIO-CULTURAL
ISSUES RELATED TO CELL MINISTRY
By
Joel Comiskey
A Ph.D. Tutorial Presented to Dr. Pablo Deiros In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy In Intercultural Studies The School of World Mission FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
September 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................... CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................... How the Tutorial Fits into the Dissertation.......................................................................... Purpose............................................................................................................................. Goals................................................................................................................................ Problem Statement For This Tutorial.................................................................................. Research Questions For This Tutorial................................................................................. Delimitations.................................................................................................................. Scope of Study.................................................................................................................. Assumptions...................................................................................................................... Overview Of This Tutorial.................................................................................................. CHAPTER 2 DISTINGUISHING TRAITS OF LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE.............. General Cultural Traits....................................................................................................... Event Orientation......................................................................................................... Time Flexibility............................................................................................................ Time For People...................................................................................................... Punctuality............................................................................................................... Priority Of People........................................................................................................ Relationships Are More Important Than Things....................................................... Relationships Shape Distance Levels........................................................................ Relationships Shape All Interactions......................................................................... Idealism Versus Realism.............................................................................................. Idealistic View Of Life............................................................................................. Contemplative Rather Than Pragmatic...................................................................... Assigned Status........................................................................................................... Climbing The Ladder............................................................................................... Knowledge Of The Status Of Others....................................................................... The Latin Family.............................................................................................................. The Importance Of Family........................................................................................... The Extended Family................................................................................................... Child Rearing............................................................................................................... Role Of Husband......................................................................................................... Role Of Wife............................................................................................................... Kinship System................................................................................................................ The Machismo-Hembrismo Dualism................................................................................. Machismo................................................................................................................... Conquistadors And Machismo................................................................................. Modern Day Machismo........................................................................................... Hembrismo.................................................................................................................. Moral Superiority.................................................................................................... The Suffering Mother and Mariology........................................................................ Patterns Of Authority....................................................................................................... Authoritarian................................................................................................................ Spanish Supremacy..................................................................................................... Historic Development.............................................................................................. Privileged Status...................................................................................................... The Underclass............................................................................................................ Mestizo................................................................................................................... Indigenous Peoples.................................................................................................. CHAPTER 3 WORLD VIEW OF LATIN AMERICA..................................................... Catholicism...................................................................................................................... Catholic Subjugation Of Differing Beliefs...................................................................... Monastic Preaching..................................................................................................... Spanish Catholicism..................................................................................................... Animistic Catholicism................................................................................................... Similar Beliefs.......................................................................................................... Outward Acceptance............................................................................................... Degrees Of Animistic Mixture................................................................................. Popular Catholic Beliefs............................................................................................... The Suffering Christ................................................................................................. The Major Life-Cycles............................................................................................ Catholicism And Personal Holiness.............................................................................. Decline Of Catholicism................................................................................................ Combative Stance................................................................................................... Return To Traditionalism.......................................................................................... Evangelicalism................................................................................................................. Amazing Growth.......................................................................................................... Infusion Of Biblical Values.......................................................................................... The Family.............................................................................................................. The Morality Of The Society.................................................................................. CHAPTER 3 CELL GROUPS AND LATIN CULTURE................................................. Cultural Factors That Promote Cell Ministry.................................................................... People Orientation....................................................................................................... Time To Meet Together........................................................................................... Ease In Small Group Settings................................................................................... Social Gathering Outside The Cell............................................................................ Priority Of Family........................................................................................................ Family Emphasis In Scripture................................................................................... Natural Webs Of Outreach...................................................................................... Openness To The Gospel............................................................................................ Cultural Factors That Present Challenges.......................................................................... Authoritarianism........................................................................................................... Lack Of Participation............................................................................................... Personal Sharing...................................................................................................... Assigned Status........................................................................................................... Formation Of Groups.............................................................................................. Giving Birth............................................................................................................. Additional Factors........................................................................................................... Hesitancy to Give Birth................................................................................................ Big Groups Versus Small Groups............................................................................. Ingrown Groups Versus Outreach Groups............................................................... Event Orientation & Punctuality.................................................................................... CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION........................................................................................... APPENDIX A NORTH AMERICAN CULTURE AND CELL MINISTRY...................... For Further Study............................................................................................................ American Cultural Values And Small Groups................................................................ Impersonal Society.................................................................................................. Task Oriented......................................................................................................... Achievement Oriented............................................................................................. Openness To Share................................................................................................. Conclusion.................................................................................................................. APPENDIX B BACKGROUND OF CASE STUDY COUNTRIES.................................. Colombia........................................................................................................................ Peoples/Languages...................................................................................................... History........................................................................................................................ Political Situation......................................................................................................... Economy..................................................................................................................... Religious Mix............................................................................................................... Drugs and Related Problems........................................................................................ Cultural Aspects.......................................................................................................... Ecuador.......................................................................................................................... Peoples/Languages...................................................................................................... History........................................................................................................................ Political Situation......................................................................................................... Economy..................................................................................................................... Religious Mix............................................................................................................... Peru................................................................................................................................ Peoples/Languages...................................................................................................... History........................................................................................................................ Political Situation......................................................................................................... Economy..................................................................................................................... Education.................................................................................................................... Religious Mix............................................................................................................... Cultural Aspects.......................................................................................................... Honduras........................................................................................................................ Peoples/Languages...................................................................................................... History........................................................................................................................ Political Situation....................................................................................................... Economy................................................................................................................... Religious Mix............................................................................................................. El Salvador.................................................................................................................... Peoples/Languages.................................................................................................... History...................................................................................................................... Political Situation....................................................................................................... Economy................................................................................................................... Religious Mix............................................................................................................. Cultural Aspects........................................................................................................ REFERENCES CITED..................................................................................................... CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION
Is Latin America well-suited for cell-based ministry? Does the cultural
context provide an open door for such ministry? These are the types of
questions that I would like to answer in this tutorial. From the initial
success that cell based ministry is having in Latin America, it would appear
that cell-based ministry is being used with great effectiveness.
How the Tutorial Fits into the Dissertation
This tutorial provides the framework for the rest of my study. Like
my earlier tutorial on the
theology of cell-based ministry which also served as a foundational backdrop
for my research, this study provides needed insight into the sociological
background of the Latin American people. This tutorial will also serve as a distinct chapter in my dissertation.
Purpose
The purpose of this tutorial is to provide a sociological framework for the implementation of cell-based ministry in Latin America. It is to understand if and how the socio-cultural fabric of Latin America is suited for this type of ministry and how it can be more effectively adapted to provide maximum results.
In thinking about the purpose of this tutorial and how this tutorial is
specifically related to my case study churches, it might be helpful to list
those case study churches which I will be studying.
CASE STUDY CHURCHES IN LATIN AMERICA
Goals
Here
are my major goals:
1. To determine why cell-based ministry is being used with such effectiveness in a Latin American context and how to adapt it in order to bring forth more fruit. 2. To understand the culture of Latin America more thoroughly, so that I more effectively relate to the ones to whom I’m ministering.
3.
To have a better understanding of the individual countries in which I will be
studying the cell-based churches. I hope to answer the question, What is the
general context of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, and El Salvador?
Problem
Statement For This Tutorial
The
central research issue of this tutorial is to provide a socio-cultural
analysis of Latin American culture in order to understand how to make
cell-based ministry relevant in a Latin American context.
Research
Questions For This
Tutorial
1. What are the chief characteristics of Latin American culture? 2. What is the general world view of Latin American culture? 3. What are some of the key areas in which cell-based ministry will need to be adapted in order to be effective in a Latin American context.
4.
What are some basic facts of the countries in which I will be doing my case
studies?
Delimitations
There are several delimitations that need to be mentioned in this tutorial: 1. Limited by cultural traits that might affect cell-based ministry. In a paper like this one which focuses on general Latin American cultural patterns, there will always be the question concerning why I included certain characteristics and excluded others. My rationale is more practical than philosophical. Since my topic is cell-based ministry, I have chosen those cultural traits that might have some bearing on my major theme. Therefore, I will be focusing on the Latin concept of the family, authority, time, relationships, kinship structures, world view, etc. In contrast, I won’t be spending much time on the economy, the political landscape, the government of Latin America. At the same time, I recognize that my reasoning for selection is somewhat arbitrary, since all of Latin culture (economy, politics) will ultimately influence Christian ministry. 2. Limited to certain generalizations In trying to set forth a general set of cultural characteristics to define Latin Americans, there is always the danger of over-generalization. Not everyone fits into the same mold, and therefore I’ll try my best to maintain a very open attitude. 3. Limited by my own bias as a North American. This must be taken into account. There is the danger of not seeing my own cultural blinders, and thus making a wrong interpretation or analysis of the Latin culture.. Because I haven’t been born and raised in the Latin culture, there is no way that I can fully comprehend all of the ramifications of that particular culture. Therefore, my assertions will only be partial, at best. 4. Limited to my own personal experience in Latin America When I use personal illustrations, I’m speaking from my own experience in Ecuador (four years) and Costa Rica (one year). I must be careful not to generalize to other situations. However, due to the level of this paper (Ph.D.), I have chosen to place most of my personal illustration in the footnotes. 5. Limited to an overview of individual countries
This last limitation has to do with my appendix
on the individual countries in which I’ll be doing my case studies. I
recognize that I will only be offering a brief sketch of these countries with
the hope of laying the foundation for my visit. I
felt that time, space, and the focus of this tutorial did not permit an
in-depth analysis of each country.
Scope of
Study
This study will also be more focused on the Latin American countries located in the northern section of Latin America—namely Perú and those Latin countries to the north (Perú, Ecuador Colombia, Honduras, and El Salvador). I will not be focusing on Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, or Uruguay. Because of this more narrowed focus, I believe that my chances of arriving at a composite cultural personality is much better. Even though I won’t be focusing on Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, I will still use the term Latin America (instead of Latin America north) to describe my composite personality. [1] It
should also be noted that the general Latin American culture that I will set
forth will primarily be the dominant Mestizo culture and not the various
Indian (indigenous) cultures that are also part of the
Latin American landscape.
Assumptions
There are several assumptions that I will make in this tutorial: 1. That cell-based ministry is an effective model that God is using mightily in the world today. 2. That God created all the peoples, races, and cultures of the world, and that there is no superior race.
3.
That it is possible to make general assertions about the characteristics that
distinguish one culture from another.
Overview
Of This Tutorial
This tutorial will involve the following parts:
1. An overview of the general cultural characteristics that are unique to Latin America north In this section, I will compile a composite picture of a Latin American from a sociological/cultural perspective. The analysis will be general in nature in order to understand the customs and personalities of those who live in Latin America. 2. An overview of the worldview of Latin Culture I could have labeled this chapter ‘religious views’ or ‘belief system’ of Latin Americans, I chose the term worldview because I believe that it is more inclusive. 3. The relationship between cell group ministry and the cultural characteristics of the Latin American. Using all of the information from chapters two and three, I will here relate my findings to cell group ministry. My goal is to determine how the cultural makeup of the affects cell-based ministry, whether positively or negatively. 4. Conclusion I will record here a summary of my findings along with my final thoughts. In my appendix, I simply want to mention a few thoughts about the cultural context for cell ministry in the United States. 5. Appendix Here I will offer some insight about North American culture and cell groups as well as describe various characteristics of the countries in which I’ll be doing my case studies. CHAPTER 2: distinguishing traits of latin americaN cultureDaniel Hess
says, “…people perceive their world from a perspective that is limited by
many kinds of personal, social, cultural blinders. Everyone has a
point of view” (1980:188). This point of view is what others call a
person’s culture. A culture
consists of the shared perceptions of the reality around them. It includes
similar assumptions, values, and allegiances. Discovering a people’s
culture is the process of determining what makes them "tick".
It involves discovering the core assumptions that motivate people to behave
the way they do.
General Cultural Traits
Olien reminds us that, “Anthropology has divided the world into ‘cultural areas’ for the purposes of study. A culture area is a geographical space within which the people share a number of traits at a given point in time” (1973:2). Although I will be emphasizing common traits among Latin Americans, it must not be imagined that all Latins will precisely fit into these stereotypes. Actually, in order to truly understand the Latin American, one must start by opening his or her mind to the amazing diversity that exists in Latin America. Plaza calls Latin America a “country of contrasts” (1971:19) and Mayers begins his book by saying,
Each nation within Latin America is quite distinct. Linguistic
differences provide some of the lesser distinctions. People in Guatemala tend
to be rural and provincial in outlook whereas those in Venezuela tend to be
urban. South Americans tend to have more ‘church’ awareness whereas those
in Central America are less tied to the church and more narrowly religious. In
Central America the strength of the extended family is quite noticeable, e.g.,
political control of El Salvador resides in a few families, whereas in South
America this extreme focus on the extended family is moderated. In some urban
areas it is almost lost.
With
this diversity in mind and with a concern not to over-generalize, I will
categorize certain traits which are widely accepted as characteristics of
Latin culture.
Event Orientation
In general, Latins are more event oriented than schedule oriented (Mayers 1976:100). Mayers says, "There is a greater tendency to organize so that the event can be fulfilled, than to follow the time schedule” (1976:100). The underlying assumption of the Latin people is that ‘when it happens it happens’. Lingenfelter and Mayers state, “For event-oriented people it is more important to complete the activity than to observe arbitrary constraints of time” (1986:42). [2] They add, Event-oriented
persons will often be late to time-structured meetings because the event in
which they are previously engaged is not completed on time. For them, meetings
begin when the last person arrives and end when the last person leaves.
Participation and completion are the central goals (1986:42).
[3]
Time Flexibility
The concept of time varies from culture to culture. One thing is for sure: there is no one correct way to manage
time.
Time For People
In North America, time is handled much like a material. It is earned, spent, saved, and wasted. For Latin Americans, time is much more flexible and fluid (Hall 1973:6). However, for the Latino, time will reoccur and not pass away (Plaza 1971:23). [4] Privitera says, His [the Latino]
outlook on life…does not possess the same driving qualities, nor the same
ascetic practicality of Puritanism. He can feel no compulsion to work himself
to death; therefore life must be enjoyed with leisure, for Providence will
bring tomorrow’s crust of bread….To us [North American] time is money; to
a Latin American time is cheap. He can therefore afford to cultivate the arts
and the higher things in life. He can afford, too, not having to rush, to be
courteous and well mannered (1945:38).
What Privitera does not say is why the Latin tends to spend so much leisure time. It appears that one of the chief reasons is in order to give persons the top priority. Dealy points out that to the Latin, time is friendship. He says, Because the source of
his strength…is sociability, the Latin behaves in an altogether congruent
manner—for example, by spending long hours in bars and cafés talking to
friends. Without passing whole afternoon in this fashion, he would, in fact,
soon have fewer connecting ties (1992:108).
The Latin
certainly does not prioritize work as much as the North American. For the
Latin, work is often thought of as menial and for servants. Far better is it
to spend leisure time with people!
[5]
Punctuality
Schedules and exact time commitments are not as important in Latin America as in the U.S. Dealy says, “Although Latin Americans might make concessions to arrive hora inglesa at a gringo’s house, being prompt within their own social setting was neither virtuous nor useful” (1992:54). Lingenfelter and Mayers note,
The concept of being late varies significantly from one culture to the
next and from one individual to the next….Most North Americans will begin to
experience tension when others are fifteen minutes late; most Latin Americans
will have tension when others are more than one hour late… (1986:38).
Actually, it’s okay to be ½ hour late and tension begins to rise only when the person is one hour late. However, for North American, there is only a five minute period of grace and tension begins to develop within fifteen minutes (Lingenfelter, Mayers 1986:39).
Yet, it must quickly be added that
in Latin America, time schedules vary according to the status of the
person involved. Normally the unwritten rule reads: The higher the status the
narrower the range of
punctuality; the lower the status
the wider the range of punctuality (Mayers 1976:102). It’s also important to
remember that arriving ‘late’ to an appointment is not simply a matter of
forgetfulness or poor planning. Rather, the planning for Latin Americans to be
late is every bit as thought out as the punctuality of the North American (Dealy
1992:54).
Priority Of People
People are all
important in Latin culture. Mayers sums up this value, "The person is the
primary focus of life with all goals, purposes, and achievements revolving
around person (1982:104)
Relationships Are More Important Than
Things
In North America, efficiency , progress, and organization plays an all-important role in life. However, in Latin America the human is prioritized above anything else. Geraets writes, …the way of life in
Latin America is personal before it is purposeful….Personal qualities and
interrelationships are much more important in life than substantive
achievements and contributions to society….Professional competence gets
things done rapidly and well, but it is all too often cold, insensitive, and
indifferent to human beings. The Latin prefers to be warm, friendly, and human
at the expense of efficiency and progress (Geraets 1970:40-41 & 54).
Persons come before both material things as well as personal goals and tasks. In North America, a large part of the American dream is the accumulation of wealth and adult toys. A person’s status is often assigned by the things he or she possesses (Dealy 1992:55). However, in the Latin culture, the possession of material "things" is always subservient to relationships. Dealy insists, “North Americans calculate excellence in the value of amassed assets; Latin Americans quantify merit in the value of aggregated friends”(1992:68). For example, if a close friend asks for a material item, the typical response is "my house is yours". Far from being a trite, meaningless phrase, these words are backed up with action (Mayers 1982:104). Geyer also sees the priority of personal relationships as one of the key factors that unites all of Latin America together. She states, …a combination of
new and special qualities that characterize all of Latin America and define
its unity. One of the most dramatic of these is the inflated importance of
personal relationships over impersonal and institutional or functional
relationships…(1970:7)
For the Latin American, life revolves around
relationships. ‘Getting things done’ is not merely as important as
just being with people. Lingenfelter
and Mayers speak for Latin Americans when they say, “Individuals who are
person-oriented find their satisfaction in interaction with others. Their
highest priority is to establish and maintain personal relationships”
(1986:84).
Relationships Shape Distance Levels
One interesting characteristics about the priority of close, personal
relationships is the difference in distance levels in communication. In North
America, where personal relationships are not generally the first priority,
the accepted distance between two people in conversation is greater. However,
Latin Americans like to talk up close in a direct, intimate way. Referring to
Latin Americans, Hull states, “…people cannot talk comfortably with one
another unless they are very close to the distance that evokes either sexual
or hostile feelings in the North American” (1973:185).
Relationships Shape All Interactions
This prioritization of persons reaches far down into every level of
Latin life---from pragmatic transaction to psychological issues.
Governmental Transactions Gareats states, “Human interest is much more important than regulations, and public works receive their direction and priority according to friends and influence” (1970:48). It is common knowledge that to get things accomplished in Latin America, everything depends on who you know. Geyers says, “All over Latin America, there is one way to get something done: know somebody (1970:81). At first sight, this cultural trait seems offensive to the North Americans. After all, shouldn’t law and principles govern society instead of personal relationships? Yet, without rejecting the place of law in government, Latins refuse to allow rigid procedural government to dictate life. Rather, they insist “…that all of life should display a human dimension” (Dealy 1992:7). It is the underlying motivation that people are more important than anything else, that reinforces this practice. Significance As North Americans depend on the medium of money to grant social status and to make things happen, the Latino depends on his friends to work for him. Dealy makes the analogy of Latin friends being earned, saved, and spent in approximately the same way as money (1992:69). These friends must be tended and cared for. They must not be allowed to fade away. Therefore, any activity that might be used to secure these friendships should be pursued by the Latino (Dealy 1992:70). [6] Dealy states, Zealously laboring to acquire friends, the Latin’s existence is organic rather than atomistic. Without people around, he feels not only lonely but also insignificant. He therefore avoids appearing solo in public just as the North American shuns visible idleness” (1992:75). [7] We must not think that because Latins might not spend as much time studying, preparing, or doing other chores that they are lazy or unconcerned. Rather, they are simply more concerned about other things---the priority of making and maintaining friends (Dealy 1992:107). Dealy states, “The rules are different, of course, but the amount of time and nervous energy these people devote to their social images and relationships is absolutely enormous” (1992:107). [8] Even on the deathbed, Latinos are oftentimes very concerned who has visited them and who has not (Dodd & Montalvo 1987:52). Dealy
takes this point so far that he ascribes much of the disorganization, long
lines, and other inconveniences to socially engineered (yet perhaps
subconscious) plans of high officials to create a group of people who actually
need him or her—that couldn’t do it without him (1992:79).
Education Because so much depends on friendships and relationships in Latin America, much of the educational system is based on teaching the practical skills of getting along better with people. Dealy states, Students learn those
habits of appropriate conduct—interpersonal management skills and
tactics---taught by Cicero, the Scholastics, Machiavelli, Castiglione,
Gracián, Guevara, Rodó, Bolívar, Ingenieros, and numerous other celebrated
mentors from their tradition. Here lies the reason Latins have customarily
inverted the conception of ‘academic’ and ‘applied’ disciplines….Latins
study and perfect their virtuosity while still at the university and prepare
themselves for lives of rewarding, that is applied---public activity (1992:104).
Those subjects that North
Americans might consider significant and useful (physical sciences, etc.) are
not as highly esteemed in Latin America because they don’t have direct
relationship with people (Dealy 1992:104-107).
Etiquette
Not only the amassing of friends is essential to the Latino, but also
the etiquette displayed to other people is essential. An outward friendliness
is always appropriate—even to one’s enemies. Dealy gives an illustration of two people who had previously tried to kill
each other. When they were introduced to each other (on the spot and by
mistake), they behaved very
civilly and properly towards each other.
Dealy notes that to not act as courteous as possible,
they might not have been seen
as gentlemen,
worthy of the respect by all
who witnessed the greeting (1992:98). Dealy
comments, “Well-known, well-rehearsed verbal and physical postures signaling
congeniality guide the Latin American’s path” (1992:98).
[9]
Idealism Versus Realism
Another aspect of world view prevalent among Latins is the struggle between the ideal and the real. This conflict permeates every aspect of Latin culture. Idealistic View Of Life
They have the
ideal of what life should be like, yet they are well aware of how things
really are. In other words, Latins
are not eternal optimists like many North Americans. Nida states, "Latins
have been preoccupied with death and are very pessimistic due to the decades
of suffering” (1974:43)." Latin
Literature reflects this way of thinking. Rarely does a Latin novel have a
happy ending—the heroe usually dies, the romance falls apart, or the “bad
guy” wins.
Contemplative Rather Than Pragmatic
North Americans are known for their pragmatism, their propensity to act now and think later. Just the opposite is true with regard to Latin Americans. Nida notes that Latin American’s tend to be far more philosophical (1974:43). Concerning this quality, Plaza says, Another basic Latin
American characteristic derived from both the Indians and the Iberians is the
emphasis on contemplation rather than action. The cultural anthropologist
Kusch has pointed out that in Quechua the verb ‘to be’ means ‘to stay
put.’ The Latin American has traditionally tended to have a static outlook,
because for him time is an ever-recurring phenomenon, with no connotation of
urgency. This is directly contrary to the dynamic concept expressed by the
Anglo-Saxon saying ‘Time waits for no man’ (1971:23).
[10]
Assigned Status
Another unique, yet common trait in Latin America is the emphasis on assigned status. Status and class distinction is extremely important, and these distinctions touch the very heart of the Latin world view. Lingenfelter and Mayers describe this cultural rate in these four ways: 1. Personal identity is determined by formal credentials of birth and rank. 2. The amount of respect one receives is permanently fixed; attention focuses on those with high social status in spite of any personal failings they have. 3. The individual is expected to play his or her role and to sacrifice to attain higher rank.
4.
People associate only with their social equals.
Climbing The Ladder
Perhaps the ladder concept can shed light on the Latin American’s concept of social status. The concept of social status in Latin American culture means that each person is placed on a particular rung of the ladder in relationship to everyone else (Mayers 1976:23). There is no ‘climbing the ladder’ because of the assigned social status that each one receives at birth. This view is in
sharp contrast with the conviction in North America which says that if anyone,
regardless of race or social
status, will simply ‘pull
himself or herself up by the bootstraps’ there is limitless potential. In
other words, the upward ladder is there for anyone in society
to climb on and to thereby advance.
In contrast, Latin America has removed that ladder. A person is
assigned his or her status from birth onwards.
Geyer perhaps judgmentally states, “…Latin America has far fewer
racial attitudes; but it does suffer from a closed and inviolate class system
(1970:7).
[11]
Knowledge Of The Status Of Others
Since the emphasis in Latin culture is placed on ascribed status, it is extremely important for every person to know his status level in relation to others. Once known, this status level is maintained at all costs and improved in any way possible (Mayers 1976:105). A person's ascribed status affects how he or she acts, thinks, and responds. In every situation, the Latin person is sizing up the status of others so that he might know how to relate in that particular situation. When the status level is compatible, there is usually exuberant, expressive conversation and communication (Mayers 1976:101). The Latin Family
The Latin family is unique. It’s at once weak and strong. The bonds
that hold it together are exceedingly strong, and yet at the same time many Biblical family values are glaringly absent.
The Importance Of Family
I believe that it is safe to make the assertion that in Latin America there is nothing more important than family. The family is more important than government; it’s more important than the law (Hall 1973:82,83). Hall states, “Law in Latin America is enforced technically (by the book), but it is mediated by family relationships (1973: 83). Gareat echoes this by saying, “The importance of family name, numerous well-placed friends, and inherited privilege cannot be overestimated” (1970:59). The all important status issue is derived from one’s family, and therefore, it is the family’s name that should be preserved at all cost and any tarnish to the family name brings disgrace (Mayers 1976:27). Mayers states, “Latin marriage is not designed so much for the pleasure of the pair or for the development of the nuclear family as for the perception of the immediate family and the extended family…” (1976:52). Latins tend to
prioritize their family relationships above all other relationships.
If commitment to family is the reason for one not attending
a particular social function or fulfilling a particular obligation, usually
there are no questions asked.
[12]
The Extended Family
Dealy writes, “…the Latin American extended family is characteristically knit together by bonds of love and fraternity to a degree unrealized, and unrealizable , within the prototypical Anglo-American nuclear family” (1992:11). This quote by Dealy sets the stage by suggesting a distinct difference between the North American family and the Latin extended family. It’s the commitment to the extended family which makes the Latin family so unique. Mayers states,
The family is an important element in Spanish life, not the nuclear
family as in North America, but the extended family. The extended family is
the totality involves the nuclear family, blood and affinal relatives, ritual
relatives (the neighbors were part of the family through this extension of the
family), and maids, house boys, and pets (1976:19).
Mayers believes that one cannot truly understand Latin American society apart from the extended family (1976:61). According to Mayers it’s the identification with one’s extended family that brings prestige and status to the Latin American (1976:27). [13] It is for this reason that Dealy says, “Family is the Latin American’s primary means to success” (1992:178). Yet, the importance of the family in Latin America is beyond the prestige and status issue. Oftentimes, the closest personal friends of nuclear family members are those of his or her extended family (1976:60). [14] Weil properly discerns that one important reason why Latins stand strong in the face of economic tragedy is their emphasis on the family. In fact, it might be that the abiding strength of the family rests on the fact that there is not much strength in the competing institutions (namely politics and economics) ( 1973:95). The commitment
to family can be also be seen by the common occurrence of a mother
and/or father living with their children. Mayers labels this aspect of
Latin society as the three-adult household in comparison with the two-adult
household in the U.S. (1976:58). It
seems to be true that Latin family give more careful thought to the personal
care of their aging parents than North Americans.
[15]
Child Rearing
The point has been made about the importance of the extended family and the establishment of the family name. Yet, at times there appears to be a certain neglect in child rearing. Mayers says,
The child born into the average Latin home is seen more as a burden
than as a help….There is a lack of attention paid the child until sometime
around the age of twelve. The child’s needs are met but beyond this he
develops in his own good time and pace (1976:55-56).
Although perhaps a burden, there
is an obligation to have children
that goes with the marriage contract (Mayers 1976:55). Social roles of the
male and female are taught from a very early age. Jelin writes,
…relations
between the genders and generations are hierarchical, involving a clear
division of labor and areas of activity. Women are in charge of the domestic
tasks associated with the private sphere of reproduction and maintenance of
the family; men are responsible for tasks relating to the public sphere of
social and political life(1990:2).
Little girls are closely
supervised and schooled in ladylike, submissive behavior. At the same time,
young boys-especially among the middle and upper class- are given considerable
social freedom (Weil 1973:97).
Role Of Husband
How do the husband and wife relate together? In Ecuador, as in most of Latin America, the man is the unquestioned head of the home (Weil 1973:95). He has the ultimate authority which includes the final word. Mayers says, “The husband becomes the stated authority within the household. He is responsible for the legal aspects…and thus has the right to supervise her wealth if she has any” (1976:48). The social custom of male dominance is not only supported within the family, but it is also supported by the legal code of the land. This code holds a woman to be legally incompetent to enter into contracts, engage in business, or appear in court without her husband's permission (Weil 1973:96). Intimately linked with the Spanish concept of headship is the value of "machismo." For a male "to treat women [including his wife] forthrightly or as equals would be evidence of inadequate male self-respect" (Weil 1973:103). [16] Therefore, a man's close friendships are primarily with other men (Weil 1973:110). His friends at work become his close social network, while his wife receives little attention. [17] Oftentimes the male is absent from the home because of business activities, his mistress relationships, or the fact that he simply wants to be away (Mayers 1976:57). [18] The male in the home is somewhat aloof when it comes to the day to day functioning of his family (Weil 1973:95). He does not take an active part in it. The Spanish social tradition grants men the right of independence in their leisure time. Many men take full advantage of this freedom! Although
the man's attitude might
seem cold toward his wife, yet he is taught to always care for and respect his
mother. Again, here is a point that seems contradictory- the husband might
have a disrespectful attitude toward his wife, while at the same time be very
sensitive and respectful toward his mother.
Geyer comments, “For although in society’s terms, the man dominates
his woman, he himself is most often dominated by his mother (1970:95).
Role Of Wife
What about the wife? Her place is in the home. She is responsible for the members of her household. She must also be submissive to her husband. In fact, women in general are taught that they are inferior to men. "Their calling in life is to have children and to bring them up with loving care (Weil 1973:103)." Olien adds, The ideal wife is one who bears children, submits to the demands of her husband, remains at home, and is not sexually demanding. A passionate wife is considered undesirable (1973:217). Oftentimes, wives are treated by men primarily as sexual partners and mothers of their children. Outsiders have described her status as that of "...a high ranking servant rather than a partner in the marriage enterprise” (Weil 1973:96). There are very few places to turn when their is violence, abuse, and infidelity in the home. In many cases, separation might be the best option, yet the wife is placed in a very difficult situation when she realizes that there will be little or no support for her and her family if she separates from her husband. [19] Although there are excellent Latin marriages that break with this sharp dichotomy in the home, this pattern still persists in much of Latin America today. Mayers concludes that the woman loses many personal rights when she marries (1976:48). This is not to say that there isn’t an extremely important role for the woman in Latin American society. In fact, the society revolves around her (Mayers 1976:88). Mayers says, “The woman has the real authority even though the man has the stated authority (1976:89). However her authority role is much more hidden. Mayers goes on to says, “Hers is a covert, low-keyed focus around which the entire society revolves” (1976:88).
[1] At the same time, most books on Latin American culture do not distinguish between Latin America north and south. The reason for this delineation mainly concerns personal illustrations that I will be using, measuring the Indigenous population versus the Mestizo population, and avoiding the need to make exceptions (Argentinean and Brazilian cultures are very distinct). [2] Having spent one year in Costa Rica (living with a Tico family) and four years in Ecuador, we have found this to be exceedingly true. I remember my first year as youth pastor of the University students in the El Batán Church in Quito, Ecuador. It always amazed me that the youth were almost unconcerned when very few showed up at the time of the particular event. These students demonstrated to me that they weren’t so concerned about the starting time of the event as much as the event itself. Oftentimes, one hour later the other students would arrive, and everything would function as planned [3] I’ll never forget our good friends, the Urbans, who visited Ecuador for the first time. They reported to us that a banquet that they attended was supposed to start at 7p.m. However, it was not until 8p.m. that "things began to happen". [4] This is in contrast with our linear view of time which says that time is gone forever and the present is a fleeting moment between the past and the future. Hall talks about how that Latin Americans like to do two things at once, whereas the North American practically thinks that this is immoral. Hall says, “In Latin America it is not uncommon for one man to have a number of simultaneous jobs which he either carries on from one desk or which he moves between, spending a small amount of time on each (1973:8). [5] We noticed in Ecuador that so many of the people had fincas or haciendas. These haciendas were located out in the country and were ideally designed (recreationally) for visitors. It wasn’t unusual for church members to spend every weekend together at these haciendas (at least Saturday). [6] Sometimes, we as North Americans don’t realize that there is a great deal of cultural motivation (priority of having friendships) behind the constant face to face activity in Latin America. Some might consider Latins lazy or wasters of time, because they spend so much time with people and don’t ‘get things done’. Sadly, there is a lack of understanding that spending time with people is the major ‘thing to do’ in a Latins mind. It might be added that Latins often look at North Americans with a disbelief at their busy schedules and apparent loneliness. [7] Oftentimes, when asked to a meal in someone’s home, we’d find that other guests had also been invited. At times, this became very irritating to us, because we wanted to be viewed as ‘special friends.’ However, as Dealy points out, amassing friends boosts the feeling of significance for a Latin, and thus one of the reasons for having a lot of people at the dinner table. [8] The head pastor (pastor titular) with whom I have worked for four years is not well-known for his pulpit ministry. He just doesn’t seem to spend enough time studying. We have become very frustrated at times trying to help him improve his skills but to no avail. At the same time, this man is exceedingly well known for being an excellent public relations person. He spends lots of time with people. There is almost always someone in his office. Again, for him the priority is people. [9] I have certainly found this to be true in my experience. I remember being so puzzled at the friendly introductions between the head pastor and certain board members several days after the pastor had been mistreated by these people. I knew that his hurt was great, yet I now realize that the outward etiquette and sense of friendliness required this type of behavior. [10] Perhaps another aspect of this conflict between idealism and realism is the tendency to say ‘yes’ when there is no concrete intention to fulfill that commitment How often did we forcefully agree on a plan of action in the pastoral staff meeting, only to see those plans fall by the wayside. How often did various workers tell me they were going to fulfill something only to have a change of plans later on. Again, I must be very careful here not to over generalize, yet, it does seem that there is a wider gap between idealism and realism in Latin America than in North America [11] This has been confirmed in my own personal experience. We ministered in the El Batán church in Quito, Ecuador. This church happened to be more middle to upper class. Yet, I soon discovered that the higher class people of that church struggled with accepting and submitting to the national pastors who came from a lower class. I witnessed this superior attitude and disrespect time and time again. In fact, the only pastor that the upper class of the church has ever accepted was an Argentine who appears very ‘white’ [12] At the El Batan church one of the missionary team suddenly had to leave the country due to the cancer of his mother. He made quite an extended presentation to the congregation concerning why he had to leave the country. Later in a pastoral meeting my fellow Latino pastors made it clear that the only thing that the missionary had to explain to the congegation was that he needed to leave due to family concerns. [13] This is contrast to the North American whose sense of national identity comes from individual involvement within the ‘bulk’ or corporate entity ‘nation’. [14] This is in contrast to the North American practice of friendships outside of the home. Oftentimes, one’s closest friends are class mates and not family members (nuclear or extended). I’m just beginning to reconcile myself with my younger brother who I hardly knew even though we were part of the same family. [15] I remember counseling a Latin University student in Quito who was extremely concerned about Paul’s advice to Timothy concerning the need to care for one’s family (I Tim. 5:8). He wanted to plan for the care of his family far in advance. Interestingly enough, in my own family, I have discovered among my brothers and sister an attitude of ‘wait and see’. Although speaking here from my own experience, I believe that these two attitudes can be seen in both Latin America and North America. [16] I need to reiterate that I’m talking about popular culture in Latin America. Due to the powerful impact of Evangelical Christianity, much of these cultural characteristics are changing. Men are learning to treat their wives with greater dignity and self respect. [17] As a result of hundreds of hours of counseling with Latin families, I have observed this tendency for Latin men to build their social network around the work place. The sad result is that oftentimes the male discovers an emotional attachment at work and the destructive process of machismo continues. [18] Oftentimes, I discovered this to be true in my counseling ministry with Latin American women who came for help at the El Batan Church. [19] I oftentimes found myself in an extremely difficult situation when I was counseling wives who had been abused by their husbands. On the one hand, I felt like they needed to leave immediately. On the other hand, the harsh realities of pragmatism caused me to think twice. The court system seemed non-existent, and oftentimes it wasn’t possible for the woman to receive support from her family. Without a doubt, such counseling was indeed very draining.
SINCE AUGUST 1999: |
