Between ‘traditional’ and ‘new’ Catholic church religious discourses in urban, Western Mexico

Abstract

This paper analyses processes of belonging, identity formation and construction of knowledge within and between 'new' and 'traditional' Catholic groups in a low-income neighbourhood of Guadalajara. It argues that these two expressions of the Church carry through distinctive 'progressive' and 'conservative' messages in matter of engagement with, and empowerment in social reality, notions of personal responsibility, relation to non-human agents and embodiment of experience. However, those groups are not internally homogeneous and to a certain extent the 'new' Church-the CEBs-is similar to the 'traditional' Church in terms of subtle hierarchical control of production, transmission and withholding of knowledge.

Families on the Verge of Breakdown? Views on Contemporary Trends in Family Life in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

“…The objectives of the movement are to promote "human and Christian values in the family and in the community," and to provide assistance to families (MFC 1997). These services include a range of programs designed to strengthen marriage and to help people lead "Christian family lives," such as prenuptial courses, support groups, matrimonial retreats, "family integration" weeks, and a marriage advisory service (see Napolitano 1998 for a discussion of the MFC in Mexico).…”