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CONCLUSIONS\u000AThe NPCs emerged within Guatemalan Protestantism from Historic denominations and the Pentecostals founded both by foreign missionaries as well as national leaders and lay people that had made their bases in Guatemala from 1872 onwards. These Protestants arrived with the blessing of the liberal governments who saw Protestantism as an ally to break the religious and political power of the Catholic Church and to introduce new ideas about progress. Their presence has been an important factor in the development of religious pluralism in the country. Today they represent more than a quarter of all the Guatemalan population.\u000ADuring a century of presence in Guatemala Protestantism has presented a double attitude towards social and political problems, both presence and a desire to keep apart at the same time. From the beginning of the twentieth century they have contributed to education, health and family welfare. During the revolution of the 1944 and the government of Arbenz Protestants participated openly in both governments. However in later decades they retracted in the context of the armed conflict. Within this context a small group of Protestants as well as some Catholics participated openly in favour of justice and the rights of the working classes. Some got involved in social aid projects and the guerrilla warfare. The 1976 earthquake encouraged some Evangelicals to get involved in social aid. Later the Neo-Pentecostals arrived with the presidency of R\u00EDos Montt, and they got involved in party politics.\u000AThe NPCs are rooted and established in urban areas and have their own identity and praxis up and down the country. In spite of the fact that they have not been around a long time the members of these churches are immersed in society as new social actors. From their particular Neo-Pentecostal theology they assume the world as their parish and they have come up with new religious ideas within and outside of Guatemala. These churches also consider that they are the carriers of a message which brings spiritual life and\u000Aeconomic freedom to people, their families and society. They place particular importance 114\u000A