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M\u00EDguez Bonino Neo-Pentecostalism is changing the old way of seeing politics. He points out that those who in the past \u2018cursed\u2019 politics, are now in the front line of the political arena. Because the churches are more independent and autonomous, they represent a political potential among the Evangelical churches (1999: 12).\u000AIt is also important to analyse the participation of Neo-Pentecostals in society as a whole, especially since most sociological studies centre their attention on party politics. Protestantism did not just erupt onto the religious scene, but also onto the socio-political stage as well. They are the new social actors coming on the platform with their religious proposals. Manuela Cant\u00F3n notes that \u2018change brought into play through advances in conversions can be felt in the social structure and organization, in the attitude about productive roles, in the system of authority, in community relationships, in family structure, and in the sharing of functions within genders, and in ecological relations\u2019 (among others) (1998: 121-122). Martin says that there is social and political evidence to show that Evangelicals are not inherently apolitical or conservative. On the contrary, Evangelicals are involved in society causing social change at the level of culture (1990: 267, 68).\u000A3. Academic importance\u000AThe academic importance of this study is that analyses concerning Guatemalan Neo- Pentecostalism are scarce. Due to the recent beginnings of the NPCs, very little has been written about their history and development. These churches have advanced more in practical issues; only now are they beginning to write about what they do and how they think. Some of the Neo-Pentecostal leaders have written some books and manuals about their beliefs and theological emphases.3 Some studies about these churches present a\u000A3 See Harold Caballeros, De Victoria en Victoria, Conceptos, experiencias y t\u00E9cnicas sobre la guerra espiritual, Miami: Betania, 1999. Sergio Enr\u00EDquez, Predicas Apost\u00F3licas, Guatemala: Editorial Ebenezer, 2000. The LDG church is producing a series of manuals about doctrine, church growth and text books at a secondary level. See materials \u2018Fundamentos de la Fe Cristiana I y II\u2019 produced by the Faculty of Leadership of the Christian Fraternity of Guatemala. Other Central American Neo-Pentecostal leaders are beginning to produce literature which shows the experience and vision and how they understand the church and its\u000A16\u000A    


































































































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