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In a study on conversion, Cant\u00F3n found among her informants two different postures regarding the world and politics. To the Pentecostal lay people she attributes a \u2018Lutheran vision\u2019 on politics, concerned with the Gospel and centred on the religious character of church unity. To the Neo-Pentecostal lay people she attributes a \u2018Calvinist vision\u2019 on politics, centred on the problem of reconstructing political order, which fosters an active participation and firm leadership (1998: 257). This situation largely explains why middle and high class NPL are more interested in social problems and politics than lower middle and working class NPL. The laity of LDG, IVF and IFD showed a lesser grasp of social problems and appeared more conservative in their responses.\u000AIn the same manner, the study reveals that a pastor\u0027s preaching and leadership exerts an important influence on the way of thinking, the way of living, and the Christian mission of the laity. They depend on the preaching ministry of their pastors for their growth. The interviews and surveys reflect a certain similarity among the responses of the laity. It was observed that most pastors avoid preaching on the structural problems of the country. Poverty, injustice, impunity, and land problems receive no attention at all. Some state that they do not do this because they have been called to give good news. One of the pastors indicated that it is difficult to speak about those problems in a society such as that of Guatemala. The ESH senior pastor, in a more open and systematic manner, preaches on social transformation, poverty, or education, from his particular Neo-Pentecostal interpretation. At the same time, the study reveals that a third of the laity show greater freedom in expressing their ideas on the national problems and, participate in some projects in favour of civil society independently of the opinion, teaching, or endorsement of their pastors. Of course, their social vision is incipient, unstructured, and developing. Their willingness to deal with social affairs does not necessarily mean that they assume a greater commitment with the development and socio-political transformation of the country, or that they will assume leadership favouring social change.\u000A327\u000A


































































































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