Kristy Nabhan-Warren
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781469607153
- eISBN:
- 9781469608037
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/9781469607177_Nabhan-Warren
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
The internationally growing Cursillo movement, or “short course in Christianity,” founded in 1944 by Spanish Catholic lay practitioners, has become popular among American Catholics and Protestants ...
More
The internationally growing Cursillo movement, or “short course in Christianity,” founded in 1944 by Spanish Catholic lay practitioners, has become popular among American Catholics and Protestants alike. This lay-led weekend experience helps participants recommit to and live their faith. Emphasizing how American Christians have privileged the individual religious experience and downplayed denominational and theological differences in favor of a common identity as renewed people of faith, this book focuses on cursillistas—those who have completed a Cursillo weekend—to show how their experiences are a touchstone for understanding these trends in post-1960s American Christianity. Drawing on extensive ethnographic fieldwork as well as historical research, it shows the importance of Latino Catholics in the spread of the Cursillo movement. Cursillistas' stories, the author argues, guide us toward a new understanding of contemporary Christian identities, inside and outside U.S. borders, and of the importance of globalizing American religious boundaries.Less
The internationally growing Cursillo movement, or “short course in Christianity,” founded in 1944 by Spanish Catholic lay practitioners, has become popular among American Catholics and Protestants alike. This lay-led weekend experience helps participants recommit to and live their faith. Emphasizing how American Christians have privileged the individual religious experience and downplayed denominational and theological differences in favor of a common identity as renewed people of faith, this book focuses on cursillistas—those who have completed a Cursillo weekend—to show how their experiences are a touchstone for understanding these trends in post-1960s American Christianity. Drawing on extensive ethnographic fieldwork as well as historical research, it shows the importance of Latino Catholics in the spread of the Cursillo movement. Cursillistas' stories, the author argues, guide us toward a new understanding of contemporary Christian identities, inside and outside U.S. borders, and of the importance of globalizing American religious boundaries.
Kristy Nabhan-Warren
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781469607153
- eISBN:
- 9781469608037
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469607153.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
This chapter shows how mainline American Protestants had heard enough about the Catholic Cursillo weekend to be convinced that they had to experience the three days for themselves. What they were ...
More
This chapter shows how mainline American Protestants had heard enough about the Catholic Cursillo weekend to be convinced that they had to experience the three days for themselves. What they were hearing was exciting and intriguing; Catholic friends and relatives talked about changed lives, new relationships with Christ, improved marriages, and, generally speaking, new outlooks on life as a result of their weekend experience. American Catholic cursillistas spoke with enough conviction and passion that they inspired Protestants from a variety of traditions to seek out and make a Catholic Cursillo. In the 1960s and 1970s, Protestants were able to make a Catholic Cursillo weekend in the Diocese of Peoria. It was a small group of Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopalian laymen and women who, moved by their experiences during their Catholic Cursillo weekends, formed their own movements based directly on the Catholic Cursillo method.Less
This chapter shows how mainline American Protestants had heard enough about the Catholic Cursillo weekend to be convinced that they had to experience the three days for themselves. What they were hearing was exciting and intriguing; Catholic friends and relatives talked about changed lives, new relationships with Christ, improved marriages, and, generally speaking, new outlooks on life as a result of their weekend experience. American Catholic cursillistas spoke with enough conviction and passion that they inspired Protestants from a variety of traditions to seek out and make a Catholic Cursillo. In the 1960s and 1970s, Protestants were able to make a Catholic Cursillo weekend in the Diocese of Peoria. It was a small group of Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopalian laymen and women who, moved by their experiences during their Catholic Cursillo weekends, formed their own movements based directly on the Catholic Cursillo method.
Kristy Nabhan-Warren
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781469607153
- eISBN:
- 9781469608037
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469607153.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
This chapter discusses how, for the cursillistas interviewed for this book, making their Cursillo was about becoming a better person. They emerged from the intensive three days as renewed men, women, ...
More
This chapter discusses how, for the cursillistas interviewed for this book, making their Cursillo was about becoming a better person. They emerged from the intensive three days as renewed men, women, Catholics, Protestants, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives. For Catholic cursillistas like José Herrera, the weekend experience led them to nothing less than an epiphany. For the first time in their lives as brown-skinned Mexicans, they believed that their individual gifts were important to the future of their Church. For those middle- and upper-middle-class white, non-Hispanic men and women like Sue Davis who made their weekend, the three days of their Cursillo affirmed their lay Catholic and Protestant identities. They returned to their homes and families rejuvenated, prepared to “be church.” They were ready to take on increased responsibilities in the lives of their families, parishes, dioceses, and neighborhoods.Less
This chapter discusses how, for the cursillistas interviewed for this book, making their Cursillo was about becoming a better person. They emerged from the intensive three days as renewed men, women, Catholics, Protestants, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives. For Catholic cursillistas like José Herrera, the weekend experience led them to nothing less than an epiphany. For the first time in their lives as brown-skinned Mexicans, they believed that their individual gifts were important to the future of their Church. For those middle- and upper-middle-class white, non-Hispanic men and women like Sue Davis who made their weekend, the three days of their Cursillo affirmed their lay Catholic and Protestant identities. They returned to their homes and families rejuvenated, prepared to “be church.” They were ready to take on increased responsibilities in the lives of their families, parishes, dioceses, and neighborhoods.
