The Roma community in Spain is a collective extensively studied from the point of view of social services and studies on social exclusion. No doubt the quality of life levels usually reach this group showed a significant inequality with the rest of the indigenous population that justifies this type of study. However, the volume of research that are detached from this perspective to analyze social structure and its character is much lower. This article was inserted precisely in this last line showing some notes on of religion that professes this group mainly in the English state.
Most English Gypsies are attached to which is known as the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia. What follows is a brief review of the history and structure of this institution to conclude by pointing out what has been the role of the church within the Roma community.
Most English Gypsies are attached to which is known as the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia. What follows is a brief review of the history and structure of this institution to conclude by pointing out what has been the role of the church within the Roma community.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA
WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO DEVELOP
The Evangelical Church of Philadelphia is named after one of the Seven Churches of Christ mentioned in Revelation. This Pentecostal church is one of the most important evangelical enterprises developed in Spain and is most remarkable peculiarity of being the most represented gypsy church in this country.
The cradle of this movement is found in France around 1950, but not until the mid 60's and early 70's when we find the first manifestations in Spain.
The existing socio-political environment in this country during that period (last years of Franco) somehow facilitated the establishment of this church, because of the liberalization process that was taking place.
expansion this church for the English territory occurs through contact between Roma families, which are transmitted from one another the knowledge of this new religion.
This transmission process this expansion gives a strength and dynamism, together with the support and empathy of this religion with the idiosyncrasies the Roma people, explained the big bang conversion that occurs in the 80's.
Today, the evangelical mission has a very large number of followers, an amount of approximately five hundred churches and local pastors in 2500. Just have to say that, although many Roma remain Catholic, evangelical religion a draft deep in Romany, gypsies being more evangelical practitioners in their religion than Catholics .
CHURCH KEY FEATURES AND STRUCTURE
Philadelphia Evangelical Church is based, like all other Protestant religions, Christianity reforms introduced by Luther in the sixteenth century. Now, with features that resemble other evangelical denominations, also has certain peculiarities from Pentecostal status and adaptation of Buddhism to the gypsy culture.
Being a church Pentecostal involves belief in the miracles of the Holy Spirit as narrated in the Bible that occurred on the day of Pentecost. Along with this, we highlight other features that are derived from it:
Rejection of the hierarchical organization and priestly
Pastor's condition is acquired through the charismatic qualities of the candidates (novices). Moreover, the body that holds ultimate authority constituted by a group of elders who dictate the general guidelines to follow.
The minimum institutionalized hierarchical structure and lack of bureaucracy and formal rules and the importance of charismatic qualities leaders, let us analyze the prevailing forms of authority in this church structure in terms of the Weberian typology as a combination of the ideal types of traditional and charismatic authority.
· rejection of baptism in children
baptism, considered as a remission of sins can only be carried out at an age when the subject is undertaken in a conscious and voluntary, therefore, the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia rejects the practice of this ritual at an early age in which no use of reason.
· The cult based solely on the Bible
The Bible is the only baseline written to these Gypsies are routed in all the rites and beliefs. Thus, for example, deny the Theory of Evolution of Species, await the return of Christ to earth and think the woman from the rib of Adam.
The free interpretation of the Bible made representing the evangelists crucial differentiating factor between the different denominations.
• The iconoclasm
Like other Protestant churches, the denomination of Philadelphia forbids the worship of images.
· emphasis on inner inspiration
This feature is directly linked to the lack of institutionalized rules in this church. Interior inspiration that Aleluyas - name given to Gypsies attached to this church - attributed to the strength of the Holy Spirit pervades all manifestations of faith: Religion attendees are free to express publicly and at any time his love of God, Pastors usually only prepare a small base of his sermon and let the rest flow through the inspiration of the moment, etcLa experience of religiosity is converted to evangelical gypsies in a letting go ", but always observing limits that despite not be defined in an explicit way, everyone knows (this is also a feature of all gypsy lifestyle, evangelical or not). We must also bear in mind that like the Roma are mainly nomadic tradition requires a very flexible structure to avoid conflicts between the spiritual and the continuous movement
WORSHIP CELEBRATION OF THE ROMA PEOPLE AND WORSHIP
Throughout history the Roma has maintained a close relationship with the transcendent which is manifested through their culture in many ways: a deep respect for the dead, the practice of various arts of divination, the belief in curses , etc.
Gypsies, because of this particular experience of the phenomenon religious, have never been fully incorporated into the Catholic religion prevails in Spain. If we consider the fundamental characteristics of the Roma culture, it is easy to understand that the Roma feel that religion as something alien to his people, and that with the emergence of the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia in Spain were many who adhere to it, abandoning Catholicism.
The rigor of the Catholic Church before Vatican II , did not quite take root in the heart of a deeply marked by the love of freedom. Moreover, the fact that the Latin Mass was officiated was also a restraining factor, it must be taken into account that in most cases Roma dominated the Castilian even impossible for them to continue the celebration through a missal, and who could not read. To all this must be added the fact that Catholic churches were formed by non-Roma and non-gypsies were also priests, in short was a religion for non-Roma - and we must keep in mind that the coexistence of two cultures has never been satisfactorily -.
However, the emergence of the evangelical church has been for the Gypsy a possibility to express their religiosity in a much more in tune with their culture. In the Bohemian Protestant celebrations can speak freely without be subject to regulated patterns of behavior, pastors are gypsies, like the assistants in the cult can unleash its expression through song and praise ... All these factors have made the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia a religion in which the Roma are comfortable and that they recognize as their own.
But now, the implementation of this church in Spain was not without its problems within the Roma community itself, as the majority belong in principle to the Catholic Church, many were reluctant to accept a new religion that did not know . Because of this, many of the Roma who were converted to the Evangelical Church in its infancy in Spain had to fight hard to get their commitment to religion was accepted by their families and friends, and later to become the same also.
Once completed these first moments of difficulty, the Roma were gradually accepting this religion, until in the eighties there was a mass conversion to the church. This decade has been the most important in the history of worship in Spain in terms of conversions, as today, although new members are still occurring, is manifesting a progressive decline in the number of new conversions.
SOME OF YOUR INFLUENCES IN SOCIAL DYNAMICS
A) THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD
First, it should be noted that the educational role the church has met within the Roma community. Based on data such as that 71% of the English Gypsy population in 1997 had not failed to complete compulsory schooling or your gross illiteracy rate stood at 44% , it is essential to address this problem, a goal that also check this religious community.
Learning gypsy children in their own environment revolves around the family, and aims the transmission of values \u200b\u200band norms of the group as well as the qualifications necessary to perform function within the family labor (traditionally associated with street vendors, trade and those trades that can be developed with a certain autonomy).
At this point the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia has introduced an innovative factor. First, the fact that religious beliefs are based on the Bible has facilitated the approach of Gypsy historical knowledge and to increase language skills through reading this book.
This church has done very important work, but also promotes the learning of reading the gypsies who can not read, so that they can access the Bible.
On the other hand holding the Cult is also a place of learning for attendees. The reading of the Word by Pastor is always linked to the explanation of its meaning. The pastor who has been instructed previously acted as a bridge between the Gypsy and the contents of their holy book, explaining how they understand what is read.
B) COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AND SOCIAL COHESION
The psychological need to possess an identity is one of the fundamental characteristics of human beings. Reference groups and membership of an individual up one of the most important elements construction of this identity, as they provide a sense of identification with the group and become mirrors in which to find their own values, beliefs and behaviors that you yourself possess. Thus, next to the individual identity of the people who make the group also created a collective identity based on common characteristics they share.
The importance of these groups becomes more apparent when referring to minority and excluded groups. The fact that a small group to be recognized in a position of inequality and oppression by the dominant group causing an intensification of the norms and values \u200b\u200bthat define them as a defense mechanism and differentiation.
The Roma community is a clear example of the above. The situation of marginalization that this town has suffered without exception throughout history in Spain has promoted the strict maintenance of traditional forms and deep sense of belonging to the community by its components, has been what has allowed the survival of the group despite the attack and the persecution they have suffered on many occasions.
This strong collective identity of the Roma is reinforced in the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia. Possession of a religion, distinct from the religion of the bumpkins, enhances the differentiation between the two groups.
On the other hand, and on the basis the idea that the Gospel has come into the world to redeem the poor and marginalized peoples, the Roma have taken the belief that its people have been chosen by God for their salvation. This idea of \u200b\u200bchosen people in a way relieves the frustration caused by the fact of marginalization, as a transcendental way, this town provides the consideration and the power of those who have been deprived by the majority society.
C) SOCIAL CONTROL
The unity of the group becomes, somehow, in a kind of social control to individuals, who have to bear in mind that whatever they do will be watched and judged by the group. To this we must add the idea that everything they make in the private sphere will be observed and judged by God.
This feeling of being watched both by their own comrades as by a divine force, many times slowing the possible actions that deviate from the model of behavior that has been defined as appropriate. CONCLUSION
In short, we can conclude that the experience of religiosity in the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia is fully in line with traditional forms Roma, being observed in each and every one of the celebrations and rules of the common features of Worship this culture and because of this adaptation of religion to the idiosyncrasy is what we observe a strong increase of followers since its inception in ours.
In other words, "Worship, liturgy is the gypsy, it has its songs, prayers, language, forms of preaching are Roma and, besides, he can participate. Preaching is accessible, enjoyable, varied, using the Bible, it says something, you have content, which is why the Gypsy does not get bored and, moreover, is interested and lives " .
When talking about different religions, you should always know the most inner parts of them is not an obligation, just a board, this way we be a little tolerant of different things, as well as see the evangelist religion beat us on the issue of the large hierarchy among other things, perhaps different, neither better nor worse, but people must be all the same, and the hierarchy on religion . For everything else I hope I have clarified an issue that for many a doubt, this article was written by personal request from a partner.
there is always hope for freedom of religion, but unfortunately the subject of religion remains a source of wars and social disputes in the world today.
0 comments:
Post a Comment