Masculinities in Christian Mexican Music

Dr. Carlos Garma Navarro

Depto. De Antropologia
Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa
México, D.F.

Introduction

We will start this text standing out the importance of Christian music to understand
the growth of the religious diversity in Mexico and Latin America. Many members of
religious minorities express that the musical participation or "Alabanza" (“Praise”) as called
by the believers, is the favorite part of the religious services that they attend. As annotated
in an article published earlier, this artistic expression is an important space of expression
for norms and values that are socially transmitted amongst the believers of these religious
associations (Garma, 2000). There are currently “Christian” Enterprises that devote
themselves to the market called “Evangelical”, which includes Denominational Protestants
as much as Pentecostal Protestants.

Instead of buying images of saints, candles, and little prints in shrines and
peregrinations as the Catholics do, the Evangelicals buy bibles, cassettes, videos and
compact discs of religious music in their churches, book stores, meetings, concerts, and
now more often by internet. This particular musical expression has exceeded the simple
publication of Hymn books to become into a prosperous cultural industry a managed from
the religious associations themselves, which is dedicated to the production of specific
cultural goods for the consumption of a wide and growing public. Note 1

Music is an important way to spread the religious message because it can be heard
by diverse social sectors, and it doesn’t even require reading and writing skills. Anyone
can sing or learn the lyrics of a composition and the collective esthetic emotions are
transmitted easily. The Christian cultural Industry produces goods to be sold in a specific
market, the self named "Pueblo Cristiano" (Christian People). As such, it acts like a bridge
amongst the different churches, because the artists emphasize elements of unity and
cooperation amongst the diverse associations, making creative products that emphasize
values, norms, and common topics. They do not present themselves as believers of a
particular church, but rather as Christian Artists, whose performance is for their
companions of belief or- to put it in other terms- their public.
They foment the feelings of a community created by an Interdenominational community of
followers.

It is necessary to clarify that the terms “Christians” or “Evangelicals” are used

above all by the members of the Protestant and Pentecostal groups when they want to
emphasize elements of cohesion and union. These terms are used as well to identify
themselves before unfamiliar people instead of giving out the name of a particular
association. However, there are groups that clearly aren’t “Evangelical Christians”. These
are the Jehovah’s witnesses, the Mormons, the Spiritualists, The Afro-Cuban Santeria,
and of course the Catholics. (Garma, 1992). Note 2.
 The role of the interpreters, artists and creators of the "Alabanza" or Praise is
important not only to maintain unity of the current believers, but to also attract new
members that are attracted by the music they listen to. The ministers and leaders
recognize the value of the acoustic creation as a notable tool for the proselytism and the
missionary work. (Gaxiola, 1994). Many people –although not everyone- inside this
expressive area already have had experiences or previous training inside the sector of the
commercial or worldy performances before they had a conversion experience. Known
cases are: Yuri, Juan Luis Guerra, Nelson Ned, Maria del Sol, José Luis Rodriguez “el
Puma” and recently Lupita Dalessio, amongst the more well known in Latin America. The
transition from the entertainment field to the ecclesial one is not completely new. Jacobs
and Kaslow, (1991) noted how the Pentecostal Churches as well as the Spiritualists in
New Orleans appreciated the conversion of organists, pianists, drummers, that formerly
played Jazz or blues because they helped so much to create a good setting during the
religious services.

The instrumental and harmonic foundation continues to be the established format

from the Afro-American protestant churches from the United States known as “Spiritual
Songs” or “Gospel Music”. Music from the Gospel style uses a big chorus, accompanied
by an Organ or guitars, and some times tambourines, (Brooks, 2001, Cox 1994, Marks
1974). The Christian Music currently is extremely syncretic and accepts a great variety of
musical styles. This variety of expression has been adapted this way, in part due to the
interpretive knowledge of the artists, as well a form to adapt to the different tastes of the
believers. There are musicians that plays bolero, salsa, reggae, pop music and in Mexico
the “mariachi” music or “ranchero” style. The rock and the hip-hop of Christian musicians
and singers have had a great demand among the young persons, nevertheless, a great
distrust of certain conservative sectors in some of the churches for this particular music
style remains, because they consider it to be too mundane, (see Israel, 1996). One of the
strengths of the Christian music is the variation and adaptability that allows the music to be
accepted by people that comes from so different social groups as young urban people,
housewives, workers, newly established immiigrants in the city or settlers of indigenous
localities.

Inside the nascent field of the studies on the mass media and religion; many topics
are missing or undeveloped. I think that the study of gender offers some very interesting
possibilities that can be taken advantage for new perspectives. On listening to the
Christian music I have found that there are different conceptions about masculinity and
the exaltation of gender relations considered suitable for a believer that are expressed in
the lyrics of this music, which will be described in this brief text. I am going to emphasize
the composers whom are more heard in Mexico due to the fact that this country is where I
carry out my research, but I believe that we may find similarities in other parts of Latin
America where religious diversity have been developed, and in particular the Spanish-
speaking ones, because the songs themselves have crossed the national borders (Garma,
2000). Note 3.

I am going to give a brief note methodological brief on how I obtained the material.
In the very beginning, I had recieved cassettes or hymn books printed as gifts from diverse
people i had interviewed and friends, later I came to buy audio material at the evangelical
stores. This procedure was interesting but slow. Later I found a great amount of the
material for the analysis could be obtained in the Internet, especiallly seeking in the
multiple Christian sites that are easily located in the network. For instance
www.mercadocristiano.com, offers several options to the internet believers, from online
sermons to videos. Besides the lyrics, frequently it is possible to find the chords of the
musical pieces themselves. Here is where I’ve found the possibility to gather a much larger
number of song lyrics and listen to them directly by downloading these songs. I’ve
obtained eventually an average of a hundred song lyrics to analyze. This diverse diffusion
shows how as Christian music has been consolidated in a cultural industry that adapts
itself quickly to the technological changes and appropriates without any problem to the
consumption innovations for a wide market increasing continuously.

The Gender of God

An increasing trend between the evangelical Latin Americans is the orientation

towards the spiritual war, which is kept in the implacable clash between the good and evil,
which only can conclude with the absolute victory of the first (Stoll, 1997). The God figure
in the songs of spiritual war presents very particular characteristics. He appears with a
hipermasculine identity, with particular elements of domanance and force. He is an
Almighty being, a winning and aggressive warrior who gains the battles that are freed
against the forces of evil.

His Biblical orientation is towards the divinity represented in the Old Testament,
which demands the loyalty of a people that faces the adversity before formidable
opponents, as the diverse invading empires of the Hebrew territory like the Persians, the
Egyptians, and the Romans.

According to this orientation the believer must decide and to take the side of good
in this cosmological battle. Some compositions indicate that the enemy is Satan, who is
conquered by the follower with the help of the Divine. An interesting variant for the
anthropological analyst is the song “The Wizard” of the group of Christian rock “The Strong
Tower”, where a pagan shaman is converted to the Christianity. Another composition from
this rock group titled “For my soldiers” distinguishes the trials that the followers must pass
and the choir emphasizes :(March, fight, observe, monitors, in the war they will be the
winners of God the invincible ones…….)

The very popular singer & compositor and Mexican-American businessman Marcos
Witt emphasizes this representation of the God of the spiritual war in the composition "
Majestic and Powerful ".

In another his creation named “Sitting on his Throne”, the monarchic representation
of the divinity develops in this strophe: (Seated on his throne surrounded by light, to the
right-hand side of the Father, Jesus governs….).

Another example is the song ”Powerful is our God”, of Luis Enrique Espinoso. It is
necessary to remember that not all the evangelical churches accept an orientation opened
towards the spiritual war, due to its antagonistic trend that can be felt to be very
aggressive. The winning God is also a source of power for the believer who submits totally
to the plans of the creator, as stands out clearly the composition “You are My Owner" of
the group “Angels of Fire”. Note 4.
 Other compositions emphasize other facets of the divinity. This way Jesus Christ
appears more as a major kind brother who rests and helps the believer when he requests
it. A clear example is in the song " I have a friend who loves me ", of the group J.E.S.
Another case gives itself Jesus Adrian Romero's composition called “With my God
shoulder to shoulder”. As well as in the song “When you feel a lot of sorrow” of the Group
“The Rapture".

The divinity is represented in these songs is a near and friendly being, who
supports the believer when he evokes his support through the prayer and the praise. In
addition he is named as a healer who relieves the pain of the body and of the soul, in
songs that have a clear Pentecost orientation towards the belief in the gift of the Health.
This is the case of compositions like “ Christ is my Doctor ” and “Jesus, the Divine Doctor
“ . Songs that I heard in Mexican Pentecostal Temples during the meetings to relieve the
Illness and sufferings of the believers there congregated. They underline that, he is the
Lord who gives health to the human beings and that illness aqnd discomfort are linked
with distancing from God, as it is showed by the title of an anthem of the Christian United
Church, “I am ill by the sin”. The Christian Rock group “Red” presents an petition of Health
in their song’s chorus “ God send Rain”, that has an interesting symbolism.: God send
Rain, spill over your Spirit,; Send today your fire, Recover my wounds, Restore me Lord.
In different parts of the Bible there is an interesting association between fire and rain,
(which in earthly sense are extreme opposites), with the divine and extraordinary gifts that
are delivered to a select following (Goodman, 1972). Frequently there are references to
the miracles of Jesus Christ taken one by one from the New Testament’s four Gospels.
Another examples is given in the composition “Raise me, Lord”

where the singer Marcos Witt calls in name of the Divinity the banishment of the
Spirits of disease, evilness, Resentment and perversion, emphasizing also the aspects of
the fight against the evil; “Your enemies Flee in front of you, they disperse before you, all
those who detest your presence…”This song clearly combines elements from the
mentioned topic of a spiritual war. This composition besides it clearly refers to the
liberation of evil throughout the request for divine help, which in catholic terms it closer to
the ritual of exorcism.

It is interesting to point out that in the songs the typical distinctive characteristics
between God and Jesus Christ do not exist in the lyrics. They appear like figures that are
practically interchangeable in their roles and attributes, the references to the Holy Spirit
are scanty in the lyrics. The interpreters in fact are not worried for theological principles as
the mysteries of the Holy Trinity, (those are elements that causes discussion and
disagreement amongst the different religious associations). The artists rather seek to
construct a set of wide and shared messages for the consumption of the members of the
different Christian groups. The creators and interpreters hereby increase the feelings of
support and union between the "brothers" instead of the discord that causes " the theft of
the sheep “ (This phrase refers to when a preacher or pastor takes followers from another
leader of a congregation).

Nevertheless, there are also references to God with somewhat ambiguous terms,
as lovelyb and beautiful. It is necessary to remember that these adjectives would be
associated more in Latin America and the Mediterranean Europe to the qualities of a
feminine person, because the excessive physical and esthetic care can be associated with
the homosexuality in a man (Peristany, 1968, Pitt Rivers & Peristany, 1993). Perhaps, the
lyrics of these compositions here signal the return of an androgynious God, both
masculine and feminine in his qualities. Curiously the same singers and composers who
emphasize the spiritual war, may include own songs about this divine androgyny, for
example Marcos Witt, above mentioned author of compositions titled “Beautiful you are”,
“How beautiful is the Lord” and “Lover of You Lord” ¿ Would it be possible for an earthly
soldier to express in this way about his commander or general ? I’ve even found in a web
site a chorus for children named “Christ is Beautiful” and I have to recognize that this
Androgyny was the most amazing element found in these compositions. Some
researchers have noted certain figures of bisexuality monitored in certain feminization of
God that appears in some rituals of possession. (Goodman, 1989 Lewis, 2003 Laplantine,
1987) but these songs express it an open way in a Christian context. It is good to mention
that the homosexuality is not accepted in these groups, rather it is openly condemned and
considered as immoral and sinful. (Garma, 2004). In some churches these kind of songs
are sung mostly by a female chorus (Hilario Wynarczyk, argentine sociologist, personal
observation). It would be interesting to study what do the people that sing and listen to
these songs feel.

The Christian male

There are also recommendations toward a suitable masculinity, which is the one
that must have a real Christian, who has dominated his sexuality, respects his wife, fulfills
matrimony and supports responsibly his family. There are the songs of the group
”Keepers of promises”, for instance. In " My home and I " the husband manages a
household where worship is given to God in a proper way. Another song of this kind is "
Man of commitment " by Jesus Adrian Romero. The composition " What you have to do"
from the rock Christian group " The Strong Tower " indicates clearly the following thing: “to
be a man is to respect, to be a man is to wait, is not a man the one that hurts for pleasure
and later goes away". The importance of the good marriage is exalted in these
compositions, for example in ” I will enjoy “ from Marcos Witt, that emphasizes the role of
a good wife. Also the virtues of the good women are annotated here. They are usually
submissive Christian wives. Likewise the good Christian husband must rest and support
his spouse, as sung in a rap of the aforementioned group” The Strong Tower” that states "
a man is not that one that tries to satisfy many women, but that one that is capable of
satisfying only one in all her needs". Among the Christian evangelical males, the norm of
the monogamy is upheld and the extra matrimonial affairs are not accepted. There is no
double standard towards the sexual conduct among between men and women, which is
common in popular culture in the region. (Garma, 2004 Brusco, 1995).

Some songs illustrate the problems with people of the opposite sex who are not
Christians. This theme in fact is scanty compared with the cases mentioned above. The
examples that are given are taken from Biblical stories, as happens in many compositions.
Here there are the tempting women that tease the good men, and can take them to the
misfortune of the sin. I’ve found an example in the deception of Delilah to Samson (stated
in the Old Testament) in a Christian song of “ranchero” style. In his composition the singer
Pedro Sánchez request “ Do not make a mistake like Samson did” , whom refuses to get
married with a decent Hebrew woman due to the charms of the beautifull Philistine. To
balance the situation the next song of the cassette tape ( titled “Beautiful love”) is called
“The Samaritan” and is about a good woman who quenches the thirst of Jesus Christ and
converts. I must point out that it was difficult to me to find a single example about the sinful
woman (From more than hundred titles I just found one) and it called my attention to
discover precisely in the "ranchero" musical style, known for its high content of
discrimination against woman.

There are also compositions that shows the other side. This is illustrated by the
interaction amongst the worldy man and Mary Magdalene, according to Yuri’s song. In
this very popular composition by the converted singer from Veracruz, the men that
sexually desired the Magdalene are the same that will throw stones to her body, until she
is recued by Jesus Christ. In the lyrics of her composition called "Maria Magdalena", Yuri
identifies herself with this Biblical personage in the following strophe : "There were some
who were praising me, some of them were pointing me and many men desired me, like
Mary Magdalene they threw stones on me. (It is worth mentioning that Yuri, before
becoming a converted singer, had passed through a time when she used her sensual
image and also posed for a “gentleman’s" magazine). This proves that the relationships
with mundane men can be also unfortunate for a Christian woman. In the evangelical
temples I’ve heard many times about cases in which good Christian woman got married
with bad catholic men that prohibited them to assist to their temples, until they became
widows. On the other hand, I’ve never heard from a man that he stopped going to the
church because of his catholic wife. This is a proof of the weight of men’s decisions inside
the family with regards to the accepted beliefs of the domestic unit. (Garma 2004, Juárez
2006)

It is notable that in the Christian songs the very accentuated misogyny of the
popular Mexican songs does not exist. This negative orientation reaches its maximum
expression in authors as Jose Alfredo Jimenez of Guanajuato or Agustin Lara of Veracruz,
composers of real anthems to “ machismo”, as the recognized expert of the popular
cultures, Carlos Monsivais has indicated in his work. Jimenez, in his song “La chancla”
compares a lover with an old shoe that must be thrown away. Lara dedicated songs as
“Perdida” and “Aventurera” to romantic prostitutes. Even though the majority of these
compositions belongs to the forties, fifties and beginning of the sixties of last century still
remain in the radio, the cinema and television. In other Countries they are considered to
be the typical Mexican. As Gutmann indicates, 2000 the classic stereotype of the Mexican
macho that has spread in the massive media is the ill-mannered person, brave "ranchero"
singer, player, womanizer and alcoholic. Nowadays, the songs about drug-dealers (narco-
corridos) maintain this tradition exalting aspects of a violent and arrogant masculinity that
despises the women and mistreats them. Several authors have pointed out the
characteristics of the misogynic streotypes that these popular diverse popular
compositions emphasize (Zarate, 2005). The females are unfaithfull, money hunters and
malevolent. Prostitutes and brothels abound all over, the wives are simply absent. Though
there is one or another holy mother out there. Misfortune, oblivion and murder are the
destiny of bad women (Fernando Poncela, 2002).

It is important to mention that in the Christian songs the hate towards woman is
really absent. If we consider the norms recommended for the masculinity of these groups,
the expression of these values is coherent. In the Christian evangelical churches there
exists an absolute condemnation to polygamy, adultery, alcoholism, and violence against
the weak. This behaviors complete a serie of actions that reinforce themselves.
Concluding an adept to a terrible sinful situation, that takes a person to ruin. Catholicism
is condemned to be too relaxed against these vices and different forms of evilness
(Garma, 2004). The attachment to these prohibitions is a man’s training that will avoid the
dangerous situations that bring about imbalance and the excess, such as the visits to bars
and drunken parties. In this sense it can be stated that the result is a “domesticed male”,
but who also happens to be a good man and good father. This is helpfull to the whole
family. A recent study has proved that the childhood mortality has been reduced in the
indian communities of the mexican state of Chiaps with a Protestant and Pentecostal
majority (Potter, 2007) Note 6.

Conclusions:

The representations of these songs, show the contradiction of the gender

relationships in the Protestant and Pentecostal churches that are considered as
Evangelical Christians. There the believers are indeed reborn human beings, well yes,
but in their own way. Male believers are still patriarchal in several aspects, because as
seen, it exists some patriarchal conceptions of the masculinity of God in the different kind
of the spiritual war songs, but they are not really oriented toward misogyny, in the sense
of accepting a denigrated vision that justifys the violent submission of women. Their goal
is the balanced matrimony based on mutual monogamy. ( Let’s remember that the pastors
and preachers here are married, which is different from the “celibate” catholic Priests).
Besides the feminine qualities can be accepted, including even God and Jesus Christ. In
this sense, these Christian songs, prove the existence of complicated aspects of gender
relationships amongst the evangelical believers, which had been already mentioned by
several specialists, above all female authors as Mariz y Dores 1997, Juárez 2006, and
Brusco 1994. and others. It is necessary to insist that the masculinity itself of the particular
social beings it is always complicated and it can’t be characterized by simple stereotypes.
(Bourdieu, 1993 Godelier, 1986).

I’ll mention here the role of the Christian singer as an organic intellectual ( Portelli
19977) for the religious minorities. The composers and singers adapt to the
representations of their audience to keep listeners and at the same time they help to forge
the same conceptions of the world. Their lyrics as a double aspect. In one manner, they
help to express the norms and values of the social group to which their audience belongs,
and allow them to understand easily the acceptable behavior of their interaction , as to
their own reference group and likewise toward the rest of society. In this case, they
express the forms of masculinity of upheld by believers mentioned above, but they also
express elements from concepts of the same believers which the singers reflect in their
performance. Therefore. also unsolved contradictions that have been lived by the
individuals also appear, though these are not always considered resolved. The purpose
that is intended is to express as in these compositions is that the human being is
complicated, unfinished, and changing entity. This is a man that will call himself a
Christian.

Finally I’ll make a brief comparison with the gender ideology of Catholicism, where
is notable the contrast with the worship of the Virgin Mary and the permanent exclusion of
women from the Clergy and the Priesthood. The Mother of Jesus Christ is unique amongst
all the women therefore she presents an unreachable condition to regular mortal females.
This relation have been identified by many authors as part of a subordination of women
justified ideologically by Catholicism, (Bourdieu 1999, Douglas 1997 and Napolitano
2002). Also it is linked to the Mediterranean systems of honor, grace and shame
(Peristany 1968, Pitt Rivers & Peristany, 1993), that exalt masculinity and that have been
spread in America throughout the Iberian colonization. This has been demonstrated
clearly in anthropological studies that compare the speeches, popular tales and sayings
about the relations between men and women in Spain and Mexico (Fernández Poncela
1994, Taggart 1997). As stated before in this text, those values linked to the exageration
of the “manliness” are very present in popular Mexican songs. In these songs I have
analyzed there are no references to the Virgin Mary, as happens continuously in Mexican
catholic religious lyrics (Zarate 2004). In the samples of the lyric I have obtained I just
found one reference to the mother of God (“As Mary in Bethany”), and inside of a Printed
Hymn Book, not in a record. No doubt, idolatry to the Virgin Mary is associated by
evangelicals to Catholicism and therefore is prohibited, here the absence of the
Marianism does not point to the absolute gender equality between men and women, but it
is perceived an effort to eliminate the exaltation of the most extreme forces of symbolic
masculine violence, that are associated to the earthy sin. On the other hand, it is proposed
the subordination to Divinity, that acts with power and love, is proposed. For its unique
attributes it is considered that God is different from the earthy authority, whether it is
masculine or not.

The Christian song manifests a re-socialization of gender subjectivity amongst the

converted, persons that have belonged to another religion and whom have learn to
reorganize their lives based in a new identity that privileges the new system of belief that
has been chosen by the followers of a receptive association (Garma 2004, Rambo 1996,
Stronberg 1993 ). The separation with the former life, is often underlined,as the song,
“there is no condemnation “, from the rock Christian group “Red” mentions “The one that
is in Jesus is new creation, the things of the past, have now passed” . In the religious
groups, the transformation of the individual by the acceptation of his new Faith is
emphasized, the accomplishment of the norms and values of the new accepted religion is
vital for the believer. The songs reinforce the practice that the believers must fulfill in the
new religious affiliation. Also they are emotionally supported in their daily life, privately
(playing and listening to music at their home) and publicly (participating in the praise at
churches and meetings of believers). The intersection of the gender space and artistic
expression appears as a modeling element of the experience that help us to understand
several interesting stages of the current religious transformation.

Notes

1.- The concepts about the characteristics of the cultural Industries comes from García
Canclini, 1997.

2.- For the readers that aren’t familiar to the religious minorities I’ll clarify as follows: The
Historical Denominational Protestant churches have their origins directly linked to the
Reform of the Century XVI, inspired in the work and thought of Martin Luther and John
Calvin. Among these churches are the Presbyterian, Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans,
Calvinists, Nazarenes, and other Congregations amongst the most important, Every
association has a superior structure at the national level that takes the most important
decisions as well as arranging organization schedules. (Vazquez, 1991). In this
congregations the pastor usually has formal studies. The rituals emphasize the reading of
the Bible, unique source of divine revelation, as well as the testimonies of the believers
(Ruiz, 1992). The Pentecostal Churches have their origin in the United States of America,
since 1906 in areas where there was a strong influence of the black Protestant population.
Pentecostalism was founded by the Afro-American pastor William Seymour (Cox, 1994).
Its name derives from the Christian holiday that commemorates the day in which twelve
apostles recieved the Holy Spirit for the first time, and they obtained wonderful gifts, as
speaking in different foreign languages, the healing of the sick people and prophesy.
According to the Pentecostalism every believer can receive these "gifts" by being opened
to the Holly Spirit. Amongst the more important Pentecostal groups of Mexico we find the
Assemblies of God, the Apostolic Church of the Faith in Jesus Christ, Christian
Interdenominational church, Centers of Faith, Hope and Love, Pentecostal Independent
Church, and Christian Friendship.

In all of Latin America, including Mexico, among the evangelical Christians, the
Pentecostals are the majority (Bastian, 1994, Martin, 1990, Cox, 1994). Denominational
Protestants and Pentecostals that are considered to be "brothers" and emphasize their
distance from the Catholicism as a binding aspect. Their attachment to the Bible separates
them from Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, who use other sacred books or appeal to
distinctive interpretations. To receive foreign spirits apart from God is a serious sin, which
is a cause of condemnation against the spiritualism and the Cuban Santeria.

3.-The market of the evangelical recordings in Brazil has developed widely, (Aubree, 1996,
Burity, 1997, Chesnut, 1997), but its analysis needs of a bigger approximation of their
national culture and language, which exceeds the limits of this text.

4.- A special mention on the case of the multi-skilled Marcos Witt is needed. This Christian
artist has his own Record line titled "Canzión", which in addition is distributed by the
international corporation Sony. He`s one of the few Spanish-speaking artists of this kind
whose work can be bought by Amazon in Internet. Canzión has his own website that also
distributes the recordings across the Americas. The website is: www.canzion.com Witt has
done 21 discs in his prolific career and has written two books "Let's "adore" and " God,
What we do with these musicians? ".He is the son of North American missionaries, born in
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A., but since he was a child he grew up in Mexico. Currently, he
is considered to be the most successful Christian artist of Spanish-speaking America,
filling multiple audiences and theatres from Houston to Buenos Aires, as shown in his web
page (other colleagues and specialists have confirmed this success to me in other
countries, as Paul Sérman & Hilario Wynarczyk in Argentina). His musical style is rock -
pop, with a strong influence of gospel. As expected he is also a pastor and the ordained
Minister of a Christian independent association.

5.-The topic of the healing as the manner how God conquered pain and suffering is a
vital aspect to understand the growth of the non-catholic groups, particularly the
Pentecostalism, where these beliefs attract many potentials converts from very diverse
contexts (Garma, 1987 and 2004). Currently, the practices linked to miraculous faith
healing have spread to many groups of belief such as the catholic charismatic renovation,
spiritualists, and new age followers. Once again the term itself has a specific meaning for
the followers. It is considered that the cure implies the relief of the corporal discomfort as
well as spiritual suffreing that only comes from the contact with the divine. On the other
hand, the doctors provide the treatment that only affects the body and therefore it ‘s
limited. It is considered that due to the divine intervention, the miraculous recoveries are
possible, when other methods have failed, Garma, 2004. In many different expressions of
belief the role of the music is extremely important to achieve a suitable state adapted for
the rituals where the healing of the sickness and discomfort occurs (Goodman, 1989,
Lewis, 2003).

6.-This does not imply the acceptance of complete equality between man and woman. In
evangelical churches the formal position of the women changes varies greatly. Some
associations accept the ordenation of female pastors and preachers, as for instance the
Church of God, the Anglican Church and the Methodist Church, which have even accepted
to have women as Bishops. Other associations consider that a woman may direct a
congregation only in exceptional cases and under the eventual supervision of a man, this
is the case of the Apostolic Church and the Assemblies of God. The Pentecostal leader
Manuel Gaxiola considered that mexican were not sufficiently mature to accept a feminine
leadership (Gaxiola, 1994). In the family and home a good wife respects and follows her
husband when he is a good Christian, she must support him and not cause him problems.
This exhortation follows St. Paul's recommendations in his epistles to the Corinthians,
which recommended the obedience of the wives to their husbands. Nevertheless, as
Juárez, 2006, shows in her excellent study; even in the most conservative groups there is
room for negotiation on the recommendations for gender conduct.

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I have used the Bible in spanish, published by the International Bible Society.

www.mercadocristiano.com

www.canzion.com

www.musicacristiana.com

www.geocities.com/Athens/agora/6205/cantos2.htm

www.devociontotal.com

www.ungidos.com