A CHRONOLOGY OF PROTESTANT BEGINNINGS:  PERU

by Clifton L. Holland, Director of PROLADES

(last revised on May 27, 2003)

Historical Overview of Peru:                                                                                          

 

Independence from Spain:                                                                                                    1824

Peru-Bolivian Confederation:                                                                                         1836-1839

Independent Republic Established:                                                                                       1840

War of the Pacific (Chile, Peru, Bolivia):                                                                        1879-1882

Religious Freedom Established:                                                                             1915 and 1925

 

Number of North American Agencies in 1989:                                                                            82

Number of North American agencies in 1996:                                                                            61                    

Indicates European society*

Significant Protestant Beginnings or Events:

            1812    -     *British and Foreign Bible Societies colportage

            1822    -     *British and Foreign Bible Societies colporteur, James Thomson

            1824    -     American Bible Society colporteur, W. Wheelwright

            1849    -     *Anglican chapel services in Lima

            1858    -     Early Swedish Lutheran chapel services in Callao:  the Petersons.

            1877    -     Methodist Episcopal self-supporting School work

            1877    -     *Non-conformist Anglican chapel services in Callao (William and Archibald Taylor)

            1884    -     Presbyterian Church USA work began by J. M. Thompson

      1888    -     American Bible Society colporteur Francisco Penzotti establishes Peruvian Bible Society, aided by a Chilean Colporteur, J. B. Arancet; Penzotti was imprisoned in 1890-1891.

            1891    -     Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Foreign Missions (Thomas B. Wood)

            1893    -     *English Open Plymouth Brethren group in Callao (Charles H. Bright)

            1893    -     *Regions Beyond Missionary Union (merged with World Team in 1995)

            1894    -     *Evangelical Union of South America, EUSA (John Richie)

            1903    -     Pilgrim Holiness Church (Willis and Martha Brand)

            1903    -     Wesleyan Church World Missions

            1906    -     Seventh-day Adventist Church General Conference (1898)

            1911    -     Early independent Pentecostal work begins in Callao and Lima by Mr. & Mrs. Howard W. Cragin.

            1914    -     Church of the Nazarene, Board of Foreign Missions (Roger and Mary Winans)

            1916    -     *Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian, John A. Mackay)

            1917    -     Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

            1919    -     Assemblies of God Foreign Missions (Hurlburts and Barkers)

            1921    -     YMCA, International Commission

            1921    -     South American Mission

      1922    -     Peruvian Evangelical Church – Iglesia Evangélica Peruana (IEP) – a national church body formed by Richie and associates along Presbyterian lines (a cooperative venture supported by the EUSA, the C&MA, and the Presbyterians; Richie resigned from the EUSA in 1928).

            1923    -     *South American Indian Mission

      1925    -     Christian and Missionary Alliance (during the early years, the C&MA cooperated with the IEP, but in 1954 the C&MA missionaries and churches left to form their own independent denomination)

            1926    -     Canadian South American Mission

            1926    -     Inland South American Missionary Union

            1928    -     First Pentecostal revival reported in Peru (the Ericson brothers in Carás)

            1929    -     Association of Baptists for World Evangelization (ABWE)

            1935    -     Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions

            1935    -     The Church of Christ (a national Pentecostal church body led by Jorge L. Cotos)

            1935    -     Baptist Faith Missions

            1937    -     Baptist Mid-Missions

            1940    -     National Evangelical Council of Peru formed (CONEP)

            1944    -     Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services

            1945    -     Missionary Pentecostal Evangelical Church (a national Pentecostal church body)

            1946    -     Wycliffe Bible Translators, USA and Canada

            1947    -     Church of God World Missions (Cleveland, TN)

            1950    -     Southern Baptist Convention, Foreign Mission Board (now, International Mission Board)

            1950    -     Pentecostal Evangelical Church of Peru (a national Pentecostal church body)

      1950    -     Autonomous Pentecostal Church of Peru (a national Pentecostal church body led by William L. Hunter)

            1957    -     Mission to the World, Presbyterian Church of America

            1958    -     Baptist Bible Fellowship International

            1962    -     The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM)

            1962    -     United Pentecostal Church International

            1963    -     Every Home for Christ

            1964    -     Elim Fellowship World Missions

            1965    -     SIM USA (a merger of several mission agencies)

            1966    -     Evangelical Lutheran Church

            1968    -     Evangelical Lutheran Synod

            1968    -     Baptist International Missions

            1972    -     Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Missions

            1975    -     Evangelical Free Church of North America

            1975    -     Latin America Mission

            1979    -     South American Missionary Society (SAMS) – Anglican/Episcopal tradition

            1980    -     Christians In Action, Inc.

            1981    -     Food for the Hungry

            1982    -     Habitat for Humanity International

            1984    -     Childcare International

            1985    -     World Mission Prayer League (Lutheran)

            1986    -     Christian Leadership Development

            1986    -     Eastern Mennonite Missions

            1987    -     Macedonian Baptist Mission

            1988    -     The Luke Society

            1988    -     Bible Missionary Church

            1991    -     Kids Alive International

            1994    -     AMG International

            1994    -     Lutheran World Relief

            1995    -     BCM International

            1995    -     World Concern

            1995    -     Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod

            1995    -     Christ for the City International (affiliated with Latin America Mission)

 

 

Date of Origin Unknown:

 

                        Brethren Assemblies, USA and Canada (1890s?)

                        Christian Aid Mission

                        Heifer Project International

                        Independent Board for Presbyterian Foreign Missions (affiliated with Carl McIntire in the USA)

                        Irish Baptist Church (prior to 1940)

                        Peruvian Inland Mission (prior to 1940)

                        Scripture Union-USA

                        Spanish World Gospel Mission

                        Youth With A Mission (YWAM)

 

 

NOTES:

(1)        Dates listed indicate the earliest recorded ministry or in case of discrepancies, the date most frequently indicated.

(2)        North American Agencies include U.S. and Canadian.

SOURCES:

(1)     Daryl L. Platt, "Who Represents the Evangelical Churches in Latin America? A Study of the Evangelical Fellowship Organizations." Pasadena, CA: an unpublished Doctor of Missiology Dissertation, School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary, June 1991. Used by permission of the author.

(2)     Jean B. A. Kessler, A Study of the Older Protestant Missions and Churches in Peru and Chile (Goes, Netherlands:  Oosterbaan & le Cointre N.V., 1967)

(3)     PROLADES (Latin American Socio-religious Studies Program), international headquarters in San José, Costa Rica: www.prolades.com

(4)     Dayton Roberts and John Siewert, editors:  Mission Handbook of U.S. and Canadian Christian Ministries Overseas (MARC 1989).

(5)     John A. Siewert and Edna G. Valdez, editors: Mission Handbook of U.S. and Canadian Christian Ministries Overseas (MARC 1997).