Friday, April 28, 2023

It is the 28th of April 2023. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org, I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

Hey, let’s talk about Christianity in Argentina! Argentina- derived from the Latin word for silver (Argentum) it is the size of Texas and Mexico combined, has over 46 million people, is the home of the Tango, Lionel Messi, and currently, the World Cup. As with many South American countries, the culture is largely Hispanic, dating from colonization going back to the 16th century. Roman Catholicism is not the state religion. The 1853 Constitution allowed for Freedom of Religion, although Catholicism has had an elevated status (the current Pope, Francis I, is from Argentina). Ok- with most tight church-state relationships, the demographics are dizzying. I’ve seen Catholic identity run from 92% to 62% in another study to around 40% in another.

In 2019 an article in Christianity Today stated that 63% of the population identified as Catholic, a 13% drop from 2008. One study suggests that only 9% of identifying Catholics are involved regularly with their church (the Catholic Church was implicated in state terror and killings in the last century). But, when it comes to Christian identification and regular involvement, the evangelical church- broadly- seems to be the most dynamic. And this is largely the work of missionaries in the last century- today, on the Almanac, we remember one of the chief instigators of evangelical growth in Argentina and then across South America: Susan Strachan, who was born on this, the 28th of April in 1874 in Cork Ireland on land given to her family by Oliver Cromwell. She was baptized and raised in the Church of Ireland but began attending a Methodist mission in Cork and soon went off to Harley College in London to prepare for work as a missionary (Harley College- now Cliff College was established by members of the Irish Guinness family of Stout fame). 

Susan, then Beamish, would meet the Scottish Harry Strachan at Harley College- (also planning to go to Africa) but their plans were dashed when Susan was denied placement in Africa and instead sent to Argentina in 1901. As providence would have it, Harry would also be denied a call to Africa and was sent to Argentina the following year, and in 1903 the two would marry. With the consolidation of missionary organizations in the early part of the century, the Strachans would become part of the Evangelical Union of South America. With the outbreak of World War 1 the couple would have an extended furlough in America and became frustrated with the perceived slowness of response from the UK for sending them back to South America. In 1921 they formed the Latin America Mission and moved to Costa Rica, where Susan would oversee a hospital and orphanage while Harry preached across Central and South America.

The story of Susan Strachan (and her husband) has been noted for setting up charitable foundations from which missionaries could continue to spread Christianity through preaching and charitable works. Later missionaries, including their children, would follow the model of cultural assimilation- careful to adopt the manners and modes of the locals, create social benefits for the poor, and from there, share the Gospel.

Today the Latin American Mission has some 200 missionaries, hundreds of churches founded, camps, schools, radio stations, and a publishing house. Susan would work with the mission until her death in December 1950. Born on this the 28th of April in 1874, Susan Strachan was 76 years old.

  

The last word for today- how about a poem- how about a poem from Mary Oliver. This is “The Vast Ocean Begins Just Outside Our Church: The Eucharist.”

Something has happened

To the bread

And the wine.

 

They have been blessed.

What now?

The body leans forward

 

To receive the gift

From the priest’s hand,

Then the chalice.

 

They are something else now

From what they were

Before this began.

 

I want

To see Jesus,

Maybe in the clouds

 

Or on the shore,

Just walking,

Beautiful man

 

And clearly

Someone else

Besides.

 

On the hard days

I ask myself

If I ever will.

 

Also there are times

My body whispers to me

That I have.

  

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 28th of April 2023, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by the Messi to my Maradona- infer what you wish… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man whose old pal Blair called and left a voice message reading Savage Garden lyrics in the voice of Randy Macho Man Savage…. Delightful- Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.