THE CROSSROADS OF RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT:

THE IXIL REGION, EVANGELICAL RELIGION, AND ROS MONTT

by

BLAKE CHARLES SCOTT

(Under the Direction of Pamela Voekel)

ABSTRACT

This thesis explores how Evangelical Christians logistically, financially, and

theologically aided the Guatemalan armys counterinsurgency campaign in the Ixil region in

1982 and 1983. By consulting newspaper articles, presidential speeches, governmental and non-

governmental reports, along with a variety of other primary source documents from the United

States and Guatemala, I argue 1) the Ros Montt government turned to Evangelical Christianity

to aid its anti-communist and neoliberal development programs in the Ixil region. And 2) U.S

and Guatemalan Evangelical missionaries willfully embraced their role as spiritual soldiers,

legitimizing the Guatemalan army through theological teachings.

INDEX WORDS: Evangelical Religion in Guatemala, Catholic Church in Guatemala,

Violence in Guatemala, Counterinsurgency, Neoliberal Development,

Ros Montt, Ronald Reagan.

THE CROSSROADS OF RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT:

THE IXIL REGION, EVANGELICAL RELIGION, AND ROS MONTT

by

BLAKE CHARLES SCOTT

B.A., Florida State University, 2005

A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

MASTER OF ARTS

ATHENS, GEORGIA

2008

2008

Blake Charles Scott

All Rights Reserved

THE CROSSROADS OF RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT:

THE IXIL REGION, EVANGELICAL RELIGION, AND ROS MONTT

by

BLAKE CHARLES SCOTT

Major Professor: Pamela Voekel

Committee: Reinaldo Romn Bethany Moreton

Electronic Version Approved:

Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2008

DEDICATION

To my mother, my father and my grandmother (Moe) for all their encouragement and

support, and also to my future mother-in law, Rosa Montoto, for helping me complete the

necessary research for this project. And most importantly, to my future wife and best friend for

all of her insight and patience, thank you.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1

Outline............................................................................................................................6

CHAPTER 1: GOD AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE IXIL REGION ........................................8

CHAPTER 2: THE GOSPEL OF COUNTERINSURGENCY ..................................................30

CHAPTER 3: THE SHOCK TROOPS OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY........................................53

CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................77

BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................................................................80

Archives and Collections .............................................................................................80

Secondary Sources and Published Documents.............................................................80

v