Captivating and insightful study on an Aymara community. Very relevant to those interested in the modern situation of individuals and communities in the altiplano of Bolivia.

One of the first anthropological studies of Catholic missions to focus on both evangelizers and the evangelized. This book is notable for its careful attention to earlier ethnographic research in the Andean region. The author correctly asserts that missionization should be seen as part of a larger process of globalization and documents the shift from a "theology of liberation" to a theology stressing "inculturation" -- a new strategy that gives greater attention to indigenous beliefs and practices. According to the author, one consequence of "inculturation" is that Catholic priests now encourage the Aymara to revive rituals that earlier generations of Catholic priests had tried to eradicate. Practices once denounced as idolatrous are being re-interpreted as essentially "Christian." This is an excellent book. It is clearly written, highly accessible, and will be of keen interest to anthropologists, specialists in religious studies, and students of globalization. Stephen D. Glazier, Professor of Anthropology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln