PROTESTANTISM AND ASSIMILATION AMONG MEXICAN AMERICANS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF MINISTERS' REPORTS.

This paper studies ways in which different Protestant churches serving Mexican Americans may articulate with the dominant society and facilitate the assimilation of their members. The data reflect the perceptions of a purposive sample of Protestant ministers of Mexican-American congregations in El Paso. Three types of ministers are constructed, and the assimilative role of each is discussed. The general conclusions are that church-sect and Protestant ethic theoretical formulations may be profitably applied to the analysis of the Mexican Americans; the most sect-like groups may socialize members into a latently assimilative ethic of personal reform, while the more church-like groups are manifestly assimilating members into an ethic of social adjustment to a complex society. In addition, there is evidence of the assimilation of the churches themselves as they move into middle class society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]