“Hay que verlo[s] con ojos de amor, de misericordia, no aterrorizarnos [we have to see them with love and mercy, and not to terrorize ourselves]” (anonymous male minister from Los Angeles, California).
Abstract
Ideology and attitudes of Latino church leaders in the United States toward HIV/AIDS are explored. A qualitative approach utilized with emergent categories including: a desire within the Latino church for greater acceptance of HIV/AIDS sufferers, the supposed contaminating influence of HIV/AIDS individuals over other church members, and the feelings of helplessness many church members experience in relation to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Understanding ideological resistance that prevents engagement is here identified and a strategy of empowerment of church leaders is recommended to overcome it including: adopting a strengths-oriented service model that focuses on resources religious denominations already have, as opposed to a financially driven, medically oriented service model that highlights what churches often do not have; church leaders educating health care agencies on how to use religious beliefs to motivate church members to work on behalf of HIV/AIDS patients; the power of doctrinal ideology in affecting church and civil society’s response to HIV/AIDS.
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Ramírez-Johnson, J., Díaz, H.L., Feldman, J.B. et al. Empowering Latino Church Leaders to Deal with the HIV-AIDS Crisis: A Strengths-Oriented Service Model. J Relig Health 52, 570–588 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9510-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9510-8