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Evangelical History
Spanish History
INTRODUCTION
Spain is a country with both a rich heritage and a troubled past. It was once perhaps the most powerful nation of the world controlling a vast empire with colonies on different continents. Its history is both dramatic and tragic, joyful and painful. It is full of paradox as evidenced by its being the most Catholic as well as the most anti-clerical country of the world. This survey of Spanish history is divided in two parts below. The first is a n overview of the evangelical history and second some important dates and descriptions of the history of this culturally rich country.
EVANGELICAL HISTORY
During the first centuries the Spanish Christian Church remained faithful enough to the Word of God, which it claimed in its councils to be the only rule of faith and conduct. But as it submitted to the bishop of Rome it began losing spiritual power and purity
12th-15th centuries
Waldensians preached the gospel openly in the ancient kingdoms of Aragon. They distributed Bibles and sealed the profession of their faith with their martyrdom.
16th century
In the cathedral of Seville, the Good News was announced by Doctors Egidio and Constantino, canons in the church and martyrs. They had been secret followers of the Reformation proposed by Juan de Valdes.
15th-19th century
The Spanish inquisition. Just about anyone sympathetic with the reformation and later Protestant or Evangelicalism has to either flee the country or be put to death. The last victim of the Inquisition was hung in 1823. The Bible was translated into Spanish in the 16th century by Casiodoro de Reina and Cipriano de Valera while living in exile. The “Reina-Valera” Bible, having undergone several revisions, is the most widely used translation to date among evangelicals in Latin America and Spain.
1824
An evangelical Spanish church is founded in Gibraltar pastored by a foreigner.
1868
The first evangelical Spanish church opens its doors in Mahón.
1939
After Franco wins the civil war all evangelical churches are closed with the exception of a few in Madrid. Later some are allowed to open in other areas though all evangelical experience persecution to some extent.
1968
Evangelical Christians number 16,740.
1978
Publishing of the Spanish Constitution. We really cannot speak of religious freedom in Spain until this date.
1983
Ester Vidal (IEE) and later María Amparo Mantagud, Stella-Merlo become the first female pastors in Spain.
1991
Evangelical Christians number 71,449.
1993
Evangelical Christians number 78,419 (.2% of the population)
2002
+ Evangelical Christians number 88,445 (.22% of the population). There are more foreign residents in Spain then evangelical Christians.
+ 7,000 of the 8,000 have NO EVANGELICAL CHURCH
SPANISH HISTORY
711 AD.
The Moors, in an act of Muslim holy war, crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and eventually conquered all of Spain except the northern sections of the peninsula. The reconquest of Spain took over 700 years.
1492
This date marked the beginning of the age of conquest. Spain, under the united kingdom of King Ferdinand of Aragón and Queen Isabella of Castile, conquered the last Muslim fortress of Alhambra in Granada. America was discovered by Christopher Columbus where colonies would soon be established.
1519-1588
A series of royal marriages at the end of the fifteenth century united the crown of Castile and Aragón with the Hapsburg rulers of Austria, parts of Italy, a collection of German principalities, and Holland. King Charles V was elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1519. Though born a German he died as a "Castilian". His son, Philip II inherited both this European kingdom as well as the new empire in the New World. The Spanish infantry and armada was the best in Europe during this era.
1588
The Spanish Armada's rule of the sea was put to an abrupt end with defeat to the British royal navy led by Francis Drake. This date marks the beginning of the long decline of Spain. With an increasing number of Spanish infantry moving to the New World and settling there, the country found itself trying to maintain its power with a relatively small populace and a declining economy. Over the ensuing two centuries the grandeur of Spain slowly yet steadily diminished.
1808
The Spanish king, Charles IV, was made prisoner in France and forced to abdicate the throne to Joseph, Napoleon's brother. Spain lost Louisiana to the French. "Dos de Mayo" (second of May) of this year, Madrid rose in bloody rebellion against their French masters and, though unsuccessful, began an uprising that would soon involve all of Spain. The French were eventually driven from Spain with the help of the British army.
1825
Ferdinand VII tried to enforce imperial authority over the New World but by 1825 the last of the continental colonies in America gained independence.
1834
The first civil war, named the Carlist wars, broke out in Spain. In 1833, Isabella, the daughter of Ferdinand VIII, was proclaimed successor to the throne to the displeasure of Don Carlos, Ferdinand’s' brother. Don Carlos and his followers began the civil war against Queen Isabella.
1898
Spain lost Cuba and the Philippines in battles against the United States. Captain Victor M. Concas y Palau, commanding officer of the María Teresa, in the battle over Cuba said in reference to the Spanish defeat: "The sound of my bugles (sounding the call to battle stations)..., was the last echo of which history tells us were sounded at the capture of Granada. It was the signal that the history of four centuries of grandeur was at an end and that Spain was becoming a nation of the fourth class." (p.62)
1923
General Primo de Rivera, with the backing of the government, forced king Alfonso XIII to appoint him as dictator.
1930
General Primo de Rivera went into exile and Alfonso XIII regained power but only briefly.
1931
On April 12, Alfonso XIII went into exile and two days later the Spanish Republic was proclaimed. The republic had the fragile support of a coalition of exploited peasants (anarchists) city workers (socialists), and communists. Elections were held placing left wing governments in control. The government was faced with the ever-increasing differences among these leftist parties. Some of the policies under this government included religious freedom, withdrawal of government support of the church and the end of church authority over education, land reforms aimed against the aristocracy, new tax structure, legalization of unions and strikes, voting rights were granted to women, and statutes of regional autonomy were established with the Basques and Catalans in mind. These efforts proved insufficient to keep the peace.
1936
Civil war broke out with the rebel forces under the leadership of General Francisco Franco, former commander of the Spanish Foreign Legion. Army garrisons throughout Spain rose up against the republican government. They counted on the support of church leaders, industrialists, big landowners, and royalists. They were associated with the Falange (a semi fascist political party) and became known as the Nationalists of Traditionalists.
+ Nationalists: Supported by Hitler and Mussolini.
"Italian and German supplies, planes, technicians, and money flowed to the Nationalists, and at least 50,000 Italian troops fought under the Nationalist banners. But while Mussolini was interested in securing 'glory' for Italian arms and in the establishment of another Fascist power on the Mediterranean, Hitler was concerned with simply keeping the civil war going as a distraction from his own expansionist plans in Europe. Thus, for the first few years, Germany never gave the Nationalists the means of winning a speedy and decisive victory, but only the means to continue the struggle."
+ Republicans: Supported by Soviet Russia.
"..Russia hoped to keep Italian and German forces involved in Spain and away from adventures in Eastern Europe. For that purpose it was as much in Stalin's interest to keep the Spanish Civil War alive (while not providing the Republic with enough equipment and aid to win it decisively) as it was in Hitler's interest. Russian aid, while never as extensive as German or Italian aid to Franco, was successful in preventing a quick Nationalist victory."
1939
On March 28, Franco's troops took Madrid and by April 1, the Nationalists were in power over all of Spain. In the fall of 1938, Hitler had provided Franco with enough military aid to guarantee the Nationalists a decisive victory. By the summer of 1939 over 500,000 people had been killed, another 500,000 were in exile, and 200,000 were being held as political prisoners.
Some of the policies under Franco towards the beginning of his dictatorship included the requirement of workers to belong to various government syndicates (they almost always decided questions in favor of the employers), the church was again granted the right to run its own separate educational system, the church was granted veto power over textbooks and teaching materials, and other religions besides the Catholic church were to be unrecognized by the government.
1946
All members of the United Nations suspended diplomatic relations with Spain because of its "neutral" support of Germany and Italy during WW2.
1951
With the rise of the cold war, Spain conceded the US military presence on its soil. As a result, the US supported Spain's bid to be admitted into the United Nations. In 1955 Spain was readmitted into the United Nations General Assembly. The presence of the US in Spain led to changes in the Spanish economy and a loosening of the authoritarian rule by Franco.
1966
The government declared that Protestants and Jews would be able to celebrate their faiths publicly.
1969
Prince Don Juan Carlos de Borbón y Borbón, grandson of Alfonso XIII, was sworn in as successor to the Head of State and given the title of HRH Prince of Spain until he became king.
1975
General Franco died on November 20. Prince Juan Carlos de Borbón y Borbón took the oath as Juan Carlos I, King of Spain.
1977
The Cortes (Parliament) was freely elected and a new Constitution was approved by a referendum. A parliamentary monarchy was established with the executive power given to a President (Prime Minister) and a Cabinet; the Prime Minister was elected by the Congress of Deputies. Th e new Constitution guaranteed full religious freedom. This form of government has been in place to date.
The face of Spain is complex. The country retains a deep sense of pride despite a marred and painful past. Spain suffered through two bloody civil wars in the span of about one hundred years and lived under the oppressive dictatorships of General Franco for about 35 years. It should also be recognized that the Spain of the conquest was ruthless. The persecution of the Jews and Muslims was an atrocious, unmerciful act. American Indians also suffered at the hands of the Spanish colonialist who converted both land and people into their possession in the name of Christianity.
Though Spain enjoys rich and festive traditions, the country has yet to deal fully with much of the pain and horror of its past. It is a country that has many unexpressed pains and unconfessed sins.
Today Spain enjoys economic stability and is an important member of the EC (European Community). The year 2002 is when Spain holds the presidency of the European Community. Its people are concerned with social issues. Democracy has grown and brought stability for over two decades now. Spain is a country with many things to be proud of yet the heart of the people is hard towards God. God is seen as distant and frightening. Pray that God would soften their hearts and that they would humbly seek to know & love Him.
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