God as punisher, judge or loving? Images of God in Catholic and Pentecostal Peruvian media

Abstract

The aim of this article is to study some aspects of God's conception in the Peruvian popular piety. Taking into account international and national polls, we have mainly organized focus groups with young people preparing for sacraments or belonging to prayer groups. We try to demonstrate how apparently conflicting God's conceptions end up forming a coherent Being who accompanies the faithful in his daily life. In this context, faith is not a rational and reasoned one but an existential one involved in the hic et nunc (Marzal, Romero, Ameigeras, Martín, Parker, de la Torre). Among the images culturally rooted in traditions, predominate God's perceptions as a frightful and powerful judge ordering the cosmos and when necessary punishing evil people. On the other hand, people express their affection for a protecting and solution-supplier God. Both perspectives complement each other in a God warrant of a just world order. In evangelical context, God's conceptions are similar but the importance of divine power is enhanced. This investigation helps understand people's difficulty in grasping the meaning of the God of Mercy and accepting it: How can this God who does not keep track of evil actions be a warrant for order and justice?