https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2021/04/14/converts-judaism-colombia/
This was fascinating. I have a lot of thoughts about it from my own perspective (of course I would).
Culturally Christianity separated from its roots in Judaism early on in the movement (70-140ad). The Gospel was for all people. But the majority of Jews, who had incubated the Messiah paradoxically rejected him. The message of Jesus was so contagious for the pagans people were converting like wildfire. Coming from a harsh Roman/Pagan world, it was literally the best thing they ever heard (still is). Thus the Church became entirely Gentile after a few hundred years. The Judaic cultural expressions it springs from became obscured as it would be natural for any Church to take on the cultural character of its congregants.
When you dig into history and theology, you realize the connection between Temple Judaism and Catholicism is a perfect connection (despite the misleading cultural exterior). Many evangelicals are missing this connection. I do believe that the Protestant movement may be spent. So it makes sense that people would come out of it looking for an authentic experience. The illusory cultural barrier of Catholicism seems to make it so people don’t look under the hood to see what’s really going on.
Also important to consider is the long history of Jews in Spain. At least 30% of Latinos have Sephardic Jewish ancestry (even my father’s side probably does). If you look at things spiritually, this kind of potent Jewish drive/soul is still in the people drawing them to an authentic bodily expression of a suppressed ancestral identity.
