Using the tools of sociological theory, Robert Brenneman seeks to discover why a pot-smoking, gun-wielding "homie" gang member would want to trade in la vida loca for a Bible and the buttoned-down lifestyle of an evangelical hermano (brother in Christ) - and to what extent this strategy works for the many youth who have tried it. Homies and Hermanos provides a valuable account of how religious institutions in Central America respond to local gang violence, and more importantly, carefully analyzes the process gang members use to transition from gang life to church life.