Religion_in_Latin_America

Religion in Latin America

Religion in Latin America

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Religion in Latin America is characterized by the historical predominance of Catholicism,[2] and growing number and influence of a large number of groups that belong to Protestantism, as well as by the presence of Irreligion. According to survey data from Statista in 2020, 57% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant.[3]

Religion in Latin America (Pew Research Center 2014)[1]

  Catholic (69%)
  Protestant (18%)
  Unaffiliated (9%)
  Other (4%)

Christianity

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil is the second largest in the world, after only of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City.[4]

The majority of Latin Americans are Christians (90%),[2] mostly Roman Catholics.[5][1] Membership in Protestant denominations is increasing, particularly in Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Puerto Rico.[6] In particular, Pentecostalism has experienced massive growth.[7][8] This movement is increasingly attracting Latin America's middle classes.[9] Anglicanism also has a long and growing presence in Latin America.

According to the detailed Pew Research Center multi-country survey in 2014, 69% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant, rising to 22% in Brazil and over 40% in much of Central America. More than half of these are converts.[10][11] According to the 2014 Pew survey, the 46 countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean comprised, in absolute terms, the world's second-largest Christian population (24%; including U.S., British, Dutch and French territories), after the 50 countries and territories of Europe (26%; including Russia, excluding Turkey), but just before the 51 countries and territories of Sub-Saharan Africa (24%; including Mauritania, excluding Sudan).[12]

Indigenous and Afro-Latin creeds

Indigenous creeds and rituals are still practiced in countries with large percentages of Amerindians, such as Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. Various Afro-Latin American traditions such as Santería, Candomblé, Umbanda, Macumba, and tribal-voodoo religions are also practiced, mainly in Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti.

Other world religions

The Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in Maicao, Colombia.

Argentina hosts the largest communities of both Jews (180,000-300,000)[13][14][15] and Muslims (500,000-600,000)[16][17][18] in Latin America. Brazil is the country with more practitioners in the world of Allan Kardec's Spiritism. Practitioners of Judaism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Bahá'í Faith, and Shinto are also present in Latin America.[19]

Statistics

CID-Gallup 2010

More information Country, Christian (%) ...

    2014 Pew Research Center data

    More information Country, Catholic (%) ...

      Number of followers by country (2015 Pew Research Center projections for 2020)

      More information Countries, Population Total ...

      See also


      References

      1. "Religion in Latin America, Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region". Pew Research Center. 13 November 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
      2. "Religion affiliations in Latin America 2020". Statista. 2021-10-09. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
      3. "Las religiones en tiempos del Papa Francisco" (in Spanish). Latinobarómetro. April 2014. p. 7. Archived from the original (pdf) on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015. Alt URL
      4. Allan., Anderson (2004). An introduction to Pentecostalism : global charismatic Christianity. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521825733. OCLC 53919445.
      5. Pierre., Bastian, Jean (1997). La mutación religiosa de América Latina : para una sociología del cambio social en la modernidad periférica (1st ed.). México: Fondo de Cultura Económica. ISBN 9681650212. OCLC 38448929.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
      6. Alec Ryrie, "The World's Local Religion" History Today (2017) online
      7. "Religion in Latin America: Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region" Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life Nov 13, 2014
      8. "The Global Religious Landscape" (PDF). Pewforum.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
      9. LeElef, Ner. "World Jewish Population". Retrieved 2008-01-09.
      10. "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". www.pewforum.org. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
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      Further reading

      • Colby, Gerard. Thy Will Be Done: The Conquest of the Amazon: Nelson Rockefeller and Evangelism in the Age of Oil. HarperCollins.
      • D'Antonio, William V., and Frederick B. Pike, jt. eds. Religion, Revolution, and Reform: New Forces for Change in Latin America. New York: F.A. Praeger, 1964

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