Here’s What Protestants in 18 Latin American Countries Believe and Practice
New Pew research identifies who evangelizes most and who believes the prosperity gospel, among many other topics.
The latest data not only show that Protestants are remarkably ascendent throughout the longtime Catholic stronghold of Latin America. The Pew Research Center also offers a window into who evangelizes most, which millennials pray and attend church most often, and just how charismatic Pentecostals actually are, among other findings.
Based on 30,000 face-to-face interviews in 18 nations (plus one US territory, Puerto Rico), here are some highlights of what the region’s Protestants believe and practice:
- In most countries, roughly 1 in 3 Protestants “share their faith with others” weekly. Most likely to evangelize [per chart below]: Guatemalans (53 percent), Salvadorans (45 percent), and Brazilians (43 percent). Least likely to evangelize: Argentines (18 percent), Chileans (21 percent), and Uruguayans (25 percent). “Evangelization efforts by Protestant churches seem to be having an impact,” Pew notes. “Across Latin America, more than half of those who have switched from the Catholic Church to Protestantism say their new church reached out to them.”
- While approximately 2 in 3 Protestants regionwide identify as Pentecostals or attend a Pentecostal church, only 20 percent to 50 percent of Protestants in a given country report high levels of experiencing “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Most likely to experience or witness divine healing, exorcism, speaking in tongues, receiving a revelation, and/or giving or interpreting prophecy: Brazilians (52 percent), Dominicans (51 percent), Panamanians (48 percent), and Colombians (47 percent). Least likely: Bolivians (21 percent), Paraguayans (22 percent), Mexicans (22 percent), and Chileans (24 percent). (Pew’s “high level” designation means respondents reported three of the five experiences.)
Here’s What Protestants in 18 Latin American Countries Believe and Practice
New Pew research identifies who evangelizes most and who believes the prosperity gospel, among many other topics.
The latest data not only show that Protestants are remarkably ascendent throughout the longtime Catholic stronghold of Latin America. The Pew Research Center also offers a window into who evangelizes most, which millennials pray and attend church most often, and just how charismatic Pentecostals actually are, among other findings.
Based on 30,000 face-to-face interviews in 18 nations (plus one US territory, Puerto Rico), here are some highlights of what the region’s Protestants believe and practice:
- In most countries, roughly 1 in 3 Protestants “share their faith with others” weekly. Most likely to evangelize [per chart below]: Guatemalans (53 percent), Salvadorans (45 percent), and Brazilians (43 percent). Least likely to evangelize: Argentines (18 percent), Chileans (21 percent), and Uruguayans (25 percent). “Evangelization efforts by Protestant churches seem to be having an impact,” Pew notes. “Across Latin America, more than half of those who have switched from the Catholic Church to Protestantism say their new church reached out to them.”
- While approximately 2 in 3 Protestants regionwide identify as Pentecostals or attend a Pentecostal church, only 20 percent to 50 percent of Protestants in a given country report high levels of experiencing “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Most likely to experience or witness divine healing, exorcism, speaking in tongues, receiving a revelation, and/or giving or interpreting prophecy: Brazilians (52 percent), Dominicans (51 percent), Panamanians (48 percent), and Colombians (47 percent). Least likely: Bolivians (21 percent), Paraguayans (22 percent), Mexicans (22 percent), and Chileans (24 percent). (Pew’s “high level” designation means respondents reported three of the five experiences.)
Sorry, Pope Francis: Protestants Are Converting Catholics Across Latin America
‘Francis effect’ may yet materialize. But for now, Catholics have hit record low across 19 nations and territories.
Enthusiasm for the first pope picked from Latin America has prompted predictions of a “Francis effect” revival among the region’s Roman Catholics. Time will tell, but a new report shows exactly what the former Archbishop Bergoglio of Buenos Aires is up against in his own backyard: Protestants are remarkably ascendent across 18 nations and one US territory.
For most of the last century, more than 90 percent of Latin Americans identified as Catholics. But now that number has hit a new low: 69 percent, according to a thorough report on this “widespread change” released today by the Pew Research Center.
“Evangelization efforts by Protestant churches seem to be having an impact,” notes Pew. Regionally, 84 percent of Latin American adults were raised as Catholics. But nearly 1 in 5 adults (19 percent) now identify as Protestants, while only 1 in 10 (9 percent) were raised as Protestants. (Similarly, the religiously unaffiliated have doubled from 4 percent as children to 8 percent as adults.)
“In nearly every country surveyed, the Catholic Church has experienced net losses from religious switching,” notes Pew, and “much of the movement … has occurred in the span of a single lifetime.”
In most countries, more than one-third of current Protestants were raised as Catholics, and more than half were baptized as Catholics.
The trend holds true across “people of all ages and socioeconomic levels,” but in most countries, pluralities converted before the age of 25.
Pew’s findings corroborate a recent examination of 18 nations by Latinobarómetro. “In the past, Latin America was completely dominated by Catholicism,” noted the respected …
Sorry, Pope Francis: Protestants Are Converting Catholics Across Latin America
‘Francis effect’ may yet materialize. But for now, Catholics have hit record low across 19 nations and territories.
Enthusiasm for the first pope picked from Latin America has prompted predictions of a “Francis effect” revival among the region’s Roman Catholics. Time will tell, but a new report shows exactly what the former Archbishop Bergoglio of Buenos Aires is up against in his own backyard: Protestants are remarkably ascendent across 18 nations and one US territory.
For most of the last century, more than 90 percent of Latin Americans identified as Catholics. But now that number has hit a new low: 69 percent, according to a thorough report on this “widespread change” released today by the Pew Research Center.
“Evangelization efforts by Protestant churches seem to be having an impact,” notes Pew. Regionally, 84 percent of Latin American adults were raised as Catholics. But nearly 1 in 5 adults (19 percent) now identify as Protestants, while only 1 in 10 (9 percent) were raised as Protestants. (Similarly, the religiously unaffiliated have doubled from 4 percent as children to 8 percent as adults.)
“In nearly every country surveyed, the Catholic Church has experienced net losses from religious switching,” notes Pew, and “much of the movement … has occurred in the span of a single lifetime.”
In most countries, more than one-third of current Protestants were raised as Catholics, and more than half were baptized as Catholics.
The trend holds true across “people of all ages and socioeconomic levels,” but in most countries, pluralities converted before the age of 25.
Pew’s findings corroborate a recent examination of 18 nations by Latinobarómetro. “In the past, Latin America was completely dominated by Catholicism,” noted the respected …
Interview: ‘The Problems Between Our Countries Are Between Politicians, Not Christians’
Russian Christian leaders on Crimea, what Putin likes about Protestants, and evangelizing with Americans.
As relations between the American and Russian governments deteriorate amid disputes on Ukraine and other issues, eight Russian church leaders visited Christian ministries and government offices this week on a “peace and understanding” mission.
“We church leaders are here to take out this tension between our countries. We don’t have to let politicians make us enemies,” Baptist leader Vitaly Vlasenko told CT.
The visit from the seven Protestants and one Orthodox clergy, began with a meeting at the Charlotte headquarters of the the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), which organized the trip. Among the attendees were BGEA president Franklin Graham (who helped to organize the trip) and representatives from Samaritan’s Purse, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), Liberty University, The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Church of God, Biola University, and Wheaton College. On Monday, the Russian leaders visited the US Capitol and met with State Department officials and the UN Commission on International Religious Freedom. Their trip concluded Tuesday at the NAE offices in Washington, D.C.
“As we find tensions increasing once again between Russia, the United States, and Eastern Europe, it is vitally important that we try to build bridges of understanding and respect between the churches in Russia and the West,” Graham said. “My father made numerous trips during the Cold War when Eastern Europe and Russia were under Communism and built relationships with the churches in those countries. The hope of this forum is to re-establish the ties that we once had with the newer generation of leadership.”
In March, Decision …
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