Religion in Latin America
Nearly 40% of the world’s Catholics live in Latin America, but many people in the region have converted from Catholicism to Protestantism, while some have left organized religion altogether.
Chapter 1: Religious Switching
In most of the Latin American countries surveyed, at least one-in-six adults report that they no longer belong to the religion in which they were raised. Roughly one-in-three have changed their faith in Nicaragua, Uruguay and El Salvador. At the other end of the spectrum, much smaller proportions of adults in Mexico (12%), Panama (12%) […]
Chapter 2: Religious Commitment and Practice
Religion is central to the lives of many Latin Americans. Indeed, majorities in most countries surveyed say religion is very important to them. Two-thirds or more express this view in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela. In the United States, by comparison, […]
Chapter 3: Religious Beliefs
The Pew Research survey finds that nearly all Catholics and Protestants in most Latin American countries believe in God. In a number of countries, most of those who are unaffiliated with any religion also say they believe in God. However, the survey finds significant differences between Catholics, Protestants and the unaffiliated when it comes to […]
Chapter 6: Views on the Economy and Poverty
On the whole, Latin Americans embrace free-market principles. Majorities in most countries surveyed say that people are better off in a free-market economy. Yet majorities in half of the countries point to the gap between rich and poor as a major national problem. Overall, Catholics and Protestants differ little in their views of the free […]
Chapter 7: Views on Politics
Latin Americans generally embrace democracy as their preferred form of government. In most of the countries surveyed, majorities or pluralities also say they would prefer a government that refrains from promoting religious values and beliefs. But Latin Americans are more divided on the extent to which religious leaders should influence politics. Democracy Favored Over Strong […]
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