Religion in Latin America 2014 (user search)
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  Religion in Latin America 2014 (search mode)
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Author Topic: Religion in Latin America 2014  (Read 1889 times)
TheDeadFlagBlues
Junior Chimp
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Posts: 5,990
Canada
« on: August 20, 2014, 11:48:40 AM »

I'd discount the 79% figure in Mexico. Mexico is overwhelmingly Catholic but the Catholic church has an increasingly tenuous hold on its followers. Mexico would have likely gone down the same path as Guatemala if aggressive anti-clerical reforms weren't instituted and the Virgin of Guadalupe wasn't vigorously promoted as a national symbol. Because Catholicism isn't tarnished with right-wing politics and oppression in Mexico, it has escaped the rapid decline experienced in other Latin American countries. Nevertheless, Catholicism is very weak among the indigenous and is becoming a more nominal faith outside of the Bajío. Census statistics and surveys can't capture this because lapsed Catholics (there are many of them) are still recorded as Catholics. Mexico is similar to Ireland in this regard.

There's a reason why Mexican-Americans are quickly becoming unchurched in the United States.
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TheDeadFlagBlues
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 5,990
Canada
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2014, 06:44:47 PM »

Protestants are almost a plurality in Guatemala and Honduras? Now I knew that the Evangelicals were big there, but....

Interesting that the Protestant population is still so low for Mexico in comparison.


Mexico is uneven. In Chiapas the Catholics are, I believe, under 60% by now. In Guanajuato they are well over 90%. So, it is not that the border is sharp. Then, again, evangelicals are the biggest among the native and the poor. The wealthy and educated classes tend to stay Catholic (if nominally).

In northern Mexico and parts of central Mexico there are non-negligible numbers of Protestants that converted in the late 19th and early 20th century. This demographic is very middle class and was liberal/revolutionary in the early 20th century but now tends to support the PAN.

In response to Snowstalker:
Presbyterianism is the most prominent Protestant denomination in Mexico, even in Chiapas. Many "mainstream" Protestant churches have a very significant presence throughout Central America. These Protestant churches tend to win converts based on their message of Christian univeralism and their superior provision of education/various social services. I can't say that the same is true for Evangelical churches in Central America but this is hardly a manifestation of the "far-right". If anything, the spiritual message of Protestantism succeeds in Central America because of its spiritual egalitarianism and is reflection of leftist values/aspirations.
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