Latin America's Changing Faith Landscape: A Shift Away from Catholicism

Latin America, once a Catholic stronghold, is seeing a significant shift in religious affiliation. Recent surveys reveal that the number of people identifying as Catholic has dropped in six major countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. This decline is notable, with Catholicism's share of the population decreasing by at least 9 percentage points over the past decade. Interestingly, the rise of the "nones"—those who identify as atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular"—has been significant. In Argentina and Colombia, about one-quarter of adults now fall into this category. This trend is particularly striking in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, where the number of unaffiliated adults now surpasses that of Protestants.The reasons behind this shift are complex. Many point to the Catholic Church's struggles with clergy sex abuse scandals and its stances on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. As a result, many Latin Americans are exploring spiritual paths outside traditional religion, turning to practices like yoga, tarot, and astrology. Despite this shift, Latin Americans remain deeply religious. Surveys show that about 9 in 10 adults in each country still believe in God. Moreover, religion remains very important in the lives of about half or more of adults in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. Daily prayer is also common, with majorities in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru praying at least once a day. Protestantism, meanwhile, has remained relatively stable. In Brazil, the country with the largest Protestant population among the six surveyed, 29% of adults now identify as Protestant, up slightly from 26% in 2013-14. However, the major change is the rise of the unaffiliated, highlighting a broader trend of individuals seeking spiritual fulfillment outside organized religion.