"In a region known for its tumultuous change, one idea remained remarkably consistent for centuries: Latin America is Catholic. The region's 500-year transformation into a Catholic stronghold seemed capped in 2013, when Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected as the first Latin American pope. Once a missionary outpost, Latin America is now the heart of the Catholic Church. It is home to over 575 million adherents - over 40% of all Catholics worldwide."
"First, Protestant and Pentecostal groups have experienced dramatic growth. In 1970, only 4% of Latin Americans identified as Protestant; by 2014, the share had climbed to almost 20%. But even as Protestant ranks swelled, another trend was quietly gaining ground: a growing share of Latin Americans abandoning institutional faith altogether. And, as my research shows, the region's religious decline shows a surprising difference from patterns elsewhere. While fewer Latin Americans are identifying with a religion or attending services, personal faith remains strong."
Latin America remains the global center of Catholicism, with over 575 million adherents—about 40% of the world’s Catholics—and a Latin American pope elected in 2013. Protestant and Pentecostal movements grew markedly, from 4% in 1970 to nearly 20% by 2014. The share of people claiming no religion rose to 8% in 2014, with many leaving organized faith as adults. Two decades of AmericasBarometer survey data from over 220,000 respondents across 17 countries provide consistent religion measures to analyze changing identification, attendance declines, and the persistence of personal faith.
Read at The Conversation
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