New study documents shifts in Latin American religious affiliation

[CopyBoy]

By Jeff Brumley
Latin America remains a mostly Catholic region and culture but its overall numbers have taken a huge dive during the past four decades or so, a new survey by the Pew Research Center has found. How steep a dive? The Pew data shows the number of Catholics in Central and South America and parts of the Caribbean has plummeted from 90 percent to 69 percent since the 1960s. “Much of the movement away from Catholicism and toward Protestantism in Latin America has occurred in the span of a single lifetime,” Pew reported. “Indeed, in most of the countries surveyed, at least a third of current Protestants were raised in the Catholic Church, and half or more say they were baptized as Catholics.”

• See more at: baptistnews.com/culture/item/30862-catholic-decline-in-latin-america-a-lure-for-joyful-churches-baptists-say#sthash.T2ULGYnW.fv5xIc99.dpuf

 

[Peter_J]

The Pew data shows the number of Catholics in Central and South America and parts of the Caribbean has plummeted from 90 percent to 69 percent since the 1960s.

I wonder how they define “plummet”.

 

[Black_Knight]

This is actually misleading because I know from interactions with Catholic missionaries and clergy there that the vast majority “convert” only because they are given food and supplies that they needed but as soon as those n-C missionaries leave, as most do, they return to the Catholic Church that is and has been right there with them for centuries and has sought to meet both their physical and spiritual needs all along.

Moreover, most American n-Cs go there seeking to create U.S. style n-C converts (and even political systems) without considering the fact that they are not U.S. Americans and have not the education or capacity to behave like us.

Personally, though I can rejoice in the help they may be giving, I resent these sheep stealing proselytizers who most often give them copies of the Bible in their own language that most cannot even read. Sola Scriptura doesn’t work well on 2 counts, a) since it isn’t a doctrine found in the Bible, and b) if the poor person holding a copy can’t read it.

 

[peter26]

Sounds like more Catholic missionaries are needed. They can do one better and help people who can’t read by reading the Bible to them and explaining it.

 

[Augustine]

This study fails to show the fact that the decline, steep indeed, has tapered off in the last decade or so. As a matter of fact, a growing number of disappointed converts to Protestantism revert to Catholicism, after the massive corruption and graft in ever splitting congregations where seemingly the only ones getting any benefit are the unbelievably wealthy founders and their inner circles. But I’m still to see this figure out in surveys, remaining so far anecdotal from those on the ground.

Pax Christi

 

[Peter_J]

Sounds like more Catholic missionaries are needed.

I’m tempted to say “Wow, that’s such a First World thing to say” … but I don’t want to sound like a college student who just took his first course in (sociology, etc).

Maybe instead I could just say “Yes, but not as badly as they are needed in England and the US.”

 

[badnewsbarrett]

This study fails to show the fact that the decline, steep indeed, has tapered off in the last decade or so. As a matter of fact, a growing number of disappointed converts to Protestantism revert to Catholicism, after the massive corruption and graft in ever splitting congregations where seemingly the only ones getting any benefit are the unbelievably wealthy founders and their inner circles. But I’m still to see this figure out in surveys, remaining so far anecdotal from those on the ground.

Pax Christi

Speaking from the other side of things, I have noticed that when it comes to Catholic programming, it highlights the stories of Tiber swimmers to a very large extent but I have scarcely heard a single thing about how often Catholic converts go right back to attending Protestant churches within a year of completing RCIA and getting baptized.

In the US, at least.