Latin Us citizens have commonly embraced Pope Francis, the Argentine-born Jesuit bishop elected to guide the Catholic Church after Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013. Favorable views associated with pontiff that is new throughout the area, with two-thirds or even more regarding the populace in many countries expressing an optimistic viewpoint of Pope Francis as soon as the study had been carried out in belated 2013 and early 2014.

Latin American Catholics are specially thinking about Pope Francis, with clear majorities throughout the area rating him positively. Certainly, in 14 for the nations surveyed, at half that is least of Catholics state they will have a tremendously favorable viewpoint of Francis.

Former Catholics, in comparison, are ambivalent in regards to the brand new pope. Clearly negative views of Pope Francis are reasonably unusual among this team, but so might be overwhelmingly good responses, except in Francis’ home country of Argentina. For most former Catholics, the jury remains away. Generally in most places surveyed, a 3rd or higher of ex-Catholics either provide no viewpoint on Francis or volunteer it is too early to evaluate him.

The study additionally asked if the election of Pope Francis signals a significant modification, a small modification or no change after all for the Catholic Church. Half or maybe more of Catholics in 16 for the nations polled see the choice regarding the previous Argentine bishop as being a major modification. Previous Catholics are less specific; just in Argentina do up to half (53%) begin to see the brand brand new pope as representing a change that is major. As using the pope’s overall favorability, significant percentages of previous Catholics state its too quickly to inform whether Francis represents much modification.

Aside from their assessments of whether modification is happening, numerous Catholics think some of these church’s teachings should really be revised. A median of 66% of Catholics say the church should allow Catholics to use artificial means of birth control, and in Chile, Venezuela, Argentina and Uruguay, roughly eight-in-ten Catholics favor a change in church teaching on contraception for instance, across Latin America. When you look at the U.S., 72% of Hispanic Catholics think the Catholic Church should let the usage of contraceptives.

There is significant help among Latin American Catholics (a local median of 60%) for closing the church’s prohibition on breakup. once once Again, Catholics in Chile (82%), Uruguay (78%) and Argentina (77%) are being among the most very likely to sound help for modification.

Catholics in Latin America are far more split with regards to alterations in the priesthood. Over the national nations polled, a median of 48per cent of Catholics think priests must certanly be permitted to marry. a share that is similarlocal median of 42%) state the church should allow females to be ordained as priests. On each problem, many Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. benefit changing the Catholic Church’s conventional roles: 59% state priests ought to be permitted to marry, and 55% think ladies must certanly be qualified to provide in the priesthood.

Reputation for Religious Change

In 1910, an approximated 94% of Latin Us americans had been Catholic, about 1% had been Protestant. But Catholics began decreasing as being a share for the region’s population in the 1970s, according to Brazilian and Mexican census information and historic quotes through the World Religion Database.

At the time of 2014, this brand new Pew Research Center study discovers that 69% of Latin Americans identify as Catholic, while 19% belong to Protestant churches and 8% are consistently unaffiliated (atheist, agnostic or no specific faith). The rest of the 4% include Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Spiritists and adherents of Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian or religions that are indigenous such as for example Umbanda and Candomble. (begin to see the glossary.)

Scholars of faith in Latin America provide a few feasible sociological explanations for the increase of Protestantism, and particularly its Pentecostal variation. One concept posits that Pentecostalism’s compatibility with native religions enhanced its appeal among Latin People in the us. By emphasizing individual connection with the divine through faith recovery, talking in tongues and prophesying, Pentecostalism draws people who share an affinity with native religions that traditionally incorporate values and techniques related to direct interaction utilizing the “spirit globe.”

Another possible description highlights the practical reasons why Pentecostalism may have gained an after in the area. Pentecostals usually stress upward social and mobility that is economic thrift. Consequently, supporters of Pentecostalism could understand faith much more conducive to prosperity that is economic. 6 historic estimates for specific Latin US nations underscore that the change far from Catholicism is just a phenomenon that is relatively recent many places. The quotes expose just two locations where experienced double-digit decreases in Catholic identification between 1910 and 1970: Chile (a decrease of 20 portion points) and Puerto Rico (a 13-point decrease). In Colombia, the portion of people that recognized as Catholic really increased by 15 portion points between 1910 and 1970.

In comparison, the time between 1970 and 2014 is marked by significant decreases within the percentages of Catholics in the majority of regarding the countries surveyed – ranging from the 47-point fall in Honduras up to a 5-point decline in Paraguay.

The Pew Research Center formerly noted post-1970 decreases in Catholic identification in Brazil and Chile. (begin to see the 2006 Pew Research report “Spirit and energy: A 10-Country Survey of Pentecostals” and also the 2013 report “Brazil’s Changing landscape.” this is certainly spiritual

About the study

This report findings from the Pew Research Center survey carried out with good capital from The Pew Charitable Trusts and also the John Templeton Foundation. The study occurred October 2013 to February 2014 among nationally samples that are representative 18 nations while the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Together, these nations and Puerto Rico account fully for significantly more than 95percent associated with population that is total of America. The study had been carried out through face-to-face interviews in Spanish, Portuguese and Guarani. Sample sizes and margins of mistake by nation can be found below. For lots additional information, begin to see the survey methodology.

Many Pew researching staff users contributed to your development of this study and report that is accompanying. James Bell and Neha Sahgal had been the researchers that are principal the lead writers of this report. Alan Cooperman ended up being the lead editor. Steve Schwarzer, Fatima Ghani and Michael Robbins aided design sampling plans, monitor field work and assess information quality. Ghani drafted Chapter 9 (Views of Pope Francis additionally the Catholic Church) and Juan Carlos Donoso drafted Chapter 8 (Religion and Science). Phillip Connor drafted the parts regarding the reputation for spiritual improvement in the spot. Cary Funk, Jessica Martinez, Juan Carlos Esparza Ochoa and Ana Gonzalez-Barrera assisted in questionnaire development; Martinez, Jill Carle, Kat Devlin, Elizabeth Sciupac, Claire Gecewicz, Besheer Mohamed and Angelina Theodorou assisted with number checking. Sandra Stencel, Michael Lipka and Aleksandra Sandstrom offered editorial review and content modifying. Stacy Rosenberg, Bill Webster, Adam Nekola, Ben Wormald and Diana Yoo designed the graphics and online interactive presentation. Other people in the Pew Research Center whom contributed to your report consist of Conrad Hackett, Mark Lopez, Claudia Deane, Michael Dimock, Anne Shi, Katie Simmons and Jessica Schillinger. Luis Lugo, previous manager for the center’s Religion & Public lifetime venture, had been instrumental in conceiving the study and supplied guidance throughout its execution.