Religion in South America has been a major influence onart,culture,philosophy andlaw and changed greatly in recent years.Roman Catholicism has rapidly declined. Most of this is due to the growth ofProtestantism, particularlyevangelical Christians.[1] A smaller number of South Americans are also beginning to identify asirreligious.[2] Sizeable adherents of other religions are also present, including of variousindigenous religions.
Currently, all countries in the region in general are separate of the Catholic Church and declared secular states, which guarantees freedom of religion for its inhabitants. However, in Peru, Roman Catholicism serves as theofficial religion. In that country Catholic religious education is mandatory, and in most of the region's nations Roman Catholicism still sways the population.
According to aPew Research Center projection in 2010, they predicted that 83.4% of the South American population will beChristian in 2020.[4]
In many South American countries Catholicism is the most professed Christian denomination. InParaguay,Peru,Colombia andArgentina more than three-quarters of the population is Catholic.Catholicism was the only religion allowed in thecolonial era; the indigenous were forced to abandon their beliefs, although many did not abandon it at all, for example, countries with predominantlyAmerindian population such asBolivia andPeru there is a syncretism betweenindigenous religions and the Catholic religion, that has occurred since colonial times. InBrazil orColombia, Catholicism was mixed with certainAfrican rituals.
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Protestantism has had a presence since the nineteenth century, as a minority, but witnessed a strong increase since the 1980s. The majority of Latin American Protestants in general arePentecostal.[5]Brazil today is the most Protestant country in South America with 22.2% of the population being Protestant,[6] 89% of Brazilian evangelicals are Pentecostal, inChile they represent 79% of the total evangelicals in that country, 69% inArgentina and 59% inColombia.[5] On the other part, inUruguay 66% of evangelicals areMethodist, while only 20% are Pentecostal.[5] There are up to an estimated two hundred million Pentecostals and Renewalists in Latin America.[7] Approximately 160 million Latin Americans are Evangelical.[8] Forty million South Americans are Christians independent from denominations.[9]
Brazil is the country with more practitioners in the world ofAllan Kardec's codification of theSpiritism, followed by over 12 million people, with 30 to 45 million sympathizers. Most followers of theSpiritism are people that were mostly Catholic, Protestants and Atheists respectively.
Chico Xavier wrote over 490 books, which complements thespiritualist doctrine.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity was brought to South America by groups of immigrants from several different regions, mainlyEastern Europe and theMiddle East. This traditional branch of Eastern Christianity has also spread beyond the boundaries of immigrant communities. There are several Eastern Orthodox ecclesiastical jurisdictions in South America, organized within the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Latin America.[10]
Several groups of Christian immigrants, mainly from theMiddle East,Caucasus,Africa andIndia, broughtOriental Orthodoxy to the South America. This ancient branch of Eastern Christianity includes several ecclesiastical jurisdictions in the South America, likeCoptic Orthodox Church in South America andSyriac Orthodox Church.[11]
Practitioners ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints andJehovah's Witnesses religions also are present
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Hinduism is the second-largest religion inSuriname,Guyana andFrench Guiana. According to the 2015 census of Suriname, Hindus constitute 23.1% of the population. While according the 2020 census of Guyana, Hindus constitute 31% of the population.Guyana andSuriname also have the Third and Fourth largest population ofHindus in theWestern Hemisphere respectively, afterthe United States andCanada.
Indigenous creeds and rituals are still practiced in some countries with large percentages ofAmerindians, such asBolivia andPeru.
Argentina has the largest communities of bothJews[12][13][14] andMuslims[15][16][17] in Latin America. Practitioners of theJudaism,Buddhist,Islamic,Hinduism,Bahá'í Faith, denominations and religions also exercised inLatin America.[18]
Country By Religion in South America (2020 estimate):
| Countries | Total Population | Christians % | Christians Population | Unaffiliated % | Unaffiliated Population | Other % | Other Population | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | 47,327,407 | 85.4% | 37,420,000 | 12.1% | 5,320,000 | 2.5% | 2,000,000 | [4][19] |
 Bolivia | 11,830,000 | 94% | 11,120,000 | 4.1% | 480,000 | 1.9% | 230,000 | [4] |
 Brazil | 210,450,000 | 88.1% | 185,430,000 | 8.4% | 17,620,000 | 3.5% | 7,400,000 | [4] |
 Chile | 18,540,000 | 88.3% | 16,380,000 | 9.7% | 1,800,000 | 2% | 360,000 | [4] |
 Colombia | 50,000,000 | 95.5% | 47,750,000 | 4% | 2,000,000 | 0.5% | 250,000 | [4][20] |
 Ecuador | 16,480,000 | 94% | 15,490,000 | 5.6% | 920,000 | 0.4% | 70,000 | [4] |
 Guyana | 850,000 | 67.9% | 580,000 | 2% | 20,000 | 30.1% | 250,000 | [4] |
 Paraguay | 7,630,000 | 96.9% | 7,390,000 | 1.1% | 90,000 | 2% | 150,000 | [4] |
 Peru | 32,920,000 | 95.4% | 31,420,000 | 3.1% | 1,010,000 | 1.5% | 490,000 | [4] |
 Suriname | 632,638 | 52.3% | 300,000 | 6.2% | 40,000 | 41.5% | 240,000 | [4] |
 Uruguay | 3,407,213 | 57% | 1,990,000 | 41.5% | 1,450,000 | 1.5% | 50,000 | [4] |
 Venezuela | 29,789,730 | 89.5% | 29,540,000 | 9.7% | 3,220,000 | 0.8% | 250,000 | [4] |
| South America | 422,194,269 | 83.43% | 385,210,000 | 9.18% | 35,480,000 | 7.39% | 11,080,000 |
