Religious Identity of Hispanics in the US is Moving Away from Catholicism

A new report from the PEW Religion & Public Life Project supports the increasing shift in religious identity within America. This time the focus is on the Hispanic community.

The report says more than half of Hispanics in the U.S. are Roman Catholic, but that number has been declining. Just 4 years ago, in 2010, 67% identified as Roman Catholic, compared to this year’s 55%. That’s a 12% drop.

Another surprising finding is that within ages 18-29, almost all of the people who’ve left Catholicism now identify as “no religious affiliation.”

The report is quite extensive, covering reasons for switching religions, attitudes of both current and former Catholics toward the Catholic Church, religious commitment, and even abortion and attitudes toward Pentecostalism.

Check out the full study here.

Resources

• PEW Religion & Public Life Project
• “The Shifting Religious Identity of Latinos in the United States”