Catholic Latinos increasingly find new faith in Pentecostalism

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Feb 12, 2013

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Catholic Latinos increasingly find new faith in Pentecostalism

While the Latino population of Catholics is fast-growing, influential and will no doubt have some bearing on the choice of the new pope, the church that once dominated Latin America now has serious competition from Pentecostalism.

Dancers perform during a religious ceremony for youngsters at an evangelical church in Brasilia, on July 7, 2012. According to last census, the Roman Catholic might soon cease to be predominant religion worshipped in Brazil, considering the fast growing of the Pentecostal evangelicals, who increased from 15.4 percent of the population (26.2 million) in 2000 to 22.2 percent (42.3 million) in 2010.

While the Latino population of Catholics is fast-growing, influential and will no doubt have some bearing on the choice of the new pope, the church that once dominated Latin America now has serious competition from Pentecostalism.

While the Latino population of Catholics is fast-growing, influential and will no doubt have some bearing on the choice of the new pope, the church that once dominated Latin America now has serious competition from Pentecostalism.

Is the Catholic Church losing its grip on the Spanish-speaking world?

Joining us now to talk about the rise of Pentecostalism in Latin America is Juan Martinez of Fuller Theological Seminary, where he specializes in Latino protestant identity.