Evangelicals Surpass Catholics to Become the Majority in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador
Latinobarómetro survey across 17 countries reveals an unprecedented demographic shift in Central America following three decades of evangelical growth.
A historic demographic shift has redefined the religious map of three Central American nations. For the first time since modern tracking began, evangelicals have become the majority population in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, outnumbering the Catholic Church in faithful.
The figures come from a study by the Latinobarómetro Corporation, which surveyed over 2,000 citizens over age 18 across 17 Latin American countries. According to the research, in Honduras, 44% of the population identifies as evangelical, compared to 38% Catholic. In Guatemala, evangelicals represent 43% of inhabitants, ahead of 41% Catholic. In El Salvador, 42% of citizens identify as evangelical, while the Catholic portion stands at 37%.
Imagem ilustrativa. (Foto: Facebook/Ministerio Internacional La Cosecha).
Evangelical growth changes the religious landscape of Central America
The shift in Central America stems from a steady transition monitored by researchers over the past 30 years. In Guatemala, for example, Catholics represented 54% of inhabitants in 1995, a figure that dropped by 13 percentage points over the period.
The expansion of evangelical faith across the region developed alongside the multiplication of local congregations in both urban and rural areas. This growth mirrors the pattern described in Acts 2:47, where the community of believers expanded continuously through public witness and the teaching of Scripture.
Marked Catholic decline extends across the continent
The reduction in Catholic affiliation was not limited to the northern triangle of Central America. Overall, the share of Catholics across Latin America fell from 80% in 1995 to 55%, showing a substantial loss of adherence in just three decades.
In Honduras, Catholic adherents dropped by half during the period analyzed, falling from 76% to 38%. In Panama, the drop was even steeper: in Panama, the number of Catholics dropped from 89% to 46% of the population. Over the same timeframe across the 17 surveyed countries, evangelicals jumped from 6% to 19% of the continent's inhabitants.
Evangelicals lead in active faith practice and church engagement
In addition to numerical growth, the survey measured the level of religious practice among respondents. The findings reveal distinct differences between groups regarding church attendance and daily devotion.
In the Latinobarómetro study, 62% of Latin American evangelicals declare themselves active practitioners. Among respondents who identify as Catholic, 48% consider that they actively live out their faith in daily life.
The emergence of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador as majority-evangelical nations marks the most advanced stage of a demographic shift taking place across Latin America.
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