Large-scale secularization: Pew Research has documented the decline of Christianity in Europe and its growth in Latin America
A new study by the Pew Research think tank has revealed deep secularization processes on the European continent, where Christianity is gradually losing its position. According to the data, the most noticeable outflow of believers is observed among Catholics in the Mediterranean countries and Protestants in Northern Europe, while Latin America shows a steady increase in the number of adherents of Protestantism.
According to the information resource Evangelical Focus, the leaders in the decline in the number of believers among Catholic countries were Spain and France. In Spain, despite the fact that 80% of the adult population was raised in the Catholic tradition, today only 45% continue to identify with the Church. A similar trend can be observed in France, where almost half of people born into Catholic families have officially departed from the faith.
At the same time, as the researchers note, Eastern Europe demonstrates much greater religious stability. Poland remains a «stronghold» of the faith: 92% of the population still considers itself Catholic, with 96% of those raised in this tradition. Stable indicators are also recorded in Hungary and Italy, where 67% of citizens remain faithful to Catholicism, despite European trends.
Protestant denominations (Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed) in Northern Europe have also been deeply affected by the crisis. In the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands, the number of people leaving the church significantly exceeds the number of new members. For example, in the UK, almost half of those who grew up Protestant no longer associate themselves with the religion. In Sweden, the number of those who have left the faith is six times higher than the number of new converts.
Globally, the situation looks different in Latin America. In Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico, the number of adults who have consciously embraced Protestantism exceeds those born into Protestant families. «In Europe, religion is increasingly perceived as a sociological affiliation rather than an active faith,» experts emphasize, noting the gradual disappearance of «nominal Christians» from church statistics.
