Conclusions

The profile of religious change in Mexico

Mexico continues to be a majority Catholic country.

It supports strong collective rituality linked to Catholic tradition with high participation indices when it comes to the veneration of the Virgin Mary and saints, alongside syncretic rituals like feast days, altars, pilgrimages and the system of ‘mandas’ (e.g., performing a pilgrimage or other devotion in exchange for divine intercession).

It is undergoing slow but sustained religious change characterized by:

• A shrinking Catholic population.
• Expanding Evangelical and Paraprotestant religions.
• Greater numbers of un affiliated.

In light of increasing religious diversification, it is not key beliefs that are differentiating distinct religious followers; the Catholic hegemony is based on rites and everyday practices identified as national culture. These also constitute an element of tension between Catholics and Evangelical/ Paraprotestant minorities.

Diversity’s challenges to democratic Mexico

Religious diversity in Mexico brings the added challenge of transition to a culture of religious plurality.

It demands new, inclusive narratives and rituals reflecting religious diversity that is still largely Christian but now characterized by a marked variety of devotional practices.

It also demands a new laicism that responds to a healthy division between churches and state, as well as the creation of values and institutions that promote a pluralist culture of respect for social and religious minorities.

In general there is a recognition of the human right to religious freedom.

We preceive a laicized attitude when it comes to a division between the political and religious realms.

When it comes to public issues like reproductive rights and family models, there are different positions among different believers and non-believers that are derived from their ethical frameworks.

There are similarities between Evangelicals, Paraprotestants and a wide swathe of Catholics. They share a perception of common threats (e.g., feminism and the lgbti-rights movement, etc.), even as they compete for followers.

School spaces are a tension area for the inclusion of diversity.

The Catholic profile

Catholics are increasingly distancing themselves from institutional norms, preferring to think of themselves as Catholic “by tradition” and believers “in their own way.”

“By tradition” Catholics are both ritualists and tend to include other religious paradigms in their observances. Additionally, they are increasingly autonomous in their positions when it comes hierarchical church teachings. This is Catholicism handed down by tradition whose links to religious belonging are maintained through identification with a societal majority or cultural heritage—and not due to any given conviction regarding beliefs.

Catholics are most likely to identify themselves as “believers in their own way.” This notion describes their notable permeability to heterodox beliefs and practices, such as belief in reincarnation, or practicing indigenous- and/or esoteric-origin ritual cleansings. This is also reflected in resistance to conservative church hierarchy positions on issues like sex- and gender-education in schools, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc.

The Evangelical profile (i.e., Protestants and Pentecostals) and the Paraprotestant profile (i.e., Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists and Mormons)

These denominations have grown largely due to conversion processes since members’ “former religion” (i.e., Catholicism) “no longer satisfied them” and “they found new meaning in life.”

Their faithful evince a highly committed religiosity that is typical of first-generation minority believers.

They also evince greater commitment levels to institutions as well as high ritual frequency indices.

They are orthodox and evince less permeability to heterodox beliefs or practices in relation to their stated creed.

The unaffiliated profile

This is not synonymous with “non-believers” or atheists but rather relates to “unaffiliated believers” or “non-church spiritual” subjects.

Atheism rates within this group are minimal.

This group practices a variety of individualized, if diffuse spiritualities, including Gnosticism, Spiritism, esoterism, “customs,” free-thinking, Eastern religious paths, new-ageism, neo-Indianism and neo-paganism.