Religion in Colombia
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Religion in Colombia is dominated by various branches of
Religious freedom
The Colombian Constitution of 1991 disestablished the Catholic Church, hitherto the state religion, and includes two articles providing for freedom of worship:
- Article 13 states that "all people are legally born free and equal" and are not to be subjected to discrimination because of their "sex, race, national or familial origin, language, religion, political or philosophical opinion";
- Article 19 expressly guarantees freedom of religion: "Freedom of religion is guaranteed. Every person has the right to freely profess his religion and to disseminate it individually or collectively. All religious confessions and churches are equally free before the law."
In 2023, the country was scored 4 out of 4 for religious freedom.[4]
In the same year, the country was rank as the 22nd most difficulty place in the world to be a Christian.[5]
Christianity
Catholic Christianity
In the colonial period, the Catholic Church was created and in charge of most of the public institutions, such as teaching facilities (schools, colleges, universities, libraries, botanical gardens, astronomical observatories); health facilities (Hospitals, nurseries, leper hospitals) and jails. It also "inherited" a huge amount of land, approx. 1/4 of all the productive land, which was later acquired by the government.[citation needed]
Colombia is often referred as the "Country of the Sacred Heart", due to the annual consecration of the country to the
Protestant Christianity
Protestantism, primarily Evangelicalism, represent 14% of the population in 2022;[3] international NGOs have stated that indigenous Protestants face threats, harassment and arbitrary detention in their communities due to their religious beliefs.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
There is a small Eastern Orthodox presence in Colombia, concentrated around cities and metropolitan areas. The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has Colombia as part of their Diocese of Caracas and South America, ruled by Bishop John (Berzins).[6] The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople also maintains a presence in Colombia, through their Metropolis of Buenos Aires and all South America, ruled by Metropolitan John (Bosch) since 2019.[7] There is little activity beyond that.
Baháʼí Faith
The
The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated that Baháʼís made up 0.02% of the population in 2020;[17] local leaders estimate that they make up over 1%.[3]
Islam
According to a 2018 study conducted Pew Research Center, the size of the Colombian Muslim population ranges from about 5,000-10,000 individuals.
Most Colombian Muslims are converts or of Arab descent.[19]
In 2020, Maicao became the first place in Colombia to elect a Muslim mayor;[20] the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque in the city is the third largest in Latin America.
Other religious affiliations
Various denominations have their own statistics:
- Seventh-day Adventist Church: 270,256 members as of June 30, 2017[21][22]
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 193,350 members (2016)[23]
- Jehovah's Witnesses: about 188,219 members (2022)[24]
- Judaism: 5,500 members[3]
- Buddhism: approximately 9,000[3]
Although the government does not keep official statistics on religious affiliation, a 2010 limited survey found[2]
- 70.0% Catholic
- 0.9% Charismatic Catholic
- 14.4% Evangelical Christian
- 1.6% Pentecostal
- 0.3% Charismatic Evangelicals
- 0.4% Protestant
- 2.5% Agnostic
- 2.2% Atheist
- 3.5% Theistic but no religion (Mostly Indigenous religions)
- 1.3% Jehovah's Witnesses
- 0.5% Adventist
- 0.1% Muslim
- 2.2% no response
The constitution provides for freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on religion; there is no official state religion, but the law says the state is not atheist or agnostic.[3] All cities and towns in Colombia have a church, but there are also some temples, mosques and synagogues in the largest cities.
A Colombian-grown Tao (not to be confused with Taoísm) sect has spread significantly in recent years. In the 2000s, temples and congregations were target of a paramilitary repression whose motivations are still unclear.[25] Entire Tao-Judío communities were massacred and leaders kidnapped.[25] The leader of the Tao sect, Luis Morales Sierra, also known Kelium Zeus, along with other seven members, were also charged for kidnapping, homicide and criminal conspiracy.[26]
In 2008 these communities organised and participated to various peaceful protests in some cities of Colombia.[27]
Religious statistics
The
While Colombia remains a mostly Roman Catholic country by baptism numbers, the 1991 Colombian constitution guarantees freedom of religion and all religious faiths and churches are equally free before the law.[30]
Syncretism in Colombia
Some syncretic or native religious figures in the country are: The healing ghost of
Gallery
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The Black Christ Icon in the Basilica of Señor de los Milagros (Buga, Valle del Cauca) is visited by thousands of people every week
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Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (16th century). Virgin de Chiquinquirá is the patroness saint of Colombia. Chiquinquirá is a major point of religious pilgrimage
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Virgin oflas Lajas Cathedral
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Pilgrims visit Monserrate and the "Saint Christ Fallen by the whips and nailed into the Cross" Icon in Bogotá
References
- ^ "Catholicism and evangelism: the two most common religions in Latin America". Statista. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-958-761-465-7. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g US State Dept 2022 report
- ^ Freedom House website, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ Open Doors website, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ "Bishops".
- ^ "Αμερική - Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο". 18 July 2019.
- ISBN 0-87743-233-3.
- ISBN 0-85398-234-1
- ^ "Around the World; Colombia". Baháʼí News (577): 19. April 1979.
- ^ "South America". Baháʼí News. No. 169. July 1944. p. 7.
- ^ Lamb, Artemus (November 1995). The Beginnings of the Baháʼí Faith in Latin America:Some Remembrances, English Revised and Amplified Edition. West Linn, OR: M L VanOrman Enterprises.
- Hands of the CauseResiding in the Holy Land. 1963. pp. 16, 19, 77.
- ^ CRECE: Centro de Estudios Regionales, Cafeteros y Empresariales (August 2001). "Successful Alternatives for Rural Education: Tutorial Learning System (TLS) and New School Methodology Rural Post-Primary". Regional Policy Dialogue on Education and Human Resources Training Network, Second Meeting: Secondary Education. Manizales, Colombia: Inter-American Development Bank. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
- ISSN 0195-9212.
- ISSN 0195-9212.
- ^ The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-28
- ^ "US State Dept 2021 report on Colombia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Islam in Colombia" (PDF). Refworld. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Middle East Eye website, article by Inigo Alexander dated April 5, 2023
- ^ "North Colombian Union Conference - Adventist Organizational Directory". www.adventistdirectory.org. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "South Colombian Union Conference - Adventist Organizational Directory". adventistdirectory.org. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "LDS Statistics and Church Facts | Total Church Membership". Mormon Newsroom. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- ^ 2022 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses (PDF). 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ a b "Tao Community in Colombia". 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (26 December 2007). "Ordenan capturar a ocho líderes de la comunidad tao de Santander". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ keliumzeus (15 March 2008). "Marcha TAO. Marcha en la Capital Colombiana. CARACOL". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ Cely, Beltrán; Mauricio, William (2012). "Descripción cuantitativa de la pluralización religiosa en Colombia" (PDF). Universitas humanística. 73: 201–238. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2014. Based on a 2010 survey in "major cities throughout the country, many mid-size cities, and the rural region of Uraba".
- ^ "Latinobarómetro 1995 - 2017: El Papa Francisco y la Religión en Chile y América Latina" (PDF) (in Spanish). January 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ Colombian Constitution of 1991 (Title II – Concerning rights, guarantees, and duties – Chapter I – Concerning fundamental rights – Article 19)
- ^ [1] Archived 26 March 2015 at the Wayback MachineCaribbeanInside.com: Cult to Maria Lionza