Grace Thompson
Mexico is a secular country that has allowed freedom of religion since the mid-19th century. While the majority of Mexicans are Catholic, there are also significant numbers of Protestants, including Pentecostals, Charismatics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and evangelical Protestants. There are also small numbers of Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, and followers of indigenous religions. Some Mexicans are atheists or irreligious, and it can be complex to measure the number of atheists and irreligious individuals in the country due to the secular nature of many Catholics and Protestants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Catholic | 78% (2020 census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Protestant | 10% (2020 census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are atheists | 4.7% (2010 census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Muslims | 111,000 or 0.08% (2010 estimate) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Jews | 67,000 or 0.05% (most recent census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Sikhs | 8,000 or 0.006% |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Buddhists | 29,985 or 0.02% (2020 census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Hindus | 29,985 or 0.02% (2020 census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Mormons | 6,160,000 or 4.7% (2000 census) |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are Jehovah's Witnesses | Not specified |
| Percentage of Mexicans who are agnostic | 8.1% (2020 census) |
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What You'll Learn
Religious syncretism
Mexico is a secular country that has allowed freedom of religion since the mid-19th century. While Mexicans enjoy freedom of religion, more than half of the population identifies as Catholic. However, many Catholics in Mexico combine or syncretize Catholic practices with native traditions. This religious syncretism is evident in the practices of the Mayan people in the Yucatán Peninsula and the Wixarika people of Jalisco and Nayarit, who have incorporated elements of Christianity into their traditional beliefs.
The history of religious syncretism in Mexico can be traced back to the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the 16th century. When Hernando Cortes and his Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico City in 1521, the indigenous Aztec people believed that they were the promised gods returning from across the Gulf of Mexico. The Aztecs welcomed the Spanish as gods, only to have their indigenous religion destroyed and be forcibly converted to Catholicism. To survive, the indigenous people began incorporating elements of Christianity into their traditional beliefs, creating a new syncretic system.
One iconic example of syncretism is the blending of the Christian cross with the Mayan symbol of the World Tree. During the Spanish conquest, the Mayans accepted the Christian god as a supreme power but retained their traditional deities by transforming them into saints. The saints are essentially patron gods whom people offer gifts to and ask for favors. Another example of syncretism is the Mayan use of alcohol, tobacco, and hallucinogens in their religious ceremonies, which is not approved by the Catholic Church.
The lack of a permanent priestly presence in many rural areas of southern Mexico during the early colonial period also contributed to syncretism. Locals conducted daily religious activities and drew analogies between existing religious beliefs and new Catholic teachings. This led to a natural blending of religions, as some Mexicans believed that religions were not necessarily exclusive or self-contained.
In addition to Mayan and Aztec syncretism, Mexican Catholicism has also been influenced by pre-contact religious ideas, such as the Nahua "mother goddess" Coatlicue, who shares similarities with the Virgin Mary. Converted Nahua saw the Virgin Mary as the European incarnation of Coatlicue.
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Religious discrimination
Mexico has a rich religious history, with the Roman Catholic Church holding prominent social and political positions for centuries. While the country is predominantly Catholic, there are also significant Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist populations. Additionally, some indigenous groups continue to practice their traditional beliefs. Atheism and irreligion are also present in Mexico, although their prevalence is more complex to measure due to the secular nature of many Catholics and Protestants.
Despite Mexico's diverse religious landscape, religious discrimination remains an issue. The National Council to Prevent Discrimination (CONAPRED) has documented incidents of discrimination against non-Catholic and atheist individuals in education, health, and the workplace. There have also been reports of intolerance towards minority religious groups, such as LLDM, whose members have faced bullying and verbal attacks.
Mexico has a non-discriminatory policy regarding citizenship, and the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. However, the country has a history of anti-clerical laws aimed at promoting a secular society and limiting the influence of the Catholic Church. The 1917 Constitution imposed restrictions on the Church, and while these were later lifted in 1992, the separation of church and state remains a guiding principle.
Despite constitutional protections, religious discrimination persists at the state and local levels. Some minority religious groups have faced violence, with Catholic priests and other religious leaders being targeted by criminal organizations. Indigenous religious communities have also faced discrimination and been unable to return to their homes due to their refusal to participate in traditional indigenous cultural events.
To address these issues, various interfaith working groups, such as Religions for Peace and Religions for Inclusion, actively promote dialogue and engagement between different religious communities in Mexico. These groups provide a platform for discussing religious discrimination and intolerance and aim to foster greater understanding and cooperation among Mexico's diverse religious landscape.
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Atheism and freethought
Mexico has a long history of Catholicism, which was the national religion for many years after independence from Spain. However, in the mid-19th century, Mexico became a secular country, allowing freedom of religion. While the majority of Mexicans are still Catholic, there are also Protestants, Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists. Atheism and irreligion in Mexico are complex to measure, as many Catholics and Protestants lead secular lives, and there are various reports of the percentage of unaffiliated people. The National Census in 2010 reported 4.7% of Mexicans as having no religion.
The history of atheism and freethought in Mexico is closely tied to the country's complex relationship with the Catholic Church. After gaining independence from Spain, Mexico's first political constitution in 1824 established Roman Catholicism as the national religion. This led to a powerful anti-clerical movement that resulted in the revolution of 1854, led by Benito Juárez. The Constitution of 1857 secularized schools and confiscated Church property, a move that was opposed by Pope Pius IX. This push for a secular society continued with the 1917 Constitution, which imposed limitations on the Catholic Church and codified state intervention in religious matters.
In recent times, there have been mixed messages about atheism and irreligion in Mexico. In 2009, President Felipe Calderón made a statement claiming that atheism and irreligion lead young people towards addiction and crime. On the other hand, the growth of atheism and freethought movements, as evidenced by the Global Atheist March, suggests a shift towards secularism and the protection of the rights of non-religious individuals.
While the exact number of atheists in Mexico is challenging to determine, the presence of atheist communities and their efforts to promote secularism and civil rights indicates a notable presence of atheism and freethought in the country.
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Religious conversion
Mexico is a secular country and has allowed freedom of religion since the mid-19th century. While the majority of Mexicans identify as Roman Catholic, there are a variety of other religions practised in the country.
Religious Landscape in Mexico
According to the 2020 Mexican government census, approximately 78% of Mexicans identify as Roman Catholic, a slight decrease from 83% in 2010. About 10% are Protestant or evangelical Protestant, and 1.5% follow other religions, including Judaism, Jehovah's Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Islam. Additionally, more than 2.5% practice unspecified religions, and 8.1% report having no religious affiliation.
While conversion to non-Catholic denominations has been lower than in Central America, there has been growth in Evangelical Protestantism, Mormonism, and folk religions like Mexicayotl. Buddhism and Islam have also gained a limited foothold through immigration and conversion.
Religious Syncretism
It is worth noting that religious syncretism is also present in Mexico, where some Indigenous persons blend Catholicism with their native traditions. In the Yucatán Peninsula, some Mayan people continue to practice their traditional beliefs alongside, or separate from, Christianity. Similarly, the Wixarika people of Jalisco and Nayarit maintain their ancestral customs.
Religious Discrimination
Mexico is not immune to religious discrimination. The National Council to Prevent Discrimination (CONAPRED) has documented cases of religious discrimination, including incidents involving LLDM members and the Jewish community.
In conclusion, while Catholicism remains the dominant religion in Mexico, the country accommodates a diverse range of religious beliefs and practices. Religious conversion in Mexico has led to the growth of various denominations, contributing to the country's rich and complex religious landscape.
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Religious practices
Mexico is a secular country that has allowed freedom of religion since the mid-19th century. While the majority of Mexicans identify as Roman Catholic, there are several other religious groups present in the country.
Catholicism is the largest religious group in Mexico, with approximately 78% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic, according to the 2020 Mexican government census. However, it is worth noting that the percentage of Catholics has been declining over the years, dropping from 83% in 2010 to 78% in 2020. Some Mexicans combine or syncretize Catholic practices with native traditions. For example, in the Yucatán Peninsula, some Mayan people practice traditional beliefs without syncretizing with Christianity. Similarly, the Wixarika people of Jalisco and Nayarit maintain their ancestral beliefs. Urban Catholics tend to be more secularized, and religious practices vary across social classes. While the belief in zodiac signs is common across social classes, the belief in the Virgin Mary (as represented by the Lady of Guadalupe) is more prevalent than the belief in the Abrahamic God.
Protestants make up the second-largest religious group in Mexico, accounting for about 10-11% of the population. Protestantism is more prevalent in states bordering Guatemala and the United States, such as Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and those bordering Texas. Evangelical Protestantism, which includes Jehovah's Witnesses, is a growing movement within Protestantism, with a significant presence in the state of Chiapas.
Other religious groups in Mexico include Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists. The presence of Jews in Mexico dates back to 1521, and there are now over 67,000 Mexican Jews, most of whom live in the Greater Mexico City area. Islam is practiced mainly by Lebanese Mexicans and other Arab Mexicans, with a growing presence among indigenous populations in Chiapas. There are around 8,000 Sikhs in Mexico, mostly of Punjabi origin. Buddhism has a limited presence in the country, with a small number of followers, including East Asian Buddhists, who make up about 0.02% of the population.
Additionally, there is a small but notable presence of atheism and irreligion in Mexico, with the National Census in 2010 reporting 4.7% of the population as having no religion. However, measuring irreligion and atheism can be complex due to the secular nature of many Catholics and Protestants in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the 2020 Mexican government census, approximately 78% of Mexicans identify as Roman Catholic. However, it is important to note that some Mexicans combine or syncretize Catholic practices with native traditions.
There are a variety of other religions practiced in Mexico, including:
- Protestantism (11%)
- Islam
- Judaism (67,000 Mexican Jews)
- Buddhism
- Hinduism
- Folk religions, such as Mexicayotl
Yes, while it is complex to measure irreligion and atheism in Mexico, the National Census in 2010 reported that 4.7% of Mexicans had no religion. Additionally, some sources mention the existence of a long history of atheism and freethought in the country.
