Spain

The religious life of the southern European country of Spain is characterized by a deep-rooted Catholicism and the major structural changes that have taken place in Spanish society in recent decades. This entry centers on three aspects. First, it briefly outlines the historical reasons for the hegemonic character of Catholicism up to recent times; second, it analyzes the extent to which Spanish society is becoming secularized; and, finally, it touches on two issues that are currently of great importance: the formation of a new religious plurality as a consequence of the arrival of immigration and the debate over laicity of the state.

The political unification achieved by the Catholic monarchs in the 15th century, together with the expulsion of Muslims and Jews, resulted in religious homogenization ...