Venezuela

The religious landscape of the country of Venezuela, on the northern coast of South America, has undergone multiple readjustments over the past four decades. While the 2001 census figures point to the clear predominance of Catholicism (96%), the contemporary religious scene is characterized by a growing pluralism, with some apparent tensions. The sustained growth of Protestantism (2%), particularly since the 1970s, has been one of the principal factors in the redefinition of religion in Venezuela. Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal evangelical movements have found a fertile niche among the popular classes, where they operate in capillary fashion. The success of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God exemplifies the surge of Protestantism. The Brazilian-based movement appeared on the scene in Venezuela in the 1990s, and its ...