Faith in a Changing Mexico: The Effects of Religion on Political Attitudes, Engagement, and Participation

Abstract

Since about 1970 between fifteen and twenty-five percent of the populations of various Latin American countries have converted to Protestantism. This ‘neo-Reformation’ seems to have the power to reshape not only the spiritual experience, but also the social, political, and economic lives of its adherents. Mexico has long been conservative about religion, but even there the role of religion in society is changing. For instance, after a six decade hiatus, the Mexican government has recently allowed the Catholic Church to re-enter the public sphere, while during the past decade the number of Mexican Protestants has doubled and will likely double again by 2010. Thus, in a time of rapid political, economic, and social change, Mexican society is experiencing a religious pluralism unknown in the past. Do different religions result in different politics? The findings suggest that religious variables do influence political attitudes, engagement, and participation in Mexico.