Religion in Colombia

By Daniel T. Johnson

When it comes to religions in Colombia, Roman Catholicism is far and away the most prevalent. Brought from Spain in the early 1500s, Catholicism is popularly thought to have been spread by fear, intimidation and bribery. The truth is a little more complex. While some missionaries relied on such tactics, others, such as Bartolome de las Casas, were instrumental in the defense of the Indians and in promoting a religion of love. Either way, Catholicism became firmly established and for centuries was the official religion of Colombia.

Colombia also played an important role in the development and dissemination of Liberation Theology, the idea of utilizing the Christian mission to bring justice to the poor, by hosting the Medellín Conference in 1968.

Despite these developments, the Catholic Church in Colombia has seen its influence wane in recent years. In 1973, Colombia officially changed Catholicism from the country’s official religion to “the religion of the great majority of Colombians." Perhaps more damning, the Colombian government revoked some of the church’s power. In particular, Catholic missionaries no longer possessed greater jurisdiction than the government over education and health care in the Colombia’s mission territories—land with primarily indigenous populations—and the church was forced to surrender any right to censor public university texts and enforce the use of the Catholic catechism in public schools. For good measure, Colombians were also granted the right to contract civil marriages without renouncing their Catholic faith.

Colombia’s government expanded religious tolerance in 1991, when it guaranteed its citizens freedom of religion. Other religions have grown in Colombia as a result (Christian evangelicals and Mormons have made inroads here in recent years), though they still pale in comparison to the overwhelming reach of Catholicism. According to most polls on the subject, approximately 90 percent of Colombians identify themselves as Catholic.

But signs also point to a decline in Catholic faith. A 2001 poll conducted by one of Colombia’s premier newspapers indicated that as many as 60 percent of Colombians did not actively practice their faith, and just last year Colombia overturned a long-standing law prohibiting some forms of abortion despite opposition from the Catholic Church.

For travelers, religion likely won’t affect your visit. Though obviously important in Colombia, religious practice is still largely a personal experience.