From Catholic to Protestant: Religious Switching among US Latinos

The growth of Protestantism --especially its evangelical variants-- among US Latinos has been the focus of considerable discussion among researchers, religious leaders, and the general public. However, few studies have investigated patterns and correlates of Latino religious affiliation and conversion from Catholicism to Protestantism. There are theories to explain Latino conversion from Catholicism to Protestantism, but empirical support for these theories based on nationally representative surveys remains rare. Our study provides fresh information on the growth of Protestantism among US Latinos. Specifically, we address two main research questions: (1) what characteristics distinguish converts to Protestantism from lifelong Catholics within the Latino population in the US; and (2) how do these findings strengthen or weaken the current theories put forth to explain Latino conversion. Relevant hypotheses are tested using data from a large (n=4,016) national sample of US Latinos surveyed by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life in fall 2006. We find that the common treatment of US Latinos in religion research as a pan-ethnic, homogeneous group is misleading -- cultural and historical contexts of countries of origin matter. Study limitations are discussed and promising directions for future research are identified.