Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Encyclopedia of Latin American Religions pp 1–9Cite as

Venezuela

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:

  • 22 Accesses

Part of the book series: Religions of the World ((REWO))

Definition

Religion in Venezuela is a mix of an African-influenced, relatively relaxed, Caribbean style religious engagement with a Pentecostal flourish build on top of an historic Catholic tradition and institutional presence. The Catholic Church in Venezuela, as was the case in most of Latin America and the Mediterranean world, experienced oscillating fortunes at the hands of the state and economic elites over the centuries. As a result of these struggles, there is a certainly independent ecclesial sensibility even as it exhibits on a characteristically Catholic institutional depth and care for broad social concerns. Today, approximately one in five Venezuelans are evangelical Christians, perhaps two-thirds or more identify as Catholic, and there is a clear presence of non-Christian traditions as well. It is this religious reality, at times very practical, at times other-worldly, that informs in part how Venezuelans make sense of their lives and relate to ultimate concerns.

Introduction...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

References

  • Ayerra J (1980) Los protestantes en Venezuela. Tripode, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett D, Kurian G, Johnson T (2001) World Christian encyclopedia, vol 2. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardot C (1981) La iglesia venezolana entre 1930–1962. In: CEHILA (ed) Historia general de la iglesia en America Latina: Colombia y Venezuela. Sigueme, Salamanca, pp 552–558

    Google Scholar 

  • Casique I (1989) Relaciones entre la institución eclesiástica y el estado Venezolano a partir de la firma del modus vivendi (1964–1985). UCAB, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruz J (2014) The histories of the Latin American church: a handbook. Fortress, Minneapolis

    Google Scholar 

  • Diaz A (1986) Análisis, diagnóstico y perspectivas de la obra evangélica en Caracas, Venezuela 1900–2010. Unpublished report. Consejo Evangelico de Venezuela, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Froehle B (1992) The Catholic church and politics in Venezuela: resource limitations, religious competition, and democracy. In: Cleary E, Stewart-Gambino H (eds) Conflict and competition: the Latin American church in a changing environment. Lynne Rienner, Boulder, pp 105–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Froehle B (1994) Religious competition, community building, and democracy in Latin America: grassroots religious organizations in Venezuela. Sociol Relig 55(2):145–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Froehle B (1995) Religious competition in contemporary Venezuela. In: Pattnayak S (ed) Organized religion in the political transformation of Latin America. University Press, Lanham, pp 125–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Froehle B (1997) Pentecostals and evangelicals in Venezuela: consolidating gains, moving in new directions. In: Cleary L, Stewart-Gambino H (eds) Power, politics, and Pentecostals in Latin America. Westview, Boulder, pp 201–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez Oropeza H (1988a) La liberación de la iglesia Venezolana del patronato. Paulinas, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez Oropeza H (1988b) La iglesia en la Venezuela hispánica. Paulinas, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruson A (1972) Religiosidad popular en Venezuela. In: FERES-AL (ed) Religiosidad en America Latina. Federación Internacional de Institutos de Investigaciones Sociales y Socio-Religiosas, Bogotá, pp 13–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland C (2010) Major Protestant denominations in the Americas country statistical reports. PROLADES-CONELA

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson A (1978) Llanos inundados: a history and analysis of the Iglesias Nativas Apurenas of Venezuela. Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson T, Ross K (2009) Atlas of Global Christianity. University of Edinburgh Press, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine D (2012) Politics, religion & society in Latin America. Lynne Rienner, Boulder

    Google Scholar 

  • Maduro O (1981) Invasión religiosa extranjera? SIC XLIV:161–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Maradei C (1978) Venezuela: Su iglesia y sus gobiernos. Tripode, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Micheo A, Ugalde L (1981) El proceso histórico de la iglesia Venezolana. In: CEHILA (ed) Historia general de la iglesia en América Latina: Colombia y Venezuela. Sigueme, Salamanca, pp 601–637

    Google Scholar 

  • Munárriz J, Trigo P, Sosa A (1987) Comunidades eclesiales de base en Venezuela. In: Gomez Calcano L (ed) Crisis y movimientos sociales en Venezuela. Tropykos, Caracas, pp 107–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Navarro J (1981) Contestación en la iglesia Venezolana (1966–1972): Contribucidn al estudio de los movimientos sociales. UCAB, Escuela de Ciencias Sociales, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Nuñez L (1977) Proyecto pastoral-política de la iglesia católica: fundamentación teórica para un análisis sociólogico. UCAB, Escuela de Ciencias Sociales, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollak-Eltz A (1978) Pentecostalism in Venezuela. Anthropos 73:462–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollak-Eltz A (1981) Magico-religious movements and social change in Venezuela. J Caribb Stud 2(2&3):162–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollak-Eltz A (1985) Maria Lionza: mito y culto Venezolano. Manoa, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Porras B (1978) El Episcopado y los problemas de Venezuela. Tripode, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez Iturre J (1968) Iglesia y estado en Venezuela (1824–1964). Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Derecho: Instituto de Derecho Público, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair J (1981) El protestantismo en Colombia y Venezuela en la época de la nuevas repúblicas. In: CEHILA (ed) Historia general de la iglesia en América Latina. Sigueme, Salamanca, pp 501–514

    Google Scholar 

  • Sosa A (1979) Democracia y dictadura en la Venezuela del Siglo XX. Centro Gumilla, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Trigo P (1982) Comunidades cristianas de base en Venezuela. SIC XLV:412–416. Centro Gumilla, Caracas

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas G (2018) Venezuela. In: Lamport M (ed) Encyclopedia of Christianity in the global south. Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, pp 838–841

    Google Scholar 

  • Watters M (1933) A history of the church in Venezuela 1810–1930. UNC Press, Chapel Hill

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Theology and Ministry, St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens, FL, USA

    Bryan T. Froehle

Authors
  1. Bryan T. Froehle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bryan T. Froehle .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sociology/Anthropology, Oakland Univ Sociology/Anthropology, Rochester, MI, USA

    Henri Gooren

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Froehle, B.T. (2018). Venezuela. In: Gooren, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Latin American Religions. Religions of the World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08956-0_364-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08956-0_364-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-08956-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08956-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation