Loretta Devery on the Changing Role of Catholicism in Chile

By: Loretta Devery

February 20, 2009

Traditional notions of Latin America include the Catholic Church as a central part of daily life. The Spanish imperialism of the sixteenth century, with the conversion of the native population in the Americas as one of its main goals, began the long history of the dominance of the Catholic Church in Latin America.
Traces of this era are apparent throughout the area with colonial churches and cities named for saints. Chile is no different. The spires of the Church of the Dominicans are clearly visible from most places in my neighborhood of Las Condes in Santiago. However, the influence that the Catholic Church enjoyed for centuries is dwindling. Though the majority of Chileans still identify themselves as Catholic, the number of Catholics who actually practice is significantly lower.

This is part of a larger trend in Chile away from its traditionally conservative past. Many Chileans consider the country to be an island nation due to the fact that its eternally long borders are the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. This isolation has contributed to the country’'s conservatism, separating it from Argentina, its relatively more liberal neighbor to the east. Another contributing factor to the conservative nature of the country is its history, especially in relation to the strict military regime led by Augusto Pinochet that took power in a coup in 1973. After nearly two decades under the oppressive dictator, Chile has been slowly emerging as an economic and cultural power, not only in South America but throughout the world.

Chile'’s trend away from its Catholic and conservative past was solidified after its 2005 elections, when Chileans elected Michelle Bachelet to be the first female to head a South American country on her own merit. Bachelet’'s election is particularly interesting because not only is she a woman, but she is also a professed agnostic and single mother, separated from her husband because divorce was not legalized in Chile until 2004. Outsiders might find this choice to be strange; however, it signifies a shift in the larger scheme of Chilean society and politics. A recent article in one of Santiago’s newspapers, El Mercurio, tackled the issue of marriage and divorce in Chile. The trends show that fewer Chileans are getting married, and those that do marry do so later in life. Many Chileans choose to live with their partner and have children without getting married.

Though there are still remnants of Chile'’s strong conservatism in its society (topics like sexuality are considered taboo in most circles), its secularization and liberalization can be attributed to the country’'s emergence from its “island” mentality as it reaches out to other nations in the global economy. Religion, especially Catholicism, is by no means dead in Chile and probably never will be. The role of the Catholic Church in the country'’s history will always be a significant part of its identity, both politically and socially. However, rather than being the main focus of Chilean society, religion has become just one of many parts that contribute to Chile'’s national identity.
Opens in a new window