Category:Ecuador
Ecuador is a country in South America.
- See Ecuadorian -/- Spanish language -/- Ecuadorian Scholarship -- Ecuadorian Scholars -/- Ecuadorian Fiction -- Ecuadorian Authors
Overview
Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Ecuador
Christianity (in its Roman Catholic form) was carried to South America in the 16th century by the Spanish conquistadors. Catholic practices, especially in rural areas, incorporated ancient indigenous ceremonies. Spanish colonial rule, from the 16th to early 19th centuries, gave the Catholic Church a situation of monopoly, enforced by the Inquisition.
In the 19th century, with the creation of the modern Ecuadorian State, the religious situation became more diverse, and Protestant, Jews and Muslims gained some freedom of worship, even though the Catholic Church until 1998 remained the State religion of the country.
Contemporary times
Today, the overwhelming majority of Ecuadorian people (around 90%) identify themselves as Roman Catholics and the Catholic Church has a special role of predominance in Ecuadorian society, although the 1998 Ecuadorian constitution now grants equal freedom and privileges to all religions.
Ecuador has a significant Evangelical minority (around 5% of the population) and a very small Jewish and Muslim presence.
External links
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