Catholicism in Latin America

The Catholic Church in Latin America is—not for the first time in history—undergoing a series of political, social, and geopolitical transformations. The election of the Argentinian Pope Francis has raised hopes for a renaissance of Catholicism on the continent. At the grassroot level, Catholicism continues to exercise a crucial influence on culture and society, even if challenged by the astonishing rise of Pentecostalism and a plethora of emerging charismatic movements within and outside the church. This special issue invites for contributions that zoom in on the complexities of Catholicism as lived religion in a Latin American and transnational setting. We are particularly interested in contributions that link case studies of locally lived religion with classical or emerging theoretical debates within the sociology and anthropology of religion.