Ecuador

Introduction

In Ecuador, a multi-ethnic and multicultural country, religiosity is deeply embedded within the culture. The religious experience of the current Ecuadorian is heavily marked by history, especially the nineteenth century. On the Coast liberal ideas dominated along with a relatively smaller presence of the Catholic Church, while in the Sierra conservative ideas and a greater development of the Church prevailed. In the Sierra, a greater unity existed between the owners of large extensions of land, successors of the encomenderos, and the Catholic Church; here tithing, a concern for baptism and sacramental life, and other religious practices have always been stronger.

Studies on religion in Ecuador have tended to examine traditions and practices of Amazonian or Andean indigenous groups. Other approaches have followed the perspective of popular religiosity (sanctuaries, public fiestas, pilgrimages, images, rituals, and symbols of popular culture) or the perspective of...