Spanish Beliefs
Follows the religious history of Spain from prehistory to the Muslim conquest to the present day.
Pre-Christian Faiths of Spain
Spain is a majority Catholic nation, but its religious history is long, diverse, and complicated. Its earliest religions were practiced by peoples like the Celts, Phoenicians, Celtiberians, and later Romans. Most of these Mediterranean and European groups kept polytheistic faiths, often influenced by each other. In addition, the region was home to a large Jewish population fleeing Roman persecution. Catholicism became the dominant religion after the conversion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century CE. When the Visigoths assumed control of Hispania after the fall of Rome, they converted to the local populace’s Catholicism.
Islam in Spain
Spain’s proximity to North Africa, once a source of wealth, posed a sudden and overwhelming threat. Muslim armies led by Berber and Arab forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 711. Their commander, Tariq ibn Ziyad, defeated the Visigothic King Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete that same year. By 717, the Umayyad Caliphate had established Cordoba as the new capital of Islamic Spain, or Al-Andalus. At its height, the Caliphate of Cordoba controlled all but the northernmost provinces of the Iberian Peninsula. Al-Andalus was a multicultural society, home to several religious sects. Large populations of Arabs, Berbers, Jews, and native peoples coexisted in relative tolerance. Many Christians converted to Islam at this time.
Further Reading:
The Catholic Reconquest of Spain
This spiritual harmony broke down as the Spanish Reconquista movement began reclaiming land from the north. Muslim rulers, facing pressure from both within and without, began cracking down on their Christian and Jewish citizens. The Reconquista restored European Catholic rule to Spain, but it left behind a bitter legacy. Eager to purge religious heresy from within, the monarchy launched the Spanish Inquisition in 1478. Affected groups included not only Jewish and Muslim minorities, but also everyday Christians caught in a web of informants, torture, and fear. The remaining Jews and Muslims of Spain were forced to convert or fled into exile. Many resettled in Morocco, which until recent centuries was home to a large Jewish population. In 1492, the armies of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella accepted the surrender of Granada, the last holdout of Islamic Spain.
Isabella and Ferdinand, fresh off their Catholic conquest, funded a voyage that brought the Americas to Europe’s attention. Their colonizing efforts sought to both extract wealth from local populations and convert them. The Jesuit, Dominican, and Franciscan orders, recruited to fight various heresies, founded monasteries and led missions in the New World. As a result, many of the former Spanish colonies are majority Catholic to this day.
Further Reading:
Catholicism and Worship in Modern Spain
The role of Catholicism in Spain came into question again in the early 20th century. Politicians of the Second Spanish Republic advocated for a more secular government, limiting the influence of the Church. In exchange, the Catholic clergy stoked political divisions, primarily supporting the conservative side. Catholic schools and churches around the nation burned in the lead-up to the Civil War; the early stages of the conflict saw thousands of priests, nuns, and monks killed. When Francisco Franco eventually consolidated power, he embraced Catholicism once more. For several decades, participation within the Church became synonymous with loyalty to the state.
Further Reading:
In modern times, the role of the Catholic Church in Spanish life has declined. As of 2016, about 27.5 percent of the nation claimed atheism or non-belief. Roman Catholicism remains the dominant belief at around 67.8 percent of the population. The nation has recently relaxed its regulations on issues such as abortion, divorce, and gay marriage in direct contrast to Catholic policies. Despite these changes, religious ceremonies and holidays are still an important part of Spanish culture and are widely observed.
References
Gies, David T. The Cambridge Companion to Modern Spanish Culture. Cambridge University Press. 1999.
Payne, Stanley G. Spanish Catholicism: An Historical Overview. University of Wisconsin Press. 1984.
Phillips, William and Carla Rahn Phillips. A Concise History of Spain. Cambridge University Press. 2016.
Richburg, Keith. “Church's Influence Waning in Once Fervently Catholic Spain.” The Washington Post, The Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42739-2005Apr10.html.
“The World Factbook: Spain.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 12 July 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp.html.
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