VOA慢速英语2014 大量拉丁美洲天主教众皈依新教

 

AS IT IS 2014-11-23 Latin America Catholics Converting to Protestants 大量拉丁美洲天主教众皈依新教

Almost 40 percent of the world’s Catholic population, about 425 million people, lives in Latin America. In 2013, for the first time in history, a Latin American, Pope Francis, became head of the Catholic Church.

But a recent study from the Pew Research Center says people in Latin America have increasingly lost faith in the Catholic Church. The study looked at religious beliefs and practices in 18 countries in South and Central Americas and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

A significant number of people are switching from Catholicism to Protestantism. Experts say that from 1900 to the 1960s, at least 90 percent of Latin Americans were Catholic. But the new Pew study suggests that membership in the Catholic Church has decreased as much as 20 percent.

Most new Protestants are members of Pentecostal denominations². Pentecostals believe in what they call “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” These gifts include things like divine healing and exorcism-- the practice of forcing an evil spirit to leave a certain place or a person’s body. Many say they have seen or experienced a sudden cure from illness or injury by a divine healing. Another of these gifts is ‘speaking in tongues’ – an act that many Pentecostals believe is a personal conversation with God.

Maria Helena de Almeida is a member of one Pentecostal denomination¹ in Brazil. She says she turned away from Catholicism as a teenager because she wanted to become closer to God.

“I was baptized and christened, but I was empty inside and I knew something was lacking. Even though I was Catholic, I never prayed to idols³, because I believed there was a Supreme⁴ Being - God! And I used to talk to Him. When I was a child, my neighbor used to take me to a Protestant church, and that's where I met God. That's why, at age 18, I became a Protestant.”

Religious views often differ within Latin American families. Ms. de Almeida says some members of her family remain Catholics, including her mother and brother.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis met with a group of Protestants in southern Italy. He wanted to apologize on behalf of Catholics around the world who treated those converting to Pentecostalism unfairly.

"I am the shepherd of the Catholics and I ask you to forgive my Catholic brothers and sisters who did not understand and were tempted⁵ by the devil," he said.

Though many are leaving Catholicism, Latin Americans have a generally favorable opinion of Pope Francis. At least half of Catholics in 14 countries have a very favorable opinion of him. But former Catholics do not have strong feelings one way or the other towards the Roman Catholic Church leader.

Many Catholics believe some of the church’s teachings do need to be changed. About 65 percent of Catholics questioned in the study say the church should permit birth control. Around 60 percent say the church should end its ban on divorce.

Last month, Pope Francis convened⁶ a two-week synod to discuss the church’s teachings. Even without any change, some observers believe the synod was a signal that the church might ease its position eventually.

Words in this Story

Catholic - n. a person who is a member of the Roman Catholic Church

denomination -  n. a religious group

Pentecostal - n.  a member of a Pentecostal religious body that emphasizes individual experiences of grace, spiritual gifts such speaking in tongues and divine healing, expressive⁷ worship and evangelism

Protestant – n.  a member of one of the Christian churches that separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century

1 denomination   

n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位

参考例句：

• The firm is still operating under another denomination.这家公司改用了名称仍在继续营业。
• Litre is a metric denomination.升是公制单位。

2 denominations   

n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 )；教派；面额；名称

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• The service was attended by Christians of all denominations. 这次礼拜仪式各教派的基督徒都参加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

6 convened   

召开( convene的过去式 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The chairman convened the committee to put the issue to a vote. 主席召集委员们开会对这个问题进行表决。
• The governor convened his troops to put down the revolt. 总督召集他的部队去镇压叛乱。

7 expressive   

adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的

参考例句：

• Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
• He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。