Deinstitutionalized Catholic Religiosity in Chilean Youth: A Lived Religion Approach

Abstract

This study explores the meanings, experiences, and values associated with the religiosity of young Catholics who do not actively engage with institutional church settings. Adopting the “lived religion” approach, it examines the everyday religious experiences and practices of these individuals. The research employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on individual and group interviews conducted with a diverse sample of 16 young participants. The analysis focuses on their distinctive interpretations and reinterpretations of Catholicism’s official discourse and practices, particularly in the context of their “deinstitutionalized” religious experiences. The findings suggest the emergence of a deinstitutionalized form of religious belonging characterized by significant individuation processes. Nevertheless, the study also reveals persistent continuities with traditional religious beliefs and practices, deeply rooted in familial experiences, and a strong connection between Catholic identity and values such as solidarity towards others.