Tensions and Agreements in Global Times in the Religious Field of Manizales, Colombia

Abstract

Introduction

Religious pluralism became more prominent in Manizales during the 1990s, leading to the loss of the Catholic Church's monopoly on symbolic goods of salvation.

Objective

This article aims to conceptualize the tensions and agreements that emerged in the religious field of the city between 2010 and 2022.

Methodology

The research was carried out using a qualitative approach, employing secondary historical sources that first allowed for a historical characterization of the field. Subsequently, a review of the La Patria newspaper from the specified period was conducted. For data analysis, discourse analysis was used, with the understanding that religious dispositions are expressed through gestures, words, meanings, and interpretations, which are the central components of discourse.

Results

The results indicated that, in recent times, the religious field of Manizales has experienced contradictions between newly arrived religious groups and the Catholic Church. These tensions have manifested in forms of cultural, direct, and structural violence, according to Galtung's theory.

Conclusions

It is concluded that, during the study period, the struggle for the monopoly on symbolic goods of salvation has intensified, which has created a need for legal regulations and pedagogical actions by the local state to promote religious pluralism.