belize, 1980 - Prolades.com

on the sample of 253 Protestant congregations that were geographically located by District and
Region in Part II of the Directory of Churches, Organizations and Ministries of the Protestant
Movement in Belize. However, we were unable to locate geographically five congregations that
were reported to exist by the various denominations in Part I of the Directory, for a total of 258.
(2) A similar comparison can be made at the District level within each Region and for all
Districts of the country irrespective of Region. The greatest difference between the congregation-topopulation
ratios for all Districts is shown by Corozal District, which had 15.5% of the national
population but only 9.1% of all Protestant congregations. In the Southern Lowlands, the two
Districts (Stan Creek and Toledo) had a higher percentage of congregations than of the total
population, which is reflected in the low congregation-to-population ratios; the same was true for the
Mayan Highlands (Cayo District).
(3) Although all Districts in Belize had a relate low congregation-to-population ratio compared
to other Central American countries where special efforts are being made to plant more new
congregations in each geographical area (district, municipality and department or province) where
the congregation-to-population ratio is greater than 1:1,000. In the case of Belize, the Northern
Lowlands had the highest such ratio for the country, with 1:702, which is a reflection of the strong
evangelical presence in Belize. However, in the Northern Lowland Region, the District of Corozal
had the highest congregation-to-population ratio in the country, with 1:966. What this means is that,
in comparison to all the Districts of Belize, the District of Corozal should be a priority area for new
church planting among evangelical denominations, because this is where the greatest need exists
for evangelization and church planting efforts. Orange Walk District (1:669) should be the next
priority, followed by Belize District that has the nation’s largest concentration of population, with
49,831, and a congregation-to-population ratio of 1:639.
In Figure 17, we can compare the geographical distribution of Protestant congregations
(churches and missions) by Region and District and by Major Traditions of the Protestant Movement
for 1980.
(1) The Liturgical Tradition, represented in Belize by the Anglican Church and two
Presbyterian denominations (St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and the National Presbyterian
Church of Mexico) is highly concentrated in the Northern Lowlands Region (57.6%) and particularly
within Belize District (34.5%), followed by the Southern Lowlands Region (30.3%) and particularly
within Stan Creek District (24.2%).
(2) The Separatist Tradition (also called Free Church Tradition) also was heavily concentrated
in the Northern Lowlands Region (56.4%), especially in Belize District (34.5%) and Orange
Walk District (17.3%). In addition, the Separatist Tradition had a strong presence in the Southern
Lowlands Region (26.4%): Stan Creek District (11.8%) and Toledo District (14.5%).
(3) The Adventist Tradition had the highest concentration in the Northern Lowlands Region
(67.5%) compared to all other traditions. The Adventist presence was especially strong in Belize
District (32.5%) and Corozal District (25.0%), followed by Cayo District (17.5%) in the Mayan Highlands
Region and by Stan Creek District (12.5%) in the Southern Lowlands Region.
(4) The Pentecostal Tradition is less represented in Belize than in other Central American
countries. Its strongest presence is in Toledo District (25.0%) of the Southern Lowlands Region and
in Cayo District (25.0%) of the Mayan Highlands Region, followed by Belize District (23.4%) in the
Northern Lowlands Region. However, in terms of regions, the Northern Lowlands had the highest
concentration of Pentecostal churches with 26 (40.6%). Overall, the Pentecostal churches were the
most evenly distributed throughout the country.
(5) There were three denominations (or independent churches) with a total of six
congregations that we were unable to classify for lack of information: one in Belize District, one in
Toledo District and four in Cayo District.
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