Christianity is the religion of the majority, with Roman Catholicism claiming the largest numbers of the population. About 5 million people, or 38% of the population, are Roman Catholic as of 1998. About 15% of the population are of Protestant denominations; the largest include Methodist, Baptist, Congregationalists (United Church of Christ), and Assemblies of God. The largest syncretic religious group is the Kimbanguist Church, whose followers believe that the mid-20th century Congolese pastor Joseph Kimbangu was a prophet. Almost half the population (47%) follow African traditional beliefs either exclusively or in conjunction with other faiths. Communities in rural areas of the country practice animism and other indigenous religions. There is also a small Islamic community.
Though a colonial-era law banning non-Christian religions still exists, it has not been generally enforced.