Abandonment of Traditional Catholicism and the Rise of Evangelism in Brazil

Abstract

Abstract

Background: The dominance and influence of Roman Catholicism in Brazil, a country with the largest Catholic population in the world, is being challenged by the steady decline of adherents to that faith. A shift in religious persuasion has recently emerged, particularly among Brazil's middle class and marginalized citizens, indicating that the number of followers of Catholicism is decreasing as the followers of the Protestant-based Pentecostal and Evangelical congregations are increasing. In addition, since 1980, there has been an acceleration in the number of Brazilians either not initially entering into or later leaving the Catholic Church in favor of these newer religious movements.

Objective: This study aims to examine the scope and significance of this shift in religious affiliations and the reasons behind the decline of Catholicism, and the growth and appeal of the Evangelical movements in Brazil.

Design and Method: The analysis conducted for this study was drawn from academically written peer-reviewed articles or surveys from the period the mid-1980s up until 2020. This research is qualitative and descriptive in its plan and addresses the following questions: Is Catholicism being supplanted by Pentecostalism and Evangelism in Brazil? How significant is the decrease in the numbers of Brazilian Catholics? What is the Catholic Church doing to counter the decreasing number of congregants? Why are Evangelism and Pentecostalism successful in recruiting and converting new members from the marginalized population of Brazil's urban centers?

Results: The importance of this study lies in the fact that a demographic shift in the dominance of Catholicism in a highly populated country like Brazil towards the communities of Evangelism or Pentecostalism poses a threat to the continuing power base and social influence of the Catholic Church in Latin America.

Conclusion: The Evangelical and Pentecostal communities in Brazil are gaining members from the Catholic Church, which is losing an important segment of the population by not properly satisfying the social and spiritual needs of the poor and working middle classes. It is evident that, in increasing numbers, the residents of the shantytowns of Brazil are finding hope and spiritual comfort in the Evangelical and Pentecostal movements.

Keywords: Proselytism, Evangelism, Pentecostalism, Poverty, Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations, Favelas, Shantytowns, Empowerment of Evangelism, Holy Spirit, Exorcism, Faith healing, Jubilant Worship, Conversions, Religious Community Identity