CHAPTER 1 – The Rise and Spread of Protestantism

The Protestant Reformation

Protestantism as a movement came into existence in the 16th

century thanks to the advent of printing and the critical role

of Martin Luther. At that time, the Catholic Church enjoyed

great control over late medieval Europe in that it was

influential in international politics and the internal affairs

of regions and thus had always been an integral part of

European society. Notwithstanding this, due to the

corruption and injustice which was so prevalent within the

medieval church many people started to call for reforms to be

made. These criticisms led to calls for an investigation of

the foundations on which the church was based. In other

words, a call to return to the Bible and its original

manuscripts to resolve the discrepancies was the cry from the

new humanist movement which had started. No sooner had this

practice been established when many inconsistencies were found

with the Vulgate version of the Bible and the original

manuscripts. All of this leads us on to Martin Luther. The

story of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation mirrors

many occurrences throughout human history where the issue

authority is deeply rooted. This challenge, which in this

case is against the Pope, calls for a shift in authority from

one power (the Pope) to another (scripture and the written

word). In the case of the Reformation, this process was

accelerated due the increasing access to written texts and the

advent of printing.

After a near death experience, Luther decided to become a

monk. It was there where he developed his idea of

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“justification by faith” in which a person is considered

righteous in God’s eyes through the crucifixion of Jesus

Christ. This new concept also included the theory that

salvation was an issue resolved between God and the individual

only. A conclusion that portrayed the image of there being no

need for an intermediary, or in other words, the church. This

assumption is vital in understanding why there are so many

different Protestant groups. Having said that, it was the

practice of selling indulgences that finally sparked Luther’s

call for reform and on the 31st of October of 1517 he posted on

the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg his ninety-five

theses against the practice and which essentially ignited the

birth of Protestantism. To summarize, Luther’s reforms were

as follows. 1. He asserted that the Bible should be the

chief cornerstone of all Christian belief and practice. 2.

The Bible along with all biblical texts and the ensuing

preaching should be available to all and in their own

language. 3. That salvation is, through faith, a free gift of

God. 4. There is no difference between clergy and laity. It

is important to note that Luther’s original aim wasn’t to

start his own organization but rather to reform the existing

church that had gone astray. This intention, however, was

unsuccessful as Luther was excommunicated from the church in

1520 by Leo X.

The emergence of Anglicanism

With Lutheranism and Calvinism now emerging and gaining a

foothold in Europe we see another, yet quite distinct, form of

Protestantism arise in England: Anglicanism.

2

Anglicanism is acknowledged as one of the most influential

forms of Protestantism. Although the birth of Protestantism

is attributed to Martin Luther, evidence strongly suggests

that Henry VIII was responsible for the English Reformation.

Henry’s desire to have a son succeed him led to his petition

of Pope Clement VII to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon.

The subsequent refusal had significant repercussions. Henry

proceeded to declare the independence of England as a state

and province of the church as well as proclaiming the autonomy

of the English king.

What is important to note is that this breakaway wasn’t based

on doctrinal differences but rather on an English form of

Catholicism without the allegiance to the pope. Alistair

McGrath, in his book “Christianity’s Dangerous Idea”, states that “the

term “evangelical” is increasingly being used to designate the

English reformers of the 1520s and 1530s, who did not regard

themselves as confessionally “Protestant” but rather saw

themselves as “Catholics” who believed their church required

reform and renewal from within”.1 This perspective is apparent

throughout the English Reformation during Henry’s reign as he

showed no desire in implementing either Lutheranism or

Zwinglianism. From this early stage in Protestant development

it is clear that most reformers weren’t intending on breaking

away from the Catholic Church but rather seeking reforms.

The invention of Anglicanism can actually be ascribed to

Elizabeth I. With the Religious Peace of Augsburg in 1555

allowing freedom to choose and enforce between either

Lutheranism or Catholicism, Elizabeth came to the conclusion

1 McGrath, A. (2007). Christianity’s Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution; a history from the sixteenth century to the twenty-first.New York, HarperCollins. Pg.107.

3

that she wanted to enforce neither of these and instead opted

for her own choice: Anglicanism.

This new look Protestant movement was independent of Calvinism

and Lutheranism although similarities are apparent with

renouncing papal authority and all preaching and public

worship in the vernacular being but a few of those. It also

gave rise to worldwide movements such as Methodism. There was

a constant struggle between Catholicism and Protestantism in

England. It is without question that Anglicanism has played a

decisive role in the global expansion of Protestantism. After

all, it helped spread Protestantism to the American continent,

which in turn, would see an increase in the amount of

Protestant groups and the birth of the now fasting growing

Protestant movement: Pentecostalism. These new Protestant

movements would introduce extensive missionary programs that

would not only affect growth in North America but would be an

essential part of Protestantism reaching Latin America. With

this is mind, we really have to look to the United States of

America as the main reason for the explosion of Protestantism

throughout the world.

Protestantism in the United States of America

Just like most other things, Christianity was a foreign import

to the United States. With many Puritans coming across the

Atlantic in order to escape, what they called, the oppression

and persecution in England, Protestantism with the idea of

determining its own beliefs began to take shape on the

American continent. It is important to note that these

Puritans, on considering their own plight, thought of

themselves as the Israelites in the Old Testament who were in

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captivity in Egypt (England) but that were eventually freed

and finally arrived in their Promised Land (America). This

literal interpretation of Genesis and other narrative texts is

typical to many factions of Protestantism. Critical to the

development of Protestantism in North America however, were

the “Awakenings” that took place. Referring to McGrath again

we find that “three Awakenings have been documented, each

leading initially to religious renewal and subsequently to

social change…The Awakening, though primarily religious in

nature, has the capacity to energize the culture as a whole”.2

All of these Awakenings sparked a religious revival and

therefore, an increase in church membership and activity.

These Puritan congregations started the phenomenon of

religious bodies that weren’t dependant on the state for

support however, it wasn’t until after the American Revolution

where this type of setup became commonplace throughout the

entire country. This is another of the key themes of

Protestantism: self reliance rather state supported.

It must be remembered that before Protestantism reached the

Americas, there were reservations with regards to the concept

of “evangelism”, in other words, spreading the gospel. The

development of this idea came about due to the revivals which

had taken place in both Europe and America and is central to

the growth of Protestantism in Latin America and especially

Brazil. Catholicism had been expanding rapidly due to its

vast number of expeditions. Protestants, on the other hand,

were generally of the opinion that the responsibility to share

the gospel did not belong to them and that they could rely on

God to carry out that work when he saw fit. As McGrath

explains “it was not until the 1830s that most mainline

2 McGrath, A. (2007). Christianity’s Dangerous Idea. Pg.155.

5

Protestant churches in the West regarded mission as a “good

thing”.3

Anxiety among American Protestants began to increase over what

was happening within the nation. The protestant foundations

that had been laid were now experiencing opposition from

different factions and this resulted in the emergence of

fundamentalism. This “new” form of Protestantism went against

the classic forms of American evangelism in that it created a

separatist attitude towards culture. The continual contending

with mainline denominations and the proceeding infighting led

to the movement becoming powerless. However, American

Protestantism from this point onwards was changing

significantly. Although the mainline Protestant factions can

still be found in America, they are surrounded more and more

by the increasing number of churches that are obviously

Protestant in nature but are very young in terms of formation.

A thought provoking change has taken in place in American

Protestantism since the turn of the 1980s.

“With the emergence of a consumerist mentality in American

Protestant culture since about 1980, the driving issue is

where to find the best preaching, the best Christian

education, or even the best parking facilities. This

mentality may lead a Protestant family to attend, say, a

Baptist church in Florida, a Methodist church upon moving to

California, and a Presbyterian church after finally settling

in Chicago. The issue is not denominational identity but

local pastoral excellence. In marked contrast, their

grandparents would have sought out the local church of their

own denomination wherever they went”.4

3 McGrath, A. (2007).Christianity’s Dangerous Idea. Pg 177.4 McGrath, A. (2007).Christianity’s Dangerous Idea. Pg 403.

6

Up until this point there was more of spiritual attachment

associated with church attendance, however, here we begin to

see a reason behind the growth of certain denominations: if a

certain faction appears to be more enticing to the temporal

well-being of a person and/or family then that is the

congregation which that person/family will attend rather than

go for the spiritual conviction that they may have of a

particular sect. This pattern is also consistent in Latin

American Protestantism due to high migration to urban centres

and people being lured by what these congregations have to

offer.

The changes that were taking place in American Protestantism

and the increased number of charismatic and evangelical

movements led to the expansion of Protestantism in Latin

America.

Protestantism in Latin America

Christianity has existed in Latin America since the voyages of

the Spanish and Portuguese all those centuries ago. From then

until now it has been a predominantly Catholic continent in

addition to pre-colonization indigenous belief systems. That

is until the invasion of sects in Latin America. The growth

of evangelical Protestantism in the New World has been nothing

short of astonishing. David Martin comments that “the advance

of evangelical Protestantism over the whole of Latin America

from Mexico to the Argentine began in small stirrings in the

mid-nineteenth century, which sharply accelerated in the 1930s

and reached hurricane force in the 1960s”.5 These periods are

also referred to as ‘waves of evangelism’. The initial wave

5 Martin, D (1990). Tongues of Fire. Pg 49.

7

of evangelism came from the main Protestant groups from the

United States who campaigned for religious freedom from the

Catholic Church. Without ever having any real success in

terms of converts, they did manage to help improve the

economic situation of those who united with them. However,

this economic improvement eventually led to their abandonment

of religious activity. The second is commonly known as the

fundamentalist wave. Groups within this bracket entered into

Latin America on the belief that those who had previously

entered were not doing enough. Although they were able to

overtake the mainline denominations after the Second World

War, they were never able to establish great congregations due

to their reluctance of involving their converts in church

matters. The third and final wave has been far more

successful than the previous two and has surpassed them both.

The growth that reached ‘hurricane force’ in the 1960s was

thanks to the introduction of another form of Protestantism:

Pentecostalism. A greater discussion of this movement shall

be addressed later on.

The impact that it is having on the region can be seen in the

continually decreasing numbers of Catholics, or people who

considered themselves as such, within the Latin American

continent. An online article highlights the catastrophic

impact that this continued growth may have on the Catholic

Church by saying that “for the Catholic church hierarchy in

the Vatican, Latin America has changed from the "Continent of

Hope" to the continent of concern, as followers are leaving

the church in such large numbers that it could lead to the

collapse of Catholicism within a decade and a half”6. 

6 IPS News. 2004. Catholic Church Losing Followers in Droves. www.ipsnews.net. Accessed on 5/11/11.

8

In discussing this expansion it’s important to bear in mind

that Protestantism, as has theretofore been mentioned, bases

its existence on the basis of being able to interpret the

Bible as you see fit. With that idea in mind, it is hardly

surprising to see the number of Protestants sects constantly

on the rise. There is no doubt that the decline of Liberal

Protestantism and the rise of Evangelical Protestantism in the

United States has had a significant impact also.

Although Southern California isn’t best known for its

religious observance it was, at one point, the “headquarters

for more Christian missions than anywhere else on the globe”

where “one was thinking up new strategies to evangelize the

planet”.7 Research has shown that greater Protestant growth in

Latin America is apparent in big urban areas where there are

recent migrants and where there are colonizers of frontier

areas. There are many reasons for people migrating to these

areas or resettling on the outskirts of big cities however,

most of these are almost always linked with economic problems.

Great Protestant growth occurs in Latin America through

something which is called ‘disaster evangelism’.

Disaster evangelism refers to the impact that North American

missions have in Latin America during periods of natural

disaster or civil wars. They are able to provide immediate

relief and, with the inherent belief in God that exists within

the majority of Latin Americans, evangelical missions have

great success as the receivers of such aid are receptive to

what these organizations offer them.

There is also the theory that Protestant evangelism is linked

with the political endeavours of the United States. Virginia7 Stoll, D. (1990). Is Latin America turning Protestant? The Politics of Evangelical Growth. Oxford, University of California Press. Pg 68-69.

9

Burnett states that this theory has solidity due to the fact

that “the vast majority of foreign missionaries to Latin

America have long come from the United States”.8 Having said

that, such a statement doesn’t carry much significance until

evidence is shown linking the Central Intelligence Agency with

sending out missionaries. Stoll highlights this when telling

us that “in 1975, investigations by the U.S. Congress

confirmed the CIA’s use of missionaries”.9 Stoll then proceeds

to bring to our attention the underlying issue and worry that

was prevalent among Latin Americans: that the influx of

religious organizations from the United States would somehow

manage to change their opinion about their country with the

outcome being that of changing their allegiance.

Many reasons can be attributed to the growth of Protestantism

throughout the world and especially in Latin America but lets

now look at the exceptional rise of this faith in Brazil and

how it is predicted to overtake Catholicism if the current

expansion rate continues.

8 Burnett, V.G. (1992). Protestantism in Latin America. Pg 4. Latin American Research Review, Vol 27, No 1. Pg 220.9 Stoll, D. (1990). Is Latin America turning Protestant? Pg 14.

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CHAPTER 2 – Protestantism in Brazil

Protestantism in Brazil

The reason why Brazil shall be the focus of discussion is due

to the fact that it is one of the most populated Christian

countries in the world. As of 2005, Brazil has been in the

top three Christian countries with over 90% of the population

claiming to be Christian. Brazil has the highest Catholic

11

population in the world however, those numbers are quickly

dwindling due to the growth of Protestantism in the country.

It is estimated that the Catholic Church is losing around half

a million members each year in Brazil.

With this being the case, why is it like that? What are the

contributing factors in this growth? Why are so many people

turning their backs on Catholicism? Are their reasons purely

spiritual or are there other underlying motives? For those

that create new Protestant factions, are their reasons

spiritual or political? These are the questions that will be

examined throughout this part of our study. The topic of

Protestantism in Brazil is very extensive therefore, after

examining Protestantism as an entity in the country, a look

into two of the groups which show the most considerable

growth, namely Pentecostalism and Mormonism, shall be offered.

In his study on Protestantism as a factor of culture change in

Brazil Emilio Willems explains the two ways in which

Protestantism arrived in the country. “Protestantism in

Brazil stems from two distinct sources: immigration and

planned diffusion”.10 When the Germans immigrated they brought

their versions of Protestantism with them. Planned diffusion

would be that of the American missionary effort. In Followers of

the New Faith, Willems highlights the impact that European

immigration has had in the country in both economic and

religious terms.

“Foreign immigration into Brazil which began in 1819 had

truly revolutionary effects upon the traditional agrarian

structure of the south, for it accelerated the development of

the rural middle class. Thousands of European immigrants to10 Willems, E. (1955). Protestantism as a Factor of Culture Change in Brazil. Pg.2. Economic Development and Cultural Change, Vol.3, No.4, pg.321-333.

12

Brazil and Chile were Protestants – something that would have

been inconceivable in colonial Brazil or Chile”.11

This new Protestant presence didn’t necessarily mean that

there was instant success. In fact, it was met with a lot of

confrontation. Catholicism had, to an extent, become

ingrained into Brazilian culture – a piece of the furniture if

you like – and this new, radical doctrine challenged their

traditions and value system. These two new versions of

Protestantism that now existed in Brazil were very opposite in

nature. The idea of German Protestantism wasn’t that of

multiplication but that of survival. Protestantism at that

time, for them, was to be taught by Germans, in German and for

those of German descent. Planned diffusion, on the other

hand, is a concept of Protestantism which was designed for the

exact purpose of growing through proselyting. It maintained

the idea that the gospel was to be carried to all nations.

Planned diffusion therefore, was the perfect way in which

Competitive Protestantism could flourish. For many people not

only in Brazil but in Latin America, Catholicism and

colonization go hand in hand. Although it is tradition for

many, the overwhelming emphasis on charity instead of its

actual religious traditions had led the Catholic Church to the

position in which it found itself. Can this be a reason why

Protestantism is having such success within Brazil? Does it

give the people a chance “free themselves” from the past? In

fact, from a study carried out by Willems in three Brazilian

communities we find out that many converts to Protestantism

from Catholicism “liked to think of their conversion as a

11 Willem, E. (1967). Followers of the New Faith: Culture Change and the rise of Protestantism in Brazil and Chile. Nashville, Baird-Ward. Pg. 57.

13

passage from “ignorance” and “superstition” to the “light” or

the “truth”, through a process of spiritual metamorphosis.12

Brought to our attention thus far has been Brazilian

Protestant growth with regards to foreign immigration and

planned diffusion. These forms of Protestantism, although

mainly planned diffusion, were able to grab a foothold because

of errors made by the Catholic Church.

Another reason that Willems suggests for the development of

Protestantism in Brazil are the sociocultural changes that are

taking place within it and how Protestantism can not only help

but may actually be the driving force behind further changes.

One of the ways in which Protestantism is succeeding,

especially among the rural class, and can be seen as an

attractive proposition is the stress placed on literacy. In

the 1960s, Brazil had an illiteracy rate of just under 50%

whereas, as of 2010, literacy had increased to 90%. Although

there are many factors for this out with religion, it is

important to understand why Protestantism could have been and

still is an attractive option for many Brazilians. The

standpoint of the Catholic Church is that being literate is a

good thing although it doesn’t seem to be a requisite for

being a Catholic. Compare that point of view with that of a

Protestant denomination where being able to read the Bible is

of the utmost importance. The ability of being able to

interpret God’s word is one of the concepts that drive

Protestantism and therefore, such an emphasis is placed upon

it. Referring back again to Willem’s study we note some

favourable statistics of this push on literacy.

12 Willems, E. (1955). Protestantism as a Factor of Culture Change inBrazil. Pg. 6-7.

14

“No adult Protestant in Cunha was found to be illiterate. In

Monte Alegre the literacy rate of the Methodist group was 92.9

per cent in 1953, a figure which compares favourably with the

80.4 per cent of the population of the Federal District, who

were declared to be literate in 1950”. 13

Can there be any doubt then that such an importance attached

to being able to read leads to greater growth? Not only does

it have spiritual implications in that God’s word can be read

but it also improves a person’s economic possibilities and

therefore, is more appealing.

Another sociocultural aspect that Protestantism is changing is

that of husband-wife relationships. Willems cites a case of

where a woman, having caught her husband in adultery, refers

him to the church authorities and, admitting to the charge, is

sanctioned accordingly by the church. What is significant

here, claims Willems, are two things. Firstly, that a woman

can openly complain about a marital problem and secondly, that

the husband would freely admit to it. This clearly breaks

with Brazilian culture in that, normally, women wouldn’t

consider revealing such problems to outside authorities and

men wouldn’t admit it to such figures. Would it be wrong in

suggesting that this could be another significant reason for

the growth of Protestantism in Brazil?

The list of reasons for Protestant growth is endless however,

another potential explanation could be the ability that these

new groups have of fellowshipping one another. Willems refers

to this as an “esprit de corps”, or in other words, an

individual and groups capacity to maintain their faith in a

certain belief or institution. This is accomplished through

13 Willems, E. (1955). Protestantism as a Factor of Culture Change inBrazil. Pg.11.

15

so many church activities and meetings that there is very

little time for members to mix with non-Protestants. Being

close to and familiar with the other members of the

congregation helps create a “family” effect and, as a result,

makes it easier to maintain church member activity levels. In

Willems’s study of three separate Brazilian areas we learn

that “in Monte Alegre an average of 73.7 per cent of the 142

church members attend one or more of the three weekly

services, and 78.2 per cent of the members participate in one

or more of the different parish activities”.14 From the

research carried out by Willems, we can understand three

things about Protestants in the regions under examination but

that can also be seen in Protestants throughout Brazil.

Firstly, they are more secular. Secondly, more literate and

finally, they have a broader outlook upon life than non-

Protestants.

Up until now, the reasons mentioned as possible answers for

Protestant growth aren’t surprising due to the fact that all

of the cases display the possibility of individual prosperity

both spiritually and economically. However, certain factions

of Protestantism are notorious for their doctrines on pre-

marital chastity, the paying of tithes and of abstaining from

vices such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Why is it then that

these groups are continuing to have success when their members

are prohibited from participating in things that are so

culturally accepted as being normal and having to contribute

financially to such institutions when economical constraints

are greater than ever? For an answer to these questions it is

14 Willems, E. (1955). Protestantism as a Factor of Culture Change inBrazil. Pg.13.

16

imperative that we look into what some of these groups teach

in order to understand why they have such success.

Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism is, by far, the fastest growing Protestant

group, not only in Brazil, but throughout the world. The BBC

give us an idea of how big the movement is becoming by

estimating that the current membership lies somewhere between

250-500 million. This is nothing short of incredible

considering that it has grown from nothing since the turn of

the twentieth century to what it has become now. On

describing Pentecostalism, Alistair McGrath explains:

“Its historical origins and fundamental beliefs locate it

firmly within the bounds of Protestantism. Yet its

astonishing growth, spiritual vitality, and capacity to adapt

to local situations are forcing Protestantism to review both

its centre and its limits. The numerical growth of

Pentecostalism, primarily in among the urban poor and the

socially marginalized of Asia, Africa, and South America, is

transforming Protestantism”.15

It was first thought that the movement began in America by

William Seymour however, studies suggest that similar revivals

were taking place in various locations throughout the world at

the same time. Nowadays, the term Pentecostal can be pretty

vague as many different groups fall into this category. Some

of the biggest Pentecostal movements in Brazil are the

Assemblies of God, the Congregacao Crista, Brasil para o

Cristo and the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus. This

branch of Protestantism is renowned for its emphasis placed on

15 McGrath, A. (2007).Christianity’s Dangerous Idea. Pg 415.

17

speaking in tongues. More about this shall be mentioned

hereafter. Just like in North America where there were

successive “Awakenings”, Pentecostalism has had three “waves”.

The first wave was the introduction of the traditional

Pentecostal movement with its doctrine of speaking in tongues.

The second introduced the idea of faith healings with the

third bringing in the concept of signs and wonders.

There are many reasons as to why this faction of Protestantism

is growing so quickly. Let’s discuss a few of them.

Something that distinguishes a Pentecostal church from a

traditional Protestant church is the way in which they

worship. Their services are nothing like a traditional

Catholic or Protestant service. It is commonplace to have

many musical instruments and lots of singing which forms a

vibrant part of the worship at the same time. This is in

stark contrast to the typical melancholic atmosphere found at

a Catholic mass or any other Protestant meeting. To say that

Pentecostal churches have sparked new life and excitement into

worshipping God would be an understatement. With that in

mind, it is hardly surprising to see Pentecostal numbers rise

with such a vibrant way of worship.

Another way in which Pentecostalism has been able to flourish

lies in its expert ability to adapt to social changes. This

can be attributed to the fact that there is no centralized

authority. McGrath explains this further by saying that

“There have been other, more subtle changes in the movement

that reflect its remarkable ability to adjust to the social

dynamics and realities of its increasingly dicers

environments. The absence of any centralized authority within

Pentecostalism has removed the inflexibility that has so

18

hampered mainline Protestant attempts to indigenize the gospel

outside the West”.16

Having no centralized authority has both its pros and cons

however, in terms of growth, it can only be a positive thing

as doctrine can be changed on a whim depending on the

circumstances and however, the local pastor sees fit.

Let’s now look at one of these movements and try to understand

why it enjoys such great growth in Brazil.

Case Study 1 – The Assemblies of God

The Assemblies of God falls under the category of classic

Pentecostalism and as Rowan Ireland explains in his article

Pentecostalism, Conversions, and Politics in Brazil “they have remained the

largest single group, with a still expanding membership

estimated at 8 million in 1990”.17 Its beginnings are

attributed to two Swedes living in America who, upon having

received a ‘revelation’, travelled to Brazil and when they had

sufficient dominion over the Portuguese language, were given

access to preach in a local Baptist church. The outcome was

the start of the Assemblies of God.

Why is it that this group continues to lead the way? One of

these reasons comes from internal migration. Pertaining to

one of these congregations facilitated migration into the

bigger cities which was certainly helpful during difficult

economic times.

“In just this way, the Assemblies learned to fish in the

streams of rural-urban migration across Brazil. After

16 McGrath, A. (2007).Christianity’s Dangerous Idea. Pg 420.17 Ireland, R. Pentecostalism, Conversions, and Politics in Brazil. http://www.domcentral.org/library/cleary_books/pppla/pppla07.pdf. Accessed on 14/11/11.

19

starting churches in the towns, it extended them into the

surrounding region and harvested bountifully from the

migratory flow. Poor people felt at home in the informal,

rhythmic services. When they went to strange cities, sister

churches provided fictive kin and served as a referral agency.

Assisted by a strict moral code and fervent exhortations to

improve oneself, many poor members and their children were

able to move upward in the social structure”.18

Another reason which aided the Assemblies’ growth was the

focus placed on the members to share the gospel with others.

This missionary effort resulted in many lay members preaching

and teaching classes amongst other things. An important

effect of this was the idea of leadership by the ‘ordinary

man’ and that concept went hand in hand with the fledgling

movement.

Having the image of leadership in mind, we can discuss another

explanation that contributes to the growth of this movement.

There began to be a shift in leadership to Latin Americans.

Stoll declares that the reasoning for this is unclear and

whether it was part of the plan or not is not known. However,

be it on purpose or not, that was what happened and due to the

local pastor’s reliance on the members to provide him with an

income, much stress was placed on the members being tithed.

However, these reasons apart, there has been an element of

hypocrisy found within the church.

“On the one hand, as preachers of separation from the world,

leaders claimed to have no interest in politics. On the other

hand, as pastors of large lower-class flocks, they told their

followers to obey the government because it was ordained by

18 Stoll, D. (1990). Is Latin America turning Protestant? Pg.108.

20

God, discouraged political dissent, and generally behaved like

bulwarks of the status quo”.19

It was also reported that leaders from the Assemblies were

uniting with political organizations in order to improve their

economic standing.

Another movement that is central to the Pentecostal revival in

Brazil is one that, unfortunately, is surrounded with

controversy. That is the Universal Church of the Kingdom of

God.

Case Study 2 – The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God

Formed by Edir Macedo in 1977, the Universal Church for the

Kingdom of God is by no means the biggest Pentecostal group.

Having said that, it has attracted worldwide attention and has

large financial resources. Not only does it have large

auditoriums but it has its own television network. The

acquisition of the television network though, was filled with

rumours that Macedo had received the money from Colombian drug

traffickers in order to make the purchase.

As mentioned before, the movement has been surrounded by

controversy and has had to fight allegations that the sole

mission of the church is to enrich Macedo at the expense of

the poor.

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God came to the

forefront when, in 1995, one of the leading figures of the

church Sergio von Helder was seen on television to be kicking

and slapping the nation’s patron saint Our Lady of Aparecida

which was later dubbed “chute na santa”. The surprising thing

19 Stoll, D. (1990). Is Latin America turning Protestant? Pg.111.

21

is that this incident doesn’t seem to have affected its

growth.

Although being classed as part of the Pentecostal movement, it

differs in many aspects from the traditional churches. An

example of this being the fact that, like the Catholic Church,

it has huge auditoriums in central locations whereas the

Pentecostal norm is to have small buildings in peripheral

areas. Also worth mentioning is that members are considered

less like a community and more like clients with less emphasis

on activities and the like. Something that has more of a

Catholic feel to it. Could this be a reason for the increase

in membership? The fact that there is less activity required

from the members but has a familiar feel to it.

In 1995, Macedo created the church’s own NGO (Asociação

Brasileira Cristã). This is something that is not a typically

Pentecostal thing to do.

Now that we have an idea of the origins and history of this

faction, let’s now explore how it continues to grow amidst

such scandal.

“Only by giving shall you receive” is a forever recurring

quote mentioned by pastors and financial contributions are

promoted as a means for the members to receive blessings from

above. This ‘prosperity theology’ is an important theme of

the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

“In accordance with this proclamation of faith, conversion and

church membership as ways to solve problems of “this world”

and achieving life’s ambitions, they also advertise healing

and miracles as a matter of routine”.20

20 Birman, P & Lehmanm, D. (1999). Religion and the Media in a battle for Hegemony: The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and TV Globoin Brazil. Pg 4. Bulletin of Latin American Research, Vol.18, No.2, Special Issue: Social Movements and Religious Change, (Apr 1999), pp.145-164.

22

The above quote touches on healing and miracles featuring

heavily within the church. Many of these healings and

miracles are performed when members are ‘delivered’ from

satanic spirits. Something very common to Brazilian people is

that of cults and the emphasis cults place on the use of

mediums to rid the person of supernatural spirits. The

Universal Church, as previously mentioned, also preach this

using familiar terms employed by the cults. These healings

and deliverances can also be attributed to the church’s

growth.

Tobacco and alcohol consumption, although heavily discouraged

by the church, isn’t doctrine and again does not follow with

traditional Pentecostal standards. Another reason with could

explain the growth rate of this movement.

As recently as September 2011, the Guardian reported that Edir

Macedo and two other leading members of the church were

“accused of laundering millions in church donations and using

worshippers’ money for personal gain”.21

In spite of these allegations the Universal Church of the

Kingdom of God continues to grow throughout the world.

Having focused on Pentecostalism, with case studies of the

Assemblies of God and the Universal Church of the Kingdom of

God, and having highlighted the influence that the movement as

a whole is having in Brazil our thoughts shall now turn to

that of another fast-growing movement: Mormonism.

Case Study 3 – Mormonism

21 The Guardian. (2011). Brazil charges church leaders with embezzlingmillions from poor. www.guardian.co.uk. Accessed on 15/11/11.

23

The rise of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints,

or the Mormons as they are more commonly known, has sparked

much debate among concourses of sociologists of religion as

well as other Christian faiths. By many, they aren’t even

considered to be Christians but this religious movement is one

of the fastest growing in the world. In fact, it is growing

so fast that it’s predicted to become a new world religion in

the future. However, as already stated, why is it that

Mormonism is continuing to grow when they aren’t considered

Christians by other leading Christian faiths?

As of January 1st 2009, the total membership of the church in

Brazil was 1,060,556. Building temples is something that

Mormonism is famous for and there are seven in Brazil which,

with the exception of the Unites States, Canada and Mexico, is

more than any other country in the world. Like many other

faiths, Mormonism tends to have greater success in areas where

the Catholic Church is at its weakest.

Where the majority of the Christian world teaches the Holy

Trinity being one entity, the Mormon Church preaches that this

Trinity involves three separate beings and therefore, leads to

many not considering them as biblical Christians.

There are three periods where the growth of this church has

been greatest. Two of these occurred during the mid-sixties

and seventies and the other, and most significant, between the

years 1984-1990.

Mark L. Grover in his study on “The dynamics of LDS growth in Latin

America” gives us an insight to explain LDS growth in Brazil.

“What happened in 1984? An important factor for 1983-88 was

that democratic governments replaced military dictatorships

(Argentina, 1983; Brazil, 1985; Uruguay, 1985; Chile 1988),

precipitating major economic and social changes. Perhaps more

24

important were psychological changes deriving from the

reintroduction of political freedom. The political changes

were monumental and without precedent in Latin America,

particularly in Brazil and Chile”.22

Grover goes on to explain another important organizational

structure that augmented LDS church growth in Latin America

and especially Brazil. In 1984, the church implemented a

change which saw the creation of thirteen new geographical

regions. Each area was assigned an Area Presidency which

meant that the members of each presidency would reside in the

respective regions. Such attention given to the missionary

effort in these areas resulted in significant convert

baptisms.

Another reason asserted by Grover for church growth over the

past couple of decades is a psychological change that occurs

from within. The explanation of migration to the greater

urban areas referred to earlier has greatly aided the

conversion to Protestantism. Whereas before being Brazilian

went hand in hand with being Catholic there is now less

identity in Latin America with religion and nationality.

There are two other reasons which are pivotal to the growth of

Mormonism in Brazil and which shall be discussed now.

The first is the revelation given by the church in 1978 that

all worthy black males could now hold the priesthood. This

revelation alone instantly tripled the proselyting pool. Up

until that time, missionary work in Brazil had been largely

focused on Europeans residing there.

22 Grover, M.L. The Maturing of the Oak: The Dynamics of LDS growth inLatin America. https://dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V38N02_91.pdf. Pg.8. Accessed on 15/11/11.

25

The other was the decision by the church to have a strong

international church. Although a missionary’s main objective

is to proselyte, due to other circumstances he often found

himself involved in endeavours such as local church

leadership. This was due to the sometimes lengthy process of

new converts obtaining the priesthood. Many missionaries

would return from their missions having gained substantial

leadership practice whereas those converts in Brazil were only

able to assist them in their duties. As part of this

strengthening initiative, missionaries were encouraged to

spend more time proselyting and more leadership training was

given to local members. This project resulted in more growth

as Grover explains,

“The number of missions expanded; and by the 1980s, the

organization of the Church in Latin America began to mirror in

most ways the Church in Utah, with beautiful chapels,

functioning organizations under local leadership, and the

construction of temples”.23

Whilst bringing to the surface sociological explanations for

Mormon growth rate, it is also important to highlight that

growth rate in the Mormon Church is greatly attached to the

Book of Mormon.

Much emphasis is placed on the potential members gaining a

‘testimony’ of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon which is

another book of scripture that was brought to light when the

church was formed in 1830 by Joseph Smith. This spiritual

confirmation received by converts as they follow the

missionaries instruction to ask God if the Book of Mormon is

true is a fundamental part to the growth of this church. This

personal testimony allows the convert to acquire not only a

23 Grover, M.L. The Dynamics of LDS growth in Latin America. Pg.19.

26

confirmation about the church but a personal relationship with

God.

There are many reasons that attribute to the growth of

Mormonism in Brazil however, something that is a problem

throughout the entire world is that of retention leading many

to question the statistics given by the church with regards to

total membership.

Conclusion

The rise of Protestantism in Brazil cannot be taken lightly.

For many Catholics the risk of Latin America, and more

specifically Brazil, losing its Catholic identity is a

daunting prospect. It is clear that some serious

consideration has to be given by the Catholic Church as to how

to combat the ever increasing Protestant conversion numbers.

Although playing an important part in Brazil returning to

democracy back in the 1980s it has “faced the difficult and

more complex challenge of maintaining its influence in the

increasingly pluralistic society that has emerged ever

since”.24

As stated at the beginning of this study, the intention has

been that of explaining the significant growth of

24 Serbin, K,P. (1999). The Catholic Church, Religious Pluralism, and Democracy in Brazil. Pg.3. http://kellogg.nd.edu/publications/workingpapers/WPS/263.pdf. Accessed on 16/11/11.

27

Protestantism in Brazil. Throughout, many reasons attributed

to the growth of Protestantism have been highlighted. To gain

a clearer understanding of the subject at hand it has been

necessary to bring to our attention how Protestantism began in

Europe and how it spread to England, to North America and

finally, to Latin America. All of this has allowed for a

study of the growth in Brazil with mention to certain factions

within Protestantism, namely Pentecostalism and Mormonism. It

is hoped that the reader will have a clearer view as to why

Protestantism is experiencing such success in Brazil and how

that success is expected to continue in the future.

What remains to be seen now is how the Catholic Church plans

to tackle the issue. What strategies will it adopt? Is a

drastic rethink going to have to occur regarding its doctrines

and policies in order for it to survive? Only time will tell.

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Curry, D.E. (1970). Messianism and Protestantism in Brazil'sSertão. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs,Vol. 12, No. 3 (Jul., 1970), pp.416-438.

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Martin, D. (1990), Tongues of Fire: the explosion of Protestantism in Latin America. Oxford, Basil Blackwell, Pg.9-10.

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General

Davies, D.J. (2003). An Introduction to Mormonism. Cambridge, University Press.

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