Figure 1.-- These children show a group of children in 1955 after the First Communion Mass. They are showing off their souvenir cards. The photo was taken in Ubaporanga, Minas Gerais. They are in front of the new church building that was under costruction.

The Catholic Church has been an important influence on Brazil. As with the Spanish, the Portuguese made the creation of Catholic colonies a goal of the conquest. Colonial Brazil was thoroughly Catholic. The Inquisition operated there and Protestants were not permitted. The overthrow of the monarchy brought a new republic (1889). This brought a new constitution which guaranteed religious freedom. As a result, Catholocism is no longer the only religion in Brazil. This meant it was possible for Protestants to operate in Brazil. Other churches, including Pentecostal, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist, exist in Brazil. Beginning from a relatively small base, Prottestantism in Brazil has grown to become an increasingly important minority. There are followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The great proprtion of the population, however, has remained Catholic and continue to be so today. Brazil appears to be largest Catholic country in the world. It is difficult, however, to assess just what this means. The population is culturally Catholic, but actual church attendance is relatively low. Thus while Catholic church attendance is low, Catholic iconography is everywhere, such as Jesus mud flaps in the omipresent trucks which ply Brazilian highways. As in other Catholic countries, a child's First Communion was an important event in their childhood. Families that could aford to do so commonly bought the child a new suit or special costume. Protestants today have grown to an estimated 20 percent of the population and are dominated by the Pentacostal churches. Unlike the Catholics, Protestants to attend church in large numbers. And theire cultural conservatism appears to be stopping socialist politicians from moving more aggresively on social issues like abortion and gay rights. Conservative Catholic bishops have made common cause with them. They appear to have forced former Marxist guerrilla, Dilma Rousseff, into a run-off election rather than an unanticipated first round win. [Lyons, p.11.]

History

The Catholic Church has been an important influence on Brazil. As with the Spanish, the Portuguese made the creation of Catholic colonies a goal of the conquest. Historians are invcreasingly coming to the conclusion that there was a much larger and more advanced than previously believed. Diseases introduced by the Portuguese decimated the Native American population. Slave traders preyed upon the surving Native American people, survivors retreated deep into the Amazonian jungles beyond the reach of the Portuguese. Thus the indigenous population was not Catholcized as was the case of the Spanish in the Andes and Meso-America. An exception was the Jesuit Missions (Reductions) in what is now Paraguay and adjoining areas of Argentina and Brazil. Here the Native Americans were required to convert, but retain much of their culture and traditional life style. Many of the Native Americans were the Guarani. The Guarani caciques cooperated in the endevor. The succesful largely Spanish effort came under increasing pressure from the Portuguese in Brazil. Then the King of Spain ceded some of the of the territory where the missions were situated to Portugal and thus to Brazil (1750s). The Portuguese envied the economic success of the Jesuit Reductions and wanted tge Native Americans thre for slave labor. The result was the Guaraní Wars in which the Native Americans were ultimately defeated (1756). The surviving Jesuit Missions were closed with the expulsion of the Jesuits (1767). As the missions were emptied, the Native Americans returned in the forest. Unable to use the Native Americans for labor, the Portuguese brought in African slaves. The slaves were Catholocized--to a degree. Colonial Brazil was thoroughly Catholic. The Inquisition operated there and Jewsas well as Protestants were not permitted. The overthrow of the monarchy brought a new republic (1889). This brought a new constitution which guaranteed religious freedom. As a result, Catholocism is no longer the only religion in Brazil. This meant it was possible for Protestants to operate in Brazil.

Denominations

The Catholic Church is the dominant Christian denomination in Brazil. The great proprtion of the population, however, has remained Catholic and continue to be so today. The Church has played a major role in the history and cultural life of the country. Every Brazilian town of any size has a Catholic church ;ovated on the central plaza. Until the mid-20th century, it was virtually the only dnomination. For four centuries, it was the only Christian denomination permitted by civil authorities. Even today the vast portion of Brazilians are Catholic or culturally Catholic. Other churches, including Pentecostal, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist, exist in Brazil. Beginning from a relatively small base, Prottestantism in Brazil has grown to become an increasingly important minority. There are followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Brazil appears to be largest Catholic country in the world. It is difficult, however, to assess just what this means. The population is culturally Catholic, but actual church attendance is relatively low. Thus while Catholic church attendance is low, Catholic iconography is everywhere, such as Jesus mud flaps in the omipresent trucks which ply Brazilian highways. Protestants today have grown to an estimated 20 percent of the population and are dominated by the Pentacostal churches, an amazing development in only a few decades. The impact on Brazil is yet to be determined.

Events

As in other Catholic countries, a child's First Communion was an important event in their childhood. Families that could aford to do so commonly bought the child a new suit or special costume.

Political Impact

Unlike the Catholics, Protestants to attend church in large numbers. And their cultural conservatism appears to be stopping socialist politicians from moving more aggresively on social issues like abortion and gay rights. Conservative Catholic bishops have made common cause with them. They appear to have forced former Marxist guerrilla, Dilma Rousseff, into a run-off election rather than an unanticipated and coveted first round win. [Lyons, p.11.]

Ecomomic Consequences

Marxist Christianity

Sources

Lyons, John. "Brazil vote's winners: Evangelicals," Wall Street Journal (October 29, 2010), p. A11.

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