BRAZIL |
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brazil
Brazil has a rich history shaped by its Christian roots, primarily Catholicism, which was introduced during Portuguese colonization. Jesuit missionaries played a key role in the early stages, establishing Catholic schools and missions to spread the faith among the indigenous population. Catholicism was even made the official state religion in 1824 before the government officially became secular with the 1891 constitution.
However, Brazil's religious landscape is currently undergoing a significant shift, characterized by the decline of Catholicism and the rapid growth of Evangelical Protestantism, particularly Pentecostalism, alongside an increase in those with no religious affiliation. While still the largest denomination, Catholicism's hold on the population is diminishing. In 2022, 56.7% of Brazilians identified as Catholic, a drop from 65.1% in 2010 and a stark decrease from the 90% recorded in 1970. Brazil retains the largest Catholic population worldwide.
Rise of Evangelical Protestantism: Evangelical Christians have seen rapid growth, making up 26.9% of the population aged 10 and over in 2022, up from 21.6% in 2010. This includes Pentecostal and other Protestant groups, with some states experiencing evangelicals outnumbering Catholics for the first time. Increase
in the religiously unaffiliated: The percentage of Brazilians with no religious affiliation has also been on the rise, reaching 9.3% in 2022, the highest in history. This demographic is notably younger than the general population and more likely to reside in urban areas. Many individuals are converting from Catholicism to Protestantism, with nearly half of Pentecostals in one survey reporting a Catholic background. Social and
cultural relevance: Evangelical churches have effectively adapted to local cultures and offer social support networks, attracting those seeking belonging and assistance in areas where state presence is lacking.
Changing demographics: Younger generations are more likely to identify as Protestant or have no religious affiliation. Evangelicals have become a significant political force, impacting elections and policies. Brazil is also home to smaller populations of other Christian groups, including Orthodox Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Latter-day Saints, for example, claim a reported membership of 1.5 million and are the fastest-growing church in Brazil in terms of membership. Brazilian Christianity has also been influenced by indigenous and African religious traditions, leading to the development of syncretic practices. Umbanda and Candomblé, for example, blend elements of African religions with Spiritism and Catholicism, respectively. Brazil's religious landscape is diverse and evolving, marked by the decline of traditional Catholicism and the rise of Evangelical Protestantism and secularism. These shifts have profound implications for Brazilian society, politics, and culture.
However, Brazil's religious landscape is currently undergoing a significant shift, characterized by the decline of Catholicism and the rapid growth of Evangelical Protestantism, particularly Pentecostalism, alongside an increase in those with no religious affiliation. While still the largest denomination, Catholicism's hold on the population is diminishing. In 2022, 56.7% of Brazilians identified as Catholic, a drop from 65.1% in 2010 and a stark decrease from the 90% recorded in 1970. Brazil retains the largest Catholic population worldwide.
Rise of Evangelical Protestantism: Evangelical Christians have seen rapid growth, making up 26.9% of the population aged 10 and over in 2022, up from 21.6% in 2010. This includes Pentecostal and other Protestant groups, with some states experiencing evangelicals outnumbering Catholics for the first time. Increase
in the religiously unaffiliated: The percentage of Brazilians with no religious affiliation has also been on the rise, reaching 9.3% in 2022, the highest in history. This demographic is notably younger than the general population and more likely to reside in urban areas. Many individuals are converting from Catholicism to Protestantism, with nearly half of Pentecostals in one survey reporting a Catholic background. Social and
cultural relevance: Evangelical churches have effectively adapted to local cultures and offer social support networks, attracting those seeking belonging and assistance in areas where state presence is lacking.
Changing demographics: Younger generations are more likely to identify as Protestant or have no religious affiliation. Evangelicals have become a significant political force, impacting elections and policies. Brazil is also home to smaller populations of other Christian groups, including Orthodox Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Latter-day Saints, for example, claim a reported membership of 1.5 million and are the fastest-growing church in Brazil in terms of membership. Brazilian Christianity has also been influenced by indigenous and African religious traditions, leading to the development of syncretic practices. Umbanda and Candomblé, for example, blend elements of African religions with Spiritism and Catholicism, respectively. Brazil's religious landscape is diverse and evolving, marked by the decline of traditional Catholicism and the rise of Evangelical Protestantism and secularism. These shifts have profound implications for Brazilian society, politics, and culture.
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Amid the rise of racial violence in Brazil, Global Black Theology Manifesto is launched with more than 80 Black Christian leaders More than 80 Black Christian leaders from seven countries the United States, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Angola have launched in São Paulo the Global Black Theology Manifesto, a document that analyzes and denounces the colonial and racist structures present in society while reaffirming faith in a Christ who stands with the oppressed. The text was collectively written during the 4th International Black Theology Consultation, held as part of the “Enegrecer Conference: Blackness for the Church of Tomorrow” from June 18 to 21, 2025. It is now available for reading and download at mnebrasil.org/manifestoteologico. Launched during Black Awareness Month in Brazil (November), the Manifesto reaffirms that Black faith is also resistance and a commitment to racial justice. The document calls on faith communities to break their silence and take a stand against the inequalities and violence that continue to affect African and Afro-descendant peoples, such as the recent massacre in Rio de Janeiro, yet another stark reminder of the deep wounds of structural racism in the country. .(Religion News Service 11/5/25) READMORE>>>> |
June 8, 2025: Sight reported: Brazil, the world’s largest Roman Catholic country, saw its Catholic population decline further in 2022 while evangelical Christians and those with no religion continued to rise, census data released on Friday by statistics agency IBGE showed. The census indicated that Brazil had 100.2 million Roman Catholics in 2022, accounting for 56.7 per cent of the population, down from 65.1 per cent or 105.4 million recorded in the 2010 census. |
Religious educational material gains ground
Demand for religious teaching materials—both Catholic and Evangelical—is growing faster than secular content in Brazil’s private school sector. Leading educational publishers such as Arco, FTD, and Somos are seeing a marked shift in purchasing behavior, and new players like Verbum are emerging to serve the expanding confessional segment. Verbum was founded by education executive Mario Ghio (formerly of Cogna), Juan Carlos Félix (formerly with Carlyle), and infrastructure entrepreneur Claudio Palaia.
Experts in religious studies attribute the trend to broader societal changes, particularly those accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a confluence of factors—among them, the rise of the political right and Evangelical Christianity,” said anthropologist Juliano Spyer. “There’s a conservative movement that gained momentum through the internet in recent years. Evangelicals have also experienced upward social mobility and are now asserting their presence. In times of rapid social change, people gravitate toward values like security and stability,” added Marcos Simas, a professor, religious book editor, and researcher of digital religiosity (Valor International 8/6/25) READMORE>>>>>
Demand for religious teaching materials—both Catholic and Evangelical—is growing faster than secular content in Brazil’s private school sector. Leading educational publishers such as Arco, FTD, and Somos are seeing a marked shift in purchasing behavior, and new players like Verbum are emerging to serve the expanding confessional segment. Verbum was founded by education executive Mario Ghio (formerly of Cogna), Juan Carlos Félix (formerly with Carlyle), and infrastructure entrepreneur Claudio Palaia.
Experts in religious studies attribute the trend to broader societal changes, particularly those accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a confluence of factors—among them, the rise of the political right and Evangelical Christianity,” said anthropologist Juliano Spyer. “There’s a conservative movement that gained momentum through the internet in recent years. Evangelicals have also experienced upward social mobility and are now asserting their presence. In times of rapid social change, people gravitate toward values like security and stability,” added Marcos Simas, a professor, religious book editor, and researcher of digital religiosity (Valor International 8/6/25) READMORE>>>>>
Pentecostal Evangelicals as a vehicle of political mobilisation
Pentecostal Evangelicals play a prominent role in Latin American politics, often supporting far-right candidates and promoting pastors to run for elections. This column presents evidence from Brazil showing that Pentecostal expansion, driven by the activities of the Summer Institute of Linguistics – a 20th century US evangelical organisation focused on Bible translation – increased electoral support for evangelical and far-right candidates. The findings underscore the significant role of religious actors in amplifying political movements. Across the globe, far-right movements have been gaining ground, challenging established parties. Scholars have identified many drivers of this trend, including migration (Bazzi et al. 2023), exposure to refugees (Steinmayr 2021), austerity reforms (Dal Bó et al. 2023), trade flows (Autor et al. 2020), and public service deprivation (Cremaschi et al. 2023). Religious movements have also attracted attention as an additional potential factor. This factor is especially relevant in Latin America, where the rapid growth of Pentecostal evangelicalism is transforming the religious landscape of a region long dominated by Catholicism . Compared to Catholics, Pentecostals emphasise a literal interpretation of the Bible, frequent worship, and strict morals (Pew Research Center 2006). They have also become increasingly active politically, supporting candidates and encouraging pastors to run for office. Politicians increasingly recognise the strength of Pentecostal groups in mobilising voters. A notable example is Brazil’s far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who converted to Pentecostalism two years before his successful 2018 presidential campaign. (VoxEU 7/21/25) READMORE>>>>>
Pentecostal Evangelicals play a prominent role in Latin American politics, often supporting far-right candidates and promoting pastors to run for elections. This column presents evidence from Brazil showing that Pentecostal expansion, driven by the activities of the Summer Institute of Linguistics – a 20th century US evangelical organisation focused on Bible translation – increased electoral support for evangelical and far-right candidates. The findings underscore the significant role of religious actors in amplifying political movements. Across the globe, far-right movements have been gaining ground, challenging established parties. Scholars have identified many drivers of this trend, including migration (Bazzi et al. 2023), exposure to refugees (Steinmayr 2021), austerity reforms (Dal Bó et al. 2023), trade flows (Autor et al. 2020), and public service deprivation (Cremaschi et al. 2023). Religious movements have also attracted attention as an additional potential factor. This factor is especially relevant in Latin America, where the rapid growth of Pentecostal evangelicalism is transforming the religious landscape of a region long dominated by Catholicism . Compared to Catholics, Pentecostals emphasise a literal interpretation of the Bible, frequent worship, and strict morals (Pew Research Center 2006). They have also become increasingly active politically, supporting candidates and encouraging pastors to run for office. Politicians increasingly recognise the strength of Pentecostal groups in mobilising voters. A notable example is Brazil’s far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who converted to Pentecostalism two years before his successful 2018 presidential campaign. (VoxEU 7/21/25) READMORE>>>>>
Brazil's environment minister fights fellow evangelicals on Amazon protection
As in the United States, Brazil's public life has become deeply polarized along political and religious divides, with many evangelical Christians aligning with conservatives opposing progressive policies about minority rights, the role of the state in providing social services and — after former President Jair Bolsonaro's push for aggressive development in the Amazon — protecting the environment. The prominent exception among Brazil's evangelical political class is Marina Silva, a vocal environmentalist with deep Pentecostal faith who is minister for environment and climate change in the left-leaning administration of current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Breaking that mold has come at the cost of savage treatment by her fellow Christian politicians. (Earthbeat 7/18/25) READMORE>>>>>
As in the United States, Brazil's public life has become deeply polarized along political and religious divides, with many evangelical Christians aligning with conservatives opposing progressive policies about minority rights, the role of the state in providing social services and — after former President Jair Bolsonaro's push for aggressive development in the Amazon — protecting the environment. The prominent exception among Brazil's evangelical political class is Marina Silva, a vocal environmentalist with deep Pentecostal faith who is minister for environment and climate change in the left-leaning administration of current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Breaking that mold has come at the cost of savage treatment by her fellow Christian politicians. (Earthbeat 7/18/25) READMORE>>>>>