Faith from the Underside of History:
Three Evangélico Responses
to the Plight of the Poor in Brazil
Raimundo César Barreto Jr.
1ABSTRACT
7KLVHVVD\SUHVHQWVWKUHHVLJQL¿FDQW3URWHVWDQWUHVSRQVHVWRWKH plight of the poor in Brazil. There is a presupposition that all ethical and theological endeavor is an act of response to a previous action, DQGSDUWRIDGLDORJXHWKDWWDNHVSODFHEHWZHHQGLIIHUHQWSHRSOHDQG GLIIHUHQWUHDOLWLHVWKDWQRWRQO\HQFRXQWHUHDFKRWKHUEXWZKLFKDOVR deeply affect and transform each other. These constant encounters and dialogues provoke transformations both in the realities encountered by moral agents, and in the moral agents’ responses to those realities. Any Christian social ethics coming from a given reality of suffering DQG RSSUHVVLRQ PXVW WDNH WKDW FRQWH[W VHULRXVO\ DQG PXVW UHVSRQG to the needs that present themselves to it. It ought to be an ethics of UHVSRQVH±RQHWKDWHQJDJHVLWVVXUURXQGLQJFRQWH[WLQGLDORJXH7KH HQFRXQWHUZLWKWKHSRRUDQGRSSUHVVHGRWKHUKDVWKHSRZHURIEULQJLQJ ZLWKLWDFRQYHUVLRQWRWKRVHLQYROYHGLQWKDWHQFRXQWHU7KHVHH\H RSHQLQJDQGOLIHWUDQVIRUPLQJHQFRXQWHUVZLWKWKRVHZKRH[SHULHQFH living on the underside of history can liberate the church and reshape theology.
1 Raimundo César Barreto Jr., doutor em teologia pela Universidade de Princeton
KEYWORDS
Social Ethics, Brazil Evangelical Church, Poor People.
A fé da perspectiva do lado de baixo da história: Três respostas Evangélicas à situação do Pobre no Brasil
RESUMO
(VWH DUWLJR DSUHVHQWD WUrV UHVSRVWDV SURWHVWDQWHV VLJQL¿FDWLYDV jVLWXDomRGRSREUHQR%UDVLO+iXPDSUHVVXSRVLomREiVLFDGHTXH todo empreendimento teológico e ético é um ato de resposta a uma ação prévia e parte de um diálogo que acontece entre as pessoas e as diferentes realidades que não somente se encontram, mas também se transformam. Estes encontros constantes e diálogos provocam transformações tanto nas realidades encontradas pelos agentes PRUDLVFRPRQDVUHVSRVWDVGRVDJHQWHVPRUDLVjTXHODVUHDOLGDGHV Qualquer Ética Social Cristã que deriva de uma dada realidade de VRIULPHQWRHRSUHVVmRGHYHOHYDUVHULDPHQWHHPFRQWDHVWHFRQWH[WR H UHVSRQGHU jV QHFHVVLGDGHV TXH OKH VmR DSUHVHQWDGDV XPD eWLFD GH UHVSRVWD H HQJDMDGD QR GLiORJR FRP VHX FRQWH[WR GH LQVHUomR O encontro com o outro pobre e oprimido pode gerar a conversão daqueles e daquelas que estão envolvidos neste encontro. O encontro com os vivem no reverso da história pode libertar a Igreja e dar uma QRYDIRUPDj7HRORJLD
PALAVRAS-CHAVE
Ética Social, Igreja Evangélica Brasileira, Pobres.
,QWKLVHVVD\,FDOODWWHQWLRQWRWKUHHVLJQL¿FDQW3URWHVWDQWUHVSRQVHV to the plight of the poor in Brazil. I suggest that the three Brazilian 3URWHVWDQWUHVSRQVHVWRWKHSOLJKWRIWKHSRRUWKDW,VKRZLQWKLVHVVD\ complement each other. Combined, they offer important insights to WKRVHZRUNLQJLQWKH¿HOGRIVRFLDOHWKLFVLQ%UD]LO
Throughout this essay, there is a presupposition that all ethical and theological endeavor is an act of response to a previous action, and part of a dialogueWKDWWDNHVSODFHEHWZHHQGLIIHUHQWSHRSOHDQG different realities that not only HQFRXQWHU HDFK RWKHU EXW ZKLFK DOVR
deeply affect and transform each other.2 These constant encounters and
dialogues provoke transformations both in the realities encountered by moral agents, and in the moral agents’ responses to those realities. The DUJXPHQW XQGHUJLUGLQJ WKLV ZKROH HVVD\ LV WKDW DQ\ &KULVWLDQ VRFLDO ethics coming from a given reality of suffering and oppression must WDNHWKDWFRQWH[WVHULRXVO\DQGPXVWUHVSRQGWRWKHQHHGVWKDWSUHVHQW themselves to it. It ought to be an ethics of response – one that engages LWVVXUURXQGLQJFRQWH[WLQGLDORJXH7KHHQFRXQWHUZLWKWKHSRRUDQG RSSUHVVHGRWKHUKDVWKHSRZHURIEULQJLQJZLWKLWDFRQYHUVLRQ±DGHHS spiritual transformation – to those involved in that encounter. Joerg 5LHJHU KDV SRLQWHG RXW KRZ WKHVH H\HRSHQLQJ DQG OLIHWUDQVIRUPLQJ HQFRXQWHUVZLWKWKRVHZKRH[SHULHQFHOLYLQJRQWKHXQGHUVLGHRIKLVWRU\ can liberate the church and reshape theology.
)URP WKH RXWVHW , DFNQRZOHGJH WKDW WKH Evangélico faces I
mention here do not intend to represent all Protestant churches and their
2 %\XVLQJWKHODQJXDJHRIUHVSRQVHDQGGLDORJXH,GUDZRQWKHWKLQNLQJRI0DUWLQ
Buber, Emmil Brunner, Emmanuel Levinas, H. Richard Niebuhr, Enrique Dussel, Paul Lehmann, and Richard Shaull, even though I do not directly refer to some of these thinkers in this essay.
6HH -RHUJ 5LHJHU ³,QWURGXFWLRQ :DWFK WKH 0RQH\´ LQ Liberating the Future:
God, Mammon and Theology HG -RHUJ 5LHJHU 0LQQHDSROLV 0LQQ )RUWUHVV 3UHVV HVSS
,Q/DWLQ$PHULFDWKHZRUGVEvangélico and Protestant are often used
interchange-ably. Evangélico - WKH6SDQLVK3RUWXJXHVHWHUPIRUµHYDQJHOLFDO¶LVWKHZRUGXVHG E\PRVW/DWLQ$PHULFDQ3URWHVWDQWVIRUVHOILGHQWL¿FDWLRQ$V'DYLG6WROOKDVQR-ticed, ten percent or more of the Latin American population identify themselves as
EvangélicosZLWKWKDWSHUFHQWDJHJRLQJVXEVWDQWLYHO\XSLQ%UD]LO&KLOHDQGPRVW
RI&HQWUDO$PHULFD6HH³,QWURGXFWLRQ 5HWKLQNLQJ3URWHVWDQWLVPLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD´ in Rethinking Protestantism in Latin America, ed. Virginia Garrard-Burnett and 'DYLG 6WROO 3KLODGHOSKLD 7HPSOH 8QLYHUVLW\ 3HQWHFRVWDOLVP FRH[LVWV ZLWKLQ /DWLQ$PHULFDQ HYDQJHOLFDOLVP ,Q WKH FDVH RI %UD]LO DURXQG SHUFHQW of the 20 million Protestants in the country belong to Pentecostal or charismatic FKXUFKHV,QLWVPRVWFRPPRQXVDJHWKHZRUGEvangélicoLQWKH%UD]LOLDQFRQWH[W IXQFWLRQVVLPSO\DVDVXEVWLWXWHIRUWKHZRUGµ3URWHVWDQW¶,WLVLQWKLVJHQHUDOVHQVH WKDW,XVHWKHZRUGEvangélico here.
See Paul Freston, Evangelicals and Politics in Asia, Africa and Latin America 1HZ<RUN &DPEULGJH8QLYHUVLW\3UHVV
UHODWLRQWRWKHSRRULQ%UD]LO,EHOLHYHKRZHYHUWKDWWKH\DUHDIDLU UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ RI WKRVH %UD]LOLDQ 3URWHVWDQWV ZKR KDYH EHHQ RSHQ WR meet the poor face-to-face, and to meet the Divine through them.
,EHJLQWKLVHVVD\E\RIIHULQJDEULHIMXVWL¿FDWLRQIRUWKHQHHGWKDW Christians theologians have in a place like Brazil to do theology from WKHSHUVSHFWLYHRIWKHSRRURIWKHQHHG\RIWKHPDUJLQDOL]HG)ROORZLQJ WKDW¿UVWSDUW,LGHQWLI\WKUHHGLIIHUHQWIDFHVRI%UD]LOLDQ3URWHVWDQWLVP DQGGLVFXVVWKHLUUHVSRQVHVDQGFRQWULEXWLRQVWRHPSRZHUWKRVHZKRDUH VXIIHULQJDQGWRWUDQVIRUPWKHVLWXDWLRQLQZKLFKWKH\OLYH,XVH5LFKDUG 6KDXOOD1RUWK$PHULFDQWKHRORJLDQZKROLYHGLQ6RXWK$PHULFDIRU WZHQW\\HDUVDVDQH[HPSODUIRUWKHNLQGRIUHVSRQVLEOHDQGGLDORJLFDO &KULVWLDQWKHRORJL]LQJ,DPSURSRVLQJKHUH,VXJJHVWWKDWKLVSUD[LVDQG WKHRORJLFDOHWKLFVPLJKWIXQFWLRQDVDQLQWHUIDFHZKLFKEULQJVWKHWKUHH GLIIHUHQWIDFHVLQWRFRQYHUVDWLRQZLWKHDFKRWKHU
The Transforming Impact of
a Face-to-Face Encounter with the Poor
Liberation theologians in Latin America have offered an original FRQWULEXWLRQWRWKHRORJLFDOHWKLFVE\DVNLQJKRZRQHFDQWDONDERXW*RG LQDFRQWH[WRIH[WUHPHSRYHUW\DQGRSSUHVVLRQ7KHLVVXHRIWKHSULPDF\ of the poor – or the preferential option for the poor – has become one RIPDMRULPSRUWDQFHWRWKRVHZRUNLQJLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD In light of
WKDWLQVLJKWWKHEHVWZD\WRNQRZZKDW*RGLVGRLQJLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD today is to get closer to the poor and listen to them. Any Christian social HWKLFVLQ/DWLQ$PHULFDWKHQLVRQHWKDWVHHNVWRUHVSRQGWRZKDW*RG LVGRLQJLQWKDWFRQWH[WDQGZKLFKVHHNVWRMRLQ*RGLQ*RG¶VZRUN among the poor.
)RUDOOWKRVHZKROLYHLQWKHSRRUHUSDUWVRIWKHZRUOGWKHUHLV DQ LQHVFDSDEOH VRFLDO UHDOLW\ EHIRUH ZKLFK DOO RXU WKHRORJL]LQJ PXVW
This is, for instance, the basic assumption guiding Gustavo Gutierrez’s argument
LQ KLV PDMRU ZRUN A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation 0DU\NQROO1< 2UELV%RRNV
EHGRQH,QWKDWFRQWH[WWKHRORJ\LVWREHGRQHIDFHWRIDFHZLWKWKH SRRU,WLVPRUDOO\XQDFFHSWDEOHWRORRNDZD\IURPWKHGHKXPDQL]LQJ UHDOLW\RIH[WUHPHSRYHUW\DQGVXIIHULQJVXUURXQGLQJRXUOLYHV$VRQH OLYHVLQDQKLVWRULFDOFRQWH[WZKHUHRQHPHHWVVFDQGDORXVSRYHUW\DQG LQMXVWLFHRQDHYHU\GD\EDVLVRQHOHDUQVWRVHHWKHZRUOGIURPDGLIIHUHQW perspective. Thus, those of us doing theology from Latin America must MRLQ'LHWULFK%RQKRHIIHUZKHQKHVD\V
:HKDYHIRURQFHOHDUQHGWRVHHWKHJUHDWHYHQWVRIZRUOGKLV-WRU\IURPEHORZIURPWKHSHUVSHFWLYHRIWKHRXWFDVWWKHVXVSHFWV WKHPDOWUHDWHGWKHSRZHUOHVVWKHRSSUHVVHGWKHUHYLOHG±LQVKRUW IURPWKHSHUVSHFWLYHRIWKRVHZKRVXIIHU6
7KLV SHUVSHFWLYH IURP WKH XQGHUVLGH RI KLVWRU\ ZDV FUXFLDO LQ the development of Latin America liberation theology. Leonardo and Clodovis Boff start an introductory book on liberation theology by describing some shocking scenes in northeastern Brazil.7 They told
WKRVHVWRULHVWRVKRZZK\WKHVWDUWLQJSRLQWRI/DWLQ$PHULFDQWKHRORJ\ LVH[DFWO\³WKHSHUFHSWLRQRI>VXFK@VFDQGDOVZKLFKH[LVWQRWRQO\LQ Latin America.”87KH\ FRQWLQXHG WKHQ WR DI¿UP WKDW /DWLQ$PHULFDQ
OLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\LVPDLQO\FRQFHUQHGZLWKWKRVHZKRDUHVWDUYLQJLQ WKHZRUOGZLWKWKRVHZKRDUHOLYLQJLQDEVROXWHSRYHUW\ZLWKWKRVHZKR do not even have access to the most basic medical care or to regular ZDWHUVXSSO\ZLWKWKRVHZKRDUHLOOLWHUDWH9
6 'LHWULFK%RQKRHIIHU³$IWHU7HQ<HDUV´LQ Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Writings Selected
with an Introduction HG5REHUW&ROHV 1HZ<RUN 2UELV%RRNV 7KLV
is one of the favorite quotes of Bonhoeffer among Latin American liberation theo-logians. Gustavo Gutierrez quotes it in an essay called “The Limitations of Modern 7KHRORJ\ RQD/HWWHURI'LHWULFK%RQKRHIIHU´LQLGHPEssential Writings (ed. -DPHV%1LFNRORII 1HZ<RUN 2UELV%RRNV
7 Leonardo and Clodovis Boff, Introducing Liberation Theology (trans. Paul Burns;
0DU\NQROO1< 2UELV%RRNV
8 Ibid., 2. 9 Ibid.
Liberation theology’s starting point is the reality of “com-passion,” RI ³VXIIHULQJ ZLWK´ WKH RSSUHVVHG10 This is the “vital environment,”
the reality that all Latin American liberation theologians must take LQWRFRQVLGHUDWLRQZKHQGHYHORSLQJDOOWKHLPSRUWDQWWKHPHVRIWKHLU theology.11-XUJHQ0ROWPDQQKDVDI¿UPHGWKDWLQKLVFRQWDFWZLWK/DWLQ
American liberation theology he learned that “any good Christian WKHRORJ\NQRZVLQZKLFKFRQWH[WLQZKLFKkairosLQZKLFKFRPPXQLW\ it must be situated.”12
One of the most important contributions made by Latin American liberation theology is that in order to do theology from the perspective RIWKHSRRURQHKDVDOVRWRKDYHDVWURQJDQGYLYLGFRPPLWPHQWZLWKWKDW UHDOLW\,QRWKHUZRUGVOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\LQ/DWLQ$PHULFDFDOOVIRU³D OLYLQJOLQNZLWKDOLYLQJSUDFWLFH´ Methodologically, Latin American
liberation theology teaches us that it is only after one is able to “do liberation” that one can “do theology.” From that perspective, theology LVPDLQO\GH¿QHGDV³FULWLFDOUHÀHFWLRQRQWKHSUD[LVRIOLEHUDWLRQ´
7KHUHLVDSULPDF\DQGXUJHQF\IRUSUD[LV Orthopraxis becomes more important than orthodoxy7KDWLVZKDWOHDGV&ORGRYLV%RIIWRVWDWH ³)DLWKLV¿UVWDQGIRUHPRVWDOWKRXJKQRWH[FOXVLYHO\orthopraxis.”16
,WLVLPSRUWDQWWRQRWLFHKRZHYHUWKDW/LEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\LWVHOI did not create this understanding of Christian faith. In fact, it emerged DV D UHVXOW RI WKH HQFRXQWHU EHWZHHQ &KULVWLDQ WKHRORJ\ DQG SRYHUW\ LQ WKH /DWLQ$PHULFDQ FRQWH[W 0LFKDHO /RZ\ KDV VKRZQ WKDW WKHUH is a liberationist Christianity that precedes liberation theology and
10 Ibid.
11 See Jon Sobrino, “Teologia Desde la Realidad,” in O Mar Se Abriu: Trinta Anos
de Teologia na America Latina (ed. /XLV&DUORV6XVLQ 63DXOR%UD]LO (GLoyo-OD
12 Jurgen Moltmann, “Teologia Latino-Americana,” in O Mar Se Abriu, 227. Boff and Boff, op. cit., 22.
Ibid.
Roberto Oliveros, “History of the Theology of Liberation,” in Mysterium
Libera-tionis: Fundamental Concepts of Liberation Theology (ed. Ignacio Ellacuria and -RQ6REULQR 0DU\NQROO1< 2UELV%RRNV
16 Clodovis Boff, Theology and Praxis: Epistemological Foundations (Maryknoll,
UHSHDWHGO\UHTXLUHVDUHIUHVKHGORRNDWWKHOLYHVDQGH[SHULHQFHVRIWKRVH &KULVWLDQVZKLFKEHFRPHWKHVWDUWLQJSRLQWRIDQ\UHOHYDQWWKHRORJLFDO DQGHWKLFDOUHÀHFWLRQLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD17 Liberation theology emerged
IURPZLWKLQWKDWOLEHUDWLRQ&KULVWLDQLW\,WDSSHDUHGDVWKHWKHRORJLFDO ³H[SUHVVLRQRIDYDVWPRYHPHQWWKDWHPHUJHGDWWKHEHJLQQLQJRIWKH VZHOOEHIRUHWKHQHZWKHRORJLFDOZULWLQJV´18
As David Tombs states, “Whether a recognizable movement FDOOHGOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\SHUVLVWVRUQRWWKHLVVXHVWKDWLWGHDOWZLWK ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR UHPDLQ MXVW DV SUHVVLQJ DV EHIRUH 7KH WHUPLQRORJ\ PD\YDU\EXW&KULVWLDQWKHRORJ\ZLOOQHHGWRNHHSIDLWKZLWKDQGEXLOG upon the ethical, methodological and epistemological principles of OLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\LILWLVDGHTXDWHO\WRHQJDJHZLWKWKHVHLVVXHVLQWKH QHZPLOOHQQLXP´19 Therefore, even if the language used by liberation
WKHRORJLDQV GXULQJ WKH VL[WLHV DQG VHYHQWLHV PLJKW VHHP VRPHWLPHV RXWGDWHGQHZIRUPVRIOLEHUDWLQJVRFLDOHWKLFVQHHGWREHGHYHORSHGWR UHVSRQGWRWKHQHZFKDOOHQJHVDUHQRZFRQYH\HGWRXV
Both Protestantism and Catholicism came to Latin America as IRUHLJQUHOLJLRXVV\VWHPVDVSDUWRIWKHPRGHUQSURMHFWZKLFK(QULTXH Dussel calls “the invention of the Americas.”20 This project tried to
HFOLSVHDWVHYHUDOOHYHOVRXULGHQWLW\LQFOXGLQJRXUWKLQNLQJ+RZHYHU LQWKHHQFRXQWHUZLWKWKHSRRUZLWKWKHRXWFDVWVRPH&KULVWLDQV±ERWK &DWKROLFV DQG 3URWHVWDQWV ± H[SHULHQFHG D UDGLFDO WUDQVIRUPDWLRQ RI
17 6HH0LFKDHO/RZ\The War of Gods: Religion and Politics in Latin America
1HZ<RUN 9HUVR
18 Ibid.
19 David Tombs, “Latin American Liberation Theology Faces the Future,” in Faith in
the Millennium (ed. Stanley E. Porter, Michael A. Hayes, and David Tombs; Shef-¿HOG(QJODQG 6KHI¿HOG$FDGHPLF3UHVV
20 Enrique Dussel7KH,QYHQWLRQRIWKH$PHULFDV (FOLSVHRI³WKH2WKHU´DQGWKH
Myth of Modernity WUDQV0LFKDHO'%DUEHU 1HZ<RUN &RQWLQXXP 'XV-VHOKROGVWKDWDOWKRXJKWKHJHVWDWLRQRIPRGHUQLW\WRRNSODFHZLWKLQ(XURSHLWVHOI LWMXVWFDPHWRELUWKLQWKHFRQIURQWDWLRQRI(XURSHZLWKWKH2WKHU³%\FRQWUROOLQJ FRQTXHULQJDQGYLRODWLQJWKH2WKHU(XURSHGH¿QHGLWVHOIDVWKHGLVFRYHUHUFRQ-TXLVWDGRUDQGFRORQL]HURIDQDOWHULW\OLNHZLVHFRQVWLWXWLYHRIPRGHUQLW\´,QRWKHU ZRUGV³PRGHUQLW\GDZQHGLQ DQGZLWKLWWKHP\WKRIDVSHFLDONLQGRIVDFUL¿-FLDOYLROHQFHZKLFKHYHQWXDOO\HFOLSVHGZKDWHYHUZDVQRQ(XURSHDQ´ S
EHLQJFRQYHUWHGWRWKHSRRU7RVWDUWZLWKWKHLUXQGHUVWDQGLQJRI*RG ZDVFKDQJHGE\WKLVH[SHULHQFHRIDIDFHWRIDFHHQFRXQWHUZLWKWKH SRRU*RGLQ/DWLQ$PHULFDZDVQRORQJHUDQLPPXWDEOH*RG,Q/DWLQ $PHULFD*RGKDVEHFRPHDUHODWLRQDO*RGZKRUHYHDOV*RG¶VVHOILQ WKHPLGVWRIWKHKXPDQFULVHVDQGZKRVHRQO\LPPXWDELOLW\UHVLGHVLQ God’s love and God’s justice. As one faces the poor, one has to consider WKHLUVRFLDOKLVWRULFDOFRQWH[WZKHQVSHDNLQJDERXW*RG21 When one
WDNHV RQH¶V RZQ VRFLDO ORFDWLRQ VHULRXVO\ RQH ¿QDOO\ UHDOL]HV ZKDW *XVWDYR*XWLHUUH]EHDXWLIXOO\H[SUHVVHG³,IHHO*RGGLIIHUHQWO\´22 In /DWLQ$PHULFDLQWKHLUGDLO\HQFRXQWHUZLWKWKHSRRUVRPH&KULVWLDQ WKHRORJLDQVKDYHEHFRPHDZDUHWKDWKXPDQEHLQJVJHWWRNQRZ*RGLQ WKHFRQWH[WRIDSDUWLFXODUKLVWRULFDOVLWXDWLRQ7KHNQRZOHGJHRI*RGLQ WKRVHHPSLULFDOVLWXDWLRQVKDVOHGWKHPWRDGLIIHUHQWSUD[LVRQEHKDOIRI MXVWLFH7KH\KDYHOHDUQHGWKDW³WRNQRZ*RGLVWRGRMXVWLFH´
,Q LWV ¿UVW \HDUV %UD]LOLDQ OLEHUDWLRQ WKHRORJ\ SUHGRPLQDQWO\ developed among Roman Catholic priests and theologians. Most Brazilian Evangélico churchesKDYHRYHUWKH\HDUVLGHQWL¿HGWKHPVHOYHV RYHUDJDLQVWWKHEDFNJURXQGRI5RPDQ&DWKROLFLVP$ORQJZLWKWKDW anti-Catholic sentiment, a strong individualism has also characterized the majority of Brazilian Protestants.
In spite of that, some Brazilian Protestant groups, in their daily IDFHWRIDFH HQFRXQWHU ZLWK WKH SRRU H[SHULHQFHG D NLQG RI VRFLDO FRQYHUVLRQZKLFKOHGWKHPWRDFWLQUHVSRQVHWRWKHSOLJKWRIWKHSRRU LQDZD\WRVWULYHIRUMXVWLFH'LIIHUHQWIDFHV of Brazilian Protestantism
21 As Juan Luis Segundo puts it, “God’s revelation comes to us in the cultural situation
of the oppressed” (The Liberation of Theology >0DU\NQROO1< 2UELV @ 7KHVDPHFDQEHVDLGDERXWWKH%LEOHDQGDQ\RWKHUGRFWULQH6HJXQGRVSHDNV of the hermeneutical circle as the “continuing change in our interpretation of the %LEOHZKLFKLVGLFWDWHGE\WKHFRQWLQXLQJFKDQJHVLQRXUSUHVHQWGD\UHDOLW\ERWK individual and societal” (ibid., 8).
22 Gustavo Gutierrez, The God of Life /RQGRQ 6&03UHVV [Y
5REHUW 0F$IHH %URZQ Theology In a New Key: Responding to Liberation
Themes 3KLODGHOSKLD :HVWPLQVWHU3UHVV
7KHZD\,XVHWKHZRUGµIDFH¶KHUHIROORZV-RVp0LJXH]%RQLQRLQKLVZRUNFaces
of Latin American Protestantism *UDQG5DSLGV0LFK :%(HUGPDQV3XEOLVK-LQJ&RPSDQ\ DQGHQWDLOVDFHUWDLQXQLW\LQWKHPLGVWRIGLYHUVLW\ZKLFK
have produced different responses to the cry of the poor. None of them is complete, but as one takes all the different responses into consideration, one can see that they complement each other and, together, can lead to a PRUHVLJQL¿FDQW&KULVWLDQDFWLRQWRSURGXFHDPRUHMXVWDQGHJDOLWDULDQ society.
The Different Faces of
Brazilian Protestantism
José Miguez Bonino uses the analogy of the face to identify the GLIIHUHQWPDQLIHVWDWLRQVRI/DWLQ$PHULFDQ3URWHVWDQWLVP+HLGHQWL¿HG IRXUGLIIHUHQWIDFHVRI/DWLQ$PHULFDQ3URWHVWDQWLVP D/LEHUDOIDFHDQ Evangelical face, a Pentecostal face, and an Ethnic face.
American liberal Protestantism migrated to Latin America along ZLWKWKH$PHULFDQµPDQLIHVWGHVWLQ\¶,WZDVSDUWRIDQHIIRUWWRLQWHQVLI\ WKHHFRQRPLFUHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWKH86DQGWKH6RXWKHUQFRXQWULHV by encouraging the entrance of ‘enlightened modernity’ into South $PHULFD ,PPLJUDWLRQ DQG WKH PRGHUQ HGXFDWLRQ RI WKH HOLWHV ZHUH VRPHRIWKHVWUDWHJLHVXVHGWRDFKLHYHWKLVJRDO,QIDFWWKLVHIIRUWZDV QRWXQLODWHUDO7KHUHZHUHDOVRSROLWLFDODQGVRFLDOVWUXJJOHVLQ6RXWK $PHULFD ZKLFK GHPRQVWUDWHG WKH GLVVDWLVIDFWLRQ RI VRPH PLQRULWLHV that confronted the authoritarian political culture dominated by Roman Catholicism, in the attempt to found a bourgeois modernity based on the equality of a participatory and democratic society.26 Therefore,
$PHULFDQ OLEHUDO 3URWHVWDQWLVP DOOLHG LWVHOI ZLWK WKH /DWLQ$PHULFDQ sectors that impelled the struggle for liberal modernization through the formation of ‘free associations’ of various kinds. In the second half of WKHQLQHWHHQWKFHQWXU\WKHLPSDFWRIWKLVDOOLDQFHEHWZHHQOLEHUDOLVP and Protestantism could already be noticed in Latin American societies.
enables one to speak of the Evangélico or Protestant faith in the singular, even though there are different manifestations of this faith.
See ibid. 26 Ibid.
+RZHYHU WKH OLEHUDO LGHDO RI WUDQVIRUPLQJ /DWLQ$PHULFDQ VRFLHWLHV through the creation of schools for the elites ended up in failure.27
Instead of liberating the masses, this kind of Protestantism encouraged /DWLQ$PHULFDQVWRHPXODWHWKH1RUWK$PHULFDQZD\RIOLIH7KHOLEHUDO 3URWHVWDQWIDFHVDZLWVRZQVXFFHVVDVWKHRQO\ZD\IRU/DWLQ$PHULFD WRJDLQWUXHIUHHGRP3URWHVWDQWLVPZDVFRQFHLYHGDVWKHDYDQWJDUGHRI true, socially progressive, modernizing and participatory democracy.28
This kind of Protestantism is also called historical Protestantism, in Latin America.29
)URP ZLWKLQ WKLV /LEHUDO IDFH RI /DWLQ$PHULFDQ 3URWHVWDQWLVP KRZHYHU D JURXS RI \RXQJ &KULVWLDQV EHJDQ WR UDLVH WKHLU YRLFHV protesting against injustice, and calling for a more just society. For WKH¿UVWWLPHLQ/DWLQ$PHULFDD3URWHVWDQWYRLFHUDLVHGWKHEDQQHURI social justice. The beginning of this progressive Protestant movement can be traced back to the creation of the Setor de Responsabilidade Social da Igreja in the Brazilian Evangélico Confederation, and to the development of the Student Christian Movement in Brazil, in the late V$PRYHPHQWPDGHRI\RXQJ&KULVWLDQOHDGHUVEHJDQWRFDOOIRU active militancy in social and political liberation movements and, along ZLWK&DWKROLFSDUWQHUVFUHDWHGWKHHWKRVLQZKLFKOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\ ZDVERUQLQWKHODWH ¶V
The second face of Latin American Protestantism mentioned by 0LJXH] %RQLQR LV WKH (YDQJHOLFDO RQH7KH HYDQJHOLFDOLVP WKDW ZDV EURXJKWE\$PHULFDQPLVVLRQDULHVWR/DWLQ$PHULFDKDGEHHQLQÀXHQFHG E\WKHWZRJUHDWDZDNHQLQJV$PRQJWKHFKDUDFWHULVWLFVRIWKHVHFRQG JUHDWDZDNHQLQJZDVLWVFRQFHUQZLWKVRFLDOUHIRUPDWLRQ7KH%ULWLVK HYDQJHOLVWVRIWKHVHFRQGDZDNHQLQJ³WRRNXSRQWKHPVHOYHVDORQJZLWK the moral improvement of society, the cause of abolition of slavery
27 Ibid., 17. 28 Ibid., 18.
29 Pablo A. Deiros, “Protestant Fundamentalism in Latin America,” in
Fundamental-isms Observed HG0DUWLQ(0DUW\DQG56FRWW$SSOHE\ &KLFDJR 7KH8QLYHU-VLW\RI&KLFDJR3UHVV
See Alan Neely, Protestant Antecedents of the Latin American Theology of
and the struggle against poverty.” %XW WKLV HPSKDVLV ZDV UHYHUVHG LQWKHNLQGRI1RUWK$PHULFDQHYDQJHOLFDOLVPWKDWZDVSUHGRPLQDQWO\ H[SRUWHGWR/DWLQ$PHULFD$V0LJXH]%RQLQRSRLQWVRXW³WRZDUG /DWLQ$PHULFDQPLVVLRQDU\3URWHVWDQWLVPZDVEDVLFDOO\µHYDQJHOLFDO¶LQ DFFRUGZLWKWKHPRGHORI$PHULFDQHYDQJHOLFDOLVP LH³LQGLYLGXDOLVWLF DQG &KULVWRORJLFDOVRWHULRORJLFDO LQ D EDVLFDOO\ VXEMHFWLYH NH\ ZLWK >JUHDW@HPSKDVLVRQVDQFWL¿FDWLRQ´
7KH (YDQJHOLFDO IDFH IURP WKH VHFRQG GHFDGH RI WKH WZHQWLHWK FHQWXU\RQEHFDPHWKHPRVWLQÀXHQWLDOVWUHDPRI%UD]LOLDQ3URWHVWDQWLVP affecting, in various degrees, all of Latin American Protestantism. Despite its inherited individualism, it became a vehicle of social participation for the marginal groups that came into sight in Brazil as D UHVXOW RI WKH PRGHUQL]LQJ FKDQJHV RFFXUULQJ ZLWKLQ WKDW VRFLHW\
7ZRWKLQJVKRZHYHUUHQGHUHGHYDQJHOLFDOLVPLQFDSDEOHRISURPRWLQJ DQ\ VLJQL¿FDQW VWUXFWXUDO FKDQJH )LUVW LWV FRQJHQLWDO LQGLYLGXDOLVP rendered evangelicalism unable to understand the Brazilian social UHDOLW\DQGVRLQFDSDEOHRIXQGHUVWDQGLQJVWUXFWXUDOYLROHQFHDVZHOO as of participating in the process to transform it; Second, missionary HYDQJHOLFDOLVPLQÀXHQFHGE\IXQGDPHQWDOLVPDQGLWVULJLGGRJPDWLVP VWLOOKDGGLI¿FXOWLHVDSSHDOLQJWRWKHUHDOQHHGVRIWKHPDVVHVEHLQJ LQFDSDEOHRIRYHUFRPLQJWKHSUREOHPVRIFODVVH[SORLWDWLRQPDFKLVPR DQGUDFLVPZKLFKDIÀLFWHGWKH%UD]LOLDQJUDVVURRWV
7KH HYDQJHOLFDO GHQRPLQDWLRQV EHFDPH VR LQÀXHQWLDO LQ /DWLQ America that they lent the name ‘evangelical’ to almost all other 3URWHVWDQWVLQWKHFRQWLQHQW±PRVWRIZKLFKEHJDQWREHLGHQWL¿HGDV simply Evangélicos. Evangelical Christians are usually conservative in GRFWULQHDQG¿UPO\FRPPLWWHGWR]HDORXVSURVHO\WLVPLQWKHQDPHRI
Miguez Bonino, op. cit., 29. Ibid.
Ibid.2QO\LQWKH VWKHVLJQL¿FDQFHRIWKDW3URWHVWDQWIDFHLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD
ZDVVXUSDVVHGE\WKH3HQWHFRVWDOIDFH
Ronald Glen Frase, A Sociological Analysis of the Development of Brazilian
Protestantism: A Study in Social Change (Ph.D. diss., Princeton Theological 6HPLQDU\
the gospel.9HODVTXH])LOKRGH¿QHVHYDQJHOLFDOLVPDVWKHWKHRORJLFDO PRYHPHQWWKDWDFFHQWXDWHVWKHH[SHULHQFHRIFRQYHUVLRQRUQHZELUWK DVWKHVWDUWLQJSRLQWRIWKH&KULVWLDQOLIHDVZHOODVDUHWXUQWRWKH%LEOH as the only rule of faith and conduct.
7KLVSXULWDQSLHWLVWLFHYDQJHOLFDOHWKRVZDVWKHEHGURFNIRUDNLQG RIIDLWKPDUNHGE\D³OHJDOLVWLFPRUDOLW\DIHUYLGDQGH[FOXVLRQDU\ emotionalism, and of more recent origin, a pronounced sympathy IRUSROLWLFDOFDQGLGDWHVDQGSRVLWLRQVRQWKHULJKWZLQJRIWKH/DWLQ American spectrum,”ZKLFKUDWKHUUHLQIRUFHGWKHVWDWXVTXR0RVW Brazilian evangelical churches became a conservative political force, KDYLQJ JLYHQ IRU LQVWDQFH UHOLJLRXV OHJLWLPDF\ WR WKH ULJKWZLQJ PLOLWDU\GLFWDWRUVKLSWKDWUXOHGWKHFRXQWU\EHWZHHQ DQG +RZHYHULQWKHPLGVWRIWKLVSUHGRPLQDQWFRQVHUYDWLVPDJURXSRI Brazilian evangelicals more open to seeing the reality surrounding their lives gave birth to a politically progressive evangelical movement, ZKLFKGHYHORSHGLWVRZQUHVSRQVHWRWKHFU\RIWKHRSSUHVVHGLQ/DWLQ America.
The Pentecostal face of Latin American Protestantism represents its most recent and popular manifestation. Pentecostalism has been LQÀXHQFHGE\WKHVDPHNLQGRIFRQVHUYDWLYHWKHRORJ\WKDWLQÀXHQFHG WKH (YDQJHOLFDO IDFH +RZHYHU DV LW JURZV PRVWO\ DPRQJ WKH SRRU Pentecostalism has also developed a peculiar response to their suffering, DVZHZLOOVHHEHORZ
The Ethnic face of Brazilian Protestantism refers mainly to FKXUFKHVWKDWZHUHSODQWHGLQWKHFRXQWU\WRDVVLVWLPPLJUDQWVLQWKHLU RZQODQJXDJHDQGFXOWXUH7KHVHFKXUFKHV±PRVWO\*HUPDQLQRULJLQ± have become geographically limited to the southern part of the country, ZKHUHWKHUHLVDSUHGRPLQDQFHRI*HUPDQLPPLJUDQWVDQGKDYHQRW
Elizete da Silva, Cidadãos de Outra Pátria: Anglicanos e Batistas na Bahia
(Doctoral diss., Universidade de São Paulo), 601.
3URFRUR9HODVTXHV)LOKR³'HXV&RPR(PRomR 2UtJHQV+LVWyULFDVH7HROyJLFDV
do Protestantismo Evangelical,” in Introdução ao Protestantismo no Brasil (ed. $QW{QLR*0HQGRQoDDQG3UyFRUR9HODVTXHV)LOKR 6DR3DXOR (GLo}HV/R\ROD 1990), 80-81.
VSUHDGPXFKRXWVLGHLWVRZQHWKQLFJURXS,WLVWKHUHIRUHEH\RQGWKH scope of this paper.
Antônio G. MendonçaLGHQWL¿HVWKUHHJHQHUDOW\SHVRI%UD]LOLDQ 3URWHVWDQWLVP WKH3URWHVWDQWLVPRI,PPLJUDWLRQFRPSRVHGE\WKRVHZKR FDPHLQWKH¿UVWKDOIRIQLQHWHHQWKFHQWXU\DV/XWKHUDQVDQG(SLVFRSDOLDQV the Protestantism of mission (Congregationalists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists), and the Pentecostals. Mendonça’s Missionary Protestantism encompasses Miguez Bonino’s Liberal and Evangelical faces. According to Mendonça, all the American missions WKDWHVWDEOLVKHGWKHPVHOYHVLQ%UD]LOZHUHPRYHGE\WZRPRWLYHV )LUVW ³WKH\ZHUHJHQXLQHO\FRQFHUQHGZLWKHYDQJHOL]DWLRQEHJLQQLQJZLWKWKH VDOYDWLRQRIWKHLQGLYLGXDO´ VHFRQG³WKH\EURXJKWZLWKWKHPWKHLGHRORJ\ RIPDQLIHVWGHVWLQ\ZLWKLWVGHPRFUDWLFDQGUHSXEOLFDQSULQFLSOHVDVSDUW of the messianic convictions of the U.S. nation.”:KHUHDVWKH¿UVWPRWLYH made them go all over the country preaching individual salvation and establishing congregations, the second one led them to invest heavily in HGXFDWLRQZLWKWKHLQWHQWRILQÀXHQFLQJERWKWKHLQWHOOHFWXDODQGSROLWLFDO HOLWHVZLWKWKHLUOLEHUDOLGHDOV
7KHVH3URWHVWDQWVOLYHGLQWZRGLIIHUHQWZRUOGV WKHZRUOGRIWKH bourgeoisie, the dominant classes, composed by liberal intellectuals DQG ODQGRZQHUV ZKLFK ZHUH V\PSDWKHWLF WR WKH LGHDOV RI SURJUHVV DQGOLEHUW\EURXJKWE\WKH3URWHVWDQWPLVVLRQVEXWZKRQHYHUDFWXDOO\ MRLQHG WKHP DQG WKH ZRUOG RI WKH ORZHU FODVVHV FKDUDFWHUL]HG E\ PHVVLDQLFPLOOHQQLDOLVW LGHDOV 7KHVH ORZHU FODVVHV DEVRUEHG WKH PLVVLRQDU\3URWHVWDQWSUHDFKLQJZKLFKSRUWUD\HGOLIHDVDSLOJULPDJH LQWKHZRUOGDQGWKHKRSHIRUDOLIHRIEOHVVLQJLQWKHceleste porvir.
7KLVZRUOGYLHZH[SODLQVWKHUHDVRQVIRUWKHJHQHUDOL]HGLQGLIIHUHQFH VKRZQE\PRVW%UD]LOLDQ3URWHVWDQWVWRZDUGVDQ\DFWLRQZKHWKHUVRFLDO
$QW{QLR*0HQGRQoD³(YROXFDR+LVWRULFDH&RQ¿JXUDFDR$WXDOGR3URWHVWDQWLV-mo no Brasil,” in Introdução ao Protestantis$QW{QLR*0HQGRQoD³(YROXFDR+LVWRULFDH&RQ¿JXUDFDR$WXDOGR3URWHVWDQWLV-mo no Brasil
Ibid. See also Orivaldo P. Lopes, Jr., “Protestantism in Brazil and the Cause of the
Poor,” unpublished article, 2000, 2.
Mendonça, op. cit.
Antônio G. Mendonça, O Celeste Porvir: a Inserção do Protestantismo no Brasil
or political, that may come out of their religious beliefs. They learned to OLYHDVFLWL]HQVRIWZRZRUOGV RQHLVVHFXODUZKHUHWKH\H[HUFLVHWKHLU economic activities; the other, is the close ‘family of faith,’ the sphere in ZKLFKWKH\OLYHRXWWKHLUIDLWK Therefore, this kind of Christian faith
does not prompt the believers to social action.
%HFDXVH RI LWV JHQHUDO SDURFKLDO PHQWDOLW\ VWURQJO\ LQÀXHQFHG by the evangelical mindset brought to them by North American missionaries, most Brazilian Protestants have never been able to make a synthesis that could be adequate to the Brazilian cultural environment. 7KHLUDWWLWXGHWRZDUGVVRFLHW\KDYHWHQGHGWREHGHIHQVLYH
+RZHYHU QHZ HFXPHQLFDO VSDFHV EHJDQ WR HPHUJH LQ WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI WKH WZHQWLHWK FHQWXU\7KHVH QHZ HFXPHQLFDO VSDFHV gave birth to a number of important autonomous ecumenical RUJDQL]DWLRQVLQWKHFRXQWU\(UDVPR%UDJD ZDVRQH RIWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQW%UD]LOLDQ3URWHVWDQWLQWHOOHFWXDOVLQWKH¿UVW KDOI RI WKH WZHQWLHWK FHQWXU\ %RUQ LQWR D 3UHVE\WHULDQ IDPLO\ %UDJD ZDV D SLYRWDO ¿JXUH LQ WKH HFXPHQLFDO PRYHPHQW LQ /DWLQ America. Braga’s main concerns related to the nature of Brazilian Protestantism and the foundations of Protestant education in Brazil. For him, the Protestant faith should be able to combine its elements ZLWKVRPH/DWLQ$PHULFDQLGHDOVLQRUGHUWREHFRPHDSLYRWDODJHQW of social change and a perpetrator of moral and political progress, ZKLFKZRXOGFXOPLQDWHLQWKHHVWDEOLVKPHQWRIDIXOOGHPRFUDF\LQ WKHUHJLRQ7KHUHIRUHD3URWHVWDQWIRUPDWLRQZDVHVVHQWLDOVLQFHLW ZRXOGDVVLVWSHRSOHLQWKHGHYHORSPHQWRIPRUDOUHVSRQVLELOLW\LQ both the individual and social realms.
Ibid. Ibid.
%UD]LOLDQ VRFLRORJLVW:DOGR &pVDU DI¿UPHG WKDW WKH 3URWHVWDQWLVP HVWDEOLVKHG LQ
%UD]LOEURXJKWZLWKLWWKHPDUNVRIVHFWDULDQLVPDQGLQGLYLGXDOLVP7KDWUHVXOWV LQDQDFFXOWXUDWLRQWKDWKDVQRUHODWLRQZLWKWKHKLVWRULFDOIRUPDWLRQRIWKH/DWLQ American peoples. See Waldo César, “Situação Social e Crescimento do Protestan-tismo na América Latina,” in ProtestanProtestan-tismo e Imperialismo na América Latina HG:DOGR&pVDU 3HWUySROLV 9R]HV HVSS
Despite all the contributions that ecumenical Protestants such as Braga made to Brazilian education and development, it is clear that until WKHEHJLQQLQJRIWKH V%UD]LOLDQ3URWHVWDQWLVPZDV³WKHSURGXFW of imported theology, church polity, and social ethics.” For the most SDUWWKHUHZDVQRSROLWLFDODFWLYLW\H[FHSWZKHQLWEHFDPHQHFHVVDU\WR defend issues such as religious freedom and other church interests, and WKH FRPPRQ EHOLHI ZDV WKDW RQO\ WKURXJK LQGLYLGXDO FRQYHUVLRQ DQG through the Christianization of society one could bring about structural FKDQJHV7KLVDWWLWXGHEHJDQWRFKDQJHGXULQJWKH VZKHQSROLWLFDO and social involvement began to be advanced in some Protestant quarters as an inescapable Christian duty.
The Ecumenical Response
The kind of Protestantism that has prevailed in Brazil has not been concerned in developing a Christian social ethics. Rubem Alves developed a typology to study Brazilian Protestantism, and concluded WKDWWKHSUHGRPLQDQWW\SHRI3URWHVWDQWLVPLQ%UD]LOZDVD³3URWHVWDQWLVP of righteous doctrine,” characterized by pietistic spirituality, literalistic understanding of the Bible, and an intrinsic individualism. According to Alves, the ethics of this type of Protestantism “is individual, not social ... Social ethics, therefore, is not an essential part of this Protestant XQLYHUVH7KHVH3URWHVWDQWVFDQVD\DOOWKDWWKH\KDYHWRVD\ZLWKRXW referring even once to the need for social transformation.” 7KLVZRUOG YLHZXQGHUVWDQGVVRFLHW\VLPSO\DVWKHVXPRILQGLYLGXDOV7KHUHIRUH it is only necessary to transform individuals in order to change society. 7KH SUHGRPLQDQFH RI D PRUH LQGLYLGXDOLVWLF DQG RWKHUZRUOGO\
EvangélicoIDLWKLQ%UD]LOKDVRYHUVKDGRZHGWKHFRQWULEXWLRQVWKDWKDYH
Alan Neely, op. cit.
See Rubem Alves, Protestantismo e Repressão 6mR3DXOR ÈWLFD II 7KHRWKHUWZRW\SHVRI$OYHV¶VW\SRORJ\DUH³3URWHVWDQWLVPRIWKHVDFUDPHQW´DQG
“Protestantism of the spirit.” Nevertheless, he only develops one type, the “Protes-tantism of righteous doctrine.” See ibid.
been made by small groups of Brazilian Protestants for the promotion RI VRFLDO MXVWLFH DQG VRFLDO WUDQVIRUPDWLRQ LQ WKH %UD]LOLDQ FRQWH[W
6WDUWLQJ LQ WKH V WKHUH KDYH EHHQ VRPH 3URWHVWDQW DWWHPSWV WR develop a Christian social ethics in Brazil. A group of young ecumenical 3URWHVWDQWV OLQNHG ZLWK WKH 6HWRU GH 5HVSRQVDELOLGDGH 6RFLDO RI WKH &RQIHGHUDomR(YDQJpOLFDGR%UDVLOWULHGIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHWRHVWDEOLVK D GLDORJXH EHWZHHQ WKH %UD]LOLDQ 3URWHVWDQW FKXUFK DQG WKH ODUJHU society.
7KH&RQIHGHUDomR(YDQJpOLFDGR%UDVLOZDVFUHDWHGLQ DVD UHVXOWRIWKHZRUNRISHRSOHVXFKDV(UDVPR%UDJDDQGE\WKHLQÀXHQFH RIWKHHFXPHQLFDOZRUOGFRQIHUHQFHV,WZDVLQWHQGHGWREHDWHVWLPRQ\ of the unity of the Protestant churches in Brazil and to represent the
EvangélicoYRLFHEHIRUH%UD]LOLDQVRFLHW\DWODUJH%XWLWZDVDPRQJ
young Protestants, both in the movements of juventude ZLWKLQ WKH Confederação and in the student Christian movement in the beginning RIWKH VWKDWDJHQXLQHSUHRFFXSDWLRQZLWKWKHVRFLDOUHVSRQVLELOLW\ RIWKHFKXUFKYLVjYLVWKHUDSLGFKDQJHVWDNLQJSODFHLQWKHZRUOGZDV developed, and that the theme of social responsibility and social change became part of the agenda of Brazilian Protestantism. In its origins, WKHUHZDVQRFRKHUHQWWKHRORJLFDODUWLFXODWLRQRIWKHPRYHPHQW
Both the Setor de Responsabilidade Social da Igreja and the Student Christian Movement played a very important role in the development of a progressive social ethics in Brazil that anticipated many of the later FODLPVRIOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\7KHVHWZRLQLWLDWLYHVDOVRFRQWULEXWHGWR WKHIRUPDWLRQRIDFRQWLQHQWZLGHPRYHPHQWFDOOHG&KXUFKDQG6RFLHW\ LQ/DWLQ$PHULFDNQRZQE\WKHLQLWLDOV,6$/7KH%UD]LOLDQVHFWLRQ RI WKH &KULVWLDQ 6WXGHQW 0RYHPHQW NQRZQ DV WKH 8QLmR &ULVWm GH
See Paul Freston, op. cit., 11ff.
7KLVPRYHPHQWZRXOGEHGLVSODFHGE\WKHPLOLWDU\FRXSG¶HWDWLQ EXWHYHQ
DIWHUWKDWLWSOD\HGDYHU\LPSRUWDQWUROHLQUHVLVWLQJWKHULJKWZLQJPLOLWDU\GLFWD-WRUVKLSWKDWUXOHG%UD]LOIRUWZHQW\RQH\HDUV6HHIRULQVWDQFH-DPHV1*UHHQ ³&OHUJ\([LOHVDQG$FDGHPLFV 2SSRVLWLRQWRWKH%UD]LOLDQ0LOLWDU\'LFWDWRUVKLS LQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV ´Latin American Politics and Society )HE-UXDU\
(VWXGDQWHVGR%UDVLO 8&(% GHFODUHGWREH³DPRYHPHQWDOOLHGZLWK WKRVHZKRZRUNLQIDYRURIUDGLFDOFKDQJHVLQWKHEDVLFVRFLDOVWUXFWXUHV as the indispensable and inevitable condition for the humanization of Brazilian life.”
5LFKDUG 6KDXOO FDPH WR %UD]LO LQ DV D 3UHVE\WHULDQ 1RUWK $PHULFDQPLVVLRQDU\ZKRLQWHQGHGWRZRUNZLWKWKH&KULVWLDQVWXGHQW movement in Brazil, and taught at the Presbyterian Seminary in &DPSLQDV%HFDXVHKHSDLGDWWHQWLRQWRZKDWZDVJRLQJRQDPRQJWKHVH young Brazilian EvangélicosKHEHFDPHVXFKDQLPSRUWDQW¿JXUHLQ the history of Brazilian Protestantism.6KDXOORQWKHRWKHUKDQGZDV SURIRXQGO\LPSDFWHGE\WKH%UD]LOLDQUHDOLW\DOORZLQJLWWRUHVKDSHKLV RZQWKHRORJ\
$V 5XEHP$OYHV DI¿UPV 6KDXOO ZDV WKH ¿UVW RQH WR WHDFK XV Brazilian Protestants, about the social responsibility of the church. He affected an entire generation of young Protestant thinkers in the VDQG V)RUWKH¿UVWWLPHLQ%UD]LOLDQ3URWHVWDQWLVPWKHVRFLDO FKDQJHVWDNLQJSODFHLQWKHODUJHUVRFLHW\ZHUHEHLQJWDNHQVHULRXVO\
8S WR WKH ODWH V WKH WKHRORJ\ WKDW QXUWXUHG WKH %UD]LOLDQ 3URWHVWDQWFKXUFKHVZDVQRWRQO\IRUHLJQLQLWVFKDUDFWHUEXWLWZDVDOVR passed on to Brazilian students at Protestant seminaries as being simply “the theology.” The kind of theology taught at Brazilian seminaries at
“Dos Años de Un MEC en Revolución,” Testimonium
0DU]R Quot-ed by Neely, op. cit.
/HmR1HWRFDWHJRULFDOO\DI¿UPVWKDWWKHDFWLRQDQGZRUNRI5LFKDUG6KDXOOUHSUH-VHQWHGDZDWHUVKHGIRU/DWLQ$PHULFDQWKHRORJ\DQGWKDWKLVYLVLRQRIWKHDFWLRQ of God in history served as the foundation for the formulation of the theological UHVSRQVHWRWKHVLWXDWLRQRIRSSUHVVLRQRIWKHSRRULQWKDWFRQWLQHQWZKLFKODWHUZDV NQRZQDVOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\6HH5H\QDOGR)HUUHLUD/HmR1HWR³5LFKDUG6KDXOO 2 Profeta da Revolução,” in Pastoral & Mística (ed. Jacy Maraschin; São Bernardo GRV&DPSRV63%UD]LO ,0(6 HVSS
See Richard Shaull, Surpreendido Pela Graça 5LRGH-DQHLUR 5HFRUG
II
Rubem Alves, “... Su Cadáver Estava Lleno de Mundo,” in Religião e Sociedade
7KDWLVDWKHRORJ\RIDEVROXWHDQGXQLYHUVDOFKDUDFWHUZKLFKGLGQRWDOORZDQ\
WKDWWLPHZDVRUWKRGR[DQGGDWHG1HLWKHULQ%UD]LOQRUDQ\ZKHUHHOVH LQ6RXWK$PHULFDZDVWKHUHURRPIRUDORFDORUFRQWH[WXDOWKHRORJ\DW WKDWSRLQW5LFKDUG6KDXOOZDVWKH¿UVW3URWHVWDQWWKLQNHULQ%UD]LOWR VWULYHIRUWKHGHYHORSPHQWRIDFRQWH[WXDOWKHRORJ\DQGHWKLFVWKDWWRRN seriously the socio-historical location of those doing theology in Brazil. %\ GRLQJ WKDW 6KDXOO ³ZDV ZLWKRXW NQRZLQJ VRZLQJ WKH VHHGV RI liberation theology.” As Carl-Henric Grenholm says, despite being a North American theologian, Shaull “can be regarded as a representative of a more radical Latin American Protestantism.”
Shaull came of age as a mature theologian during his years in Brazil.60+HDOORZHGWKH/DWLQ$PHULFDQVRFLDOFRQWH[WWRLQIRUPKLV
WKHRORJ\DQGHWKLFVLQXQLTXHZD\VWRWKHSRLQWWKDWKHEHFDPHDEOH WR LQFRUSRUDWH D /DWLQ$PHULFDQ ÀDYRU LQWR KLV WKHRORJLFDO WKLQNLQJ even after he left Brazil in order to teach at Princeton.61 If, on the one
WKHRORJ\$V-RYHOLQR5DPRVVD\VZKHQKHZDVDVHPLQDULDQDWWKH3UHVE\WHUL-DQ7KHRORJLFDO6HPLQDU\LQ&DPSLQDVLQWKHODWH VWKHRORJ\ZDVDPDWWHURI PHPRUL]LQJDQGTXRWLQJGHDGSHRSOH ³7KHPRUHGHDGWKH\ZHUHWKHEHWWHU´KH VD\VLURQLFDOO\5LFKDUG6KDXOOLQWURGXFHGWRKLV%UD]LOLDQVWXGHQWVDQGFRZRUNHUV the top theologies of the time, that is, the thought of the many of the best theologians of that historical period, such as Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Emil Brunner, 5HLQKROG1LHEXKU-DFTXHV0DULWDLQ&+'RGGDQGRWKHUV)XUWKHUPRUHKHZDV not interested in the reproduction of these theologians’ thought by the students, but in their capacity to dialogue critically and ask questions to these theologians in light RIWKHLURZQKLVWRULFDOFRQWH[WSee Jovelino Ramos, “Você Não Conhece o Shaull,” in De Dentro do Furacão: Richard Shaull e os Primórdios da Teologia da Li-bertação (ed. Rubem Alves et al. 9R]HV 3HWUySROLV
5XEHP$OYHV³6X&DGiYHU(VWDYD/OHQRGH0XQGR´
Carl-Henric Grenholm, Christian Social Ethics in a Revolutionary Age: An
Analysis of the Social Ethics of John C. Bennett, Heinz-Dietrich Wendland and Richard Shaull 8SVDOD 9HUEXP
60 The process of his spiritual and theological formation that started at Princeton, as a
VHPLQDULDQDQGFRQWLQXHGGXULQJKLV&RORPELDQH[SHULHQFHDQGKLVJUDGXDWHVWXG- LHVZLWK3DXO/HKPDQQZDVGHHSHQHGDQGWUDQVIRUPHGGXULQJWKHGHFDGHRIH[SHUL-HQFHDQGUHÀHFWLRQLQ%UD]LO³>,Q%UD]LO@WKHKHDUWRIP\IDLWKDQG&KULVWLDQOLIHZDV GHYHORSHGLQH[WUDRUGLQDU\ZD\V´ 6KDXOOSurpreendido Pela Graça
61 7KHWUDQVIRUPDWLRQKHVXIIHUHGWKURXJKKLVH[SHULHQFHLQ%UD]LOGH¿QHGWKHWHUPV
of his presence and action as a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary in the \HDUVWKDWIROORZHGKLVUHWXUQWRWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV6HHibid.
KDQG6KDXOO¶VH[SHULHQFHLQ%UD]LOGHHSO\DIIHFWHGKLVWKHRORJ\DQG spirituality, on the other hand, the theology that he developed during KLV \HDUV LQ %UD]LO EHFDPH DOVR D ZDWHUVKHG IRU %UD]LOLDQ 3URWHVWDQW theology.62 Through his thorough engagement and immersion in
WKH %UD]LOLDQ FRQWH[W 6KDXOO ZDV DEOH ERWK WR WUDQVIRUP DQG WR EH WUDQVIRUPHGE\WKDWFRQWH[W
An Interface for the Three
Different Faces of Brazilian Protestantism
6KDXOO QHYHU V\VWHPDWL]HG KLV WKHRORJLFDO WKLQNLQJ LQWR D QHZ WKHRORJ\DOWKRXJKKHSRLQWHGWRQHZIRUPVRIGRLQJWKHRORJ\+LVPDLQ FRQWULEXWLRQVWR%UD]LOLDQWKHRORJ\DQGHWKLFVKRZHYHUFDQEHVHHQ LQWKHZD\KHUHVSRQGHGWRWKHQHZFKDOOHQJHVEURXJKWWRKLPE\WKH KLVWRULFDOVLWXDWLRQLQZKLFKKHZDVLPPHUVHG7KDWZD\RIUHVSRQGLQJ WKHRORJLFDOO\WRWKHUHDOLW\DURXQGKLPEHFDPHDUHIHUHQFHWRWKHQHZ religious movements emerging at that point in Brazil.
6KDXOO ZDV RQH RI WKH ¿UVW WKHRORJLDQV LQ /DWLQ $PHULFD WR HPSKDVL]HWKHSULPDF\RISUD[LVLQWKHRORJ\ He never approached
DQ\LVVXHRQO\LQWHOOHFWXDOO\+HZDVDOZD\VDVNLQJKLVLQWHUORFXWRUV WKHTXHVWLRQ³:HOOVRZKDWVKRXOGZHGRWKHQ"´ Moreover, he
contrasted the church-centeredness dominant in Brazilian Protestantism ZLWK DQ RSHQQHVV WR ORRNLQJ IRU WKH PHDQLQJ RI *RG¶V DFWLRQ LQ WKH ZRUOG LQ WKH PLGVW RI FRPSOH[ KLVWRULFDO HYHQWV ,Q DGGLWLRQ 6KDXOO understood that the ecumenical movement should strive for the unity of DOOSHRSOHVLQVWHDGRIWKHXQLW\RIWKHFKXUFK7KHUHIRUHKHZDVDZDUH
62 Eduardo Galasso Faria, Fé e Compromisso: Richard Shaull e a Teologia no
Bra-sil 6mR3DXOR $VWH
Ibid. 6HH DOVR -XOLR GH 6DQWD$QD ³$ 5LFKDUG 6KDXOO 7HyORJR H 3LRQHLUR
Ecumênico – um testemunho reconhecido,” in De Dentro do Furacão -XOLRGH 6DQWD$QDDI¿UPV³6KDXOOKHOSHGXVWRXQGHUVWDQGWKHSULPDF\RISUD[LV´ P\ translation).
See Rubem Menzen Bueno, “Ah, Ah! Bem, e Então ... Como, a Ver, Richard Shaull
RIWKHIDFWWKDWGLDORJXHZLWKRWKHUFXOWXUHVDQGEHWZHHQWKHFKXUFK DQGWKHODUJHUVRFLHW\ZDVFUXFLDOWRWKHHFXPHQLFDOPRYHPHQWERWKLQ %UD]LODQGHOVHZKHUH 6KDXOOZDVDEOHWKXVWRRYHUFRPHWKHDUWL¿FLDOGLYLVLRQVEHWZHHQ FKXUFKDQGVRFLHW\$FFRUGLQJWR5XEHP&pVDU)HUQDQGHV6KDXOOZDV VRPHRQHSD\LQJFORVHDWWHQWLRQWRZKDWZDVJRLQJRQDURXQGKLPDQG KHZDVDOZD\VRSHQWRKDYLQJIDFHWRIDFHGLDORJXHZLWKHYHU\JURXS RISHRSOHZLWKZKRPKHHQJDJHG
An attitude of never crystallizing his theological thinking into any FORVHGV\VWHPPDGH6KDXOOFDSDEOHRIGLDORJXLQJZLWKPDQ\GLIIHUHQW social realities. The main conversational partners of Shaull during his OLIHDQGPLQLVWU\ZHUHWKHSRRUZKRVHDSSHDOGHPDQGHGIURPKLPD SUD[LVRIUHYROXWLRQDQGOLEHUDWLRQ)URPKLV¿UVWHQFRXQWHUZLWKWKH /DWLQ$PHULFDQSRRULQ&RORPELDLQ WRWKHHQGRIKLVOLIHKH SULYLOHJHGWKHSRRUDVWKHPDLQEHDUHUVRI*RG¶VZRUGWRWKHUHVWRIWKH ZRUOGDQGKHVRXJKWWROLVWHQWRZKDW*RGZDVVD\LQJWRKLPWKURXJK WKHSRRU+RZHYHU6KDXOODOVRGLDORJXHGZLWKDOOWKHRWKHUVZKRPKH FDPHDFURVVGXULQJKLVPLQLVWU\,Q%UD]LOKHZDVWKH¿UVW3URWHVWDQW to engage a group of Roman Catholics in continuous and serious FRQYHUVDWLRQ+HDOVRHQJDJHGFRPPXQLVPDGRSWLQJLWVGHDUHVWZRUG ±UHYROXWLRQ±LQWRKLVRZQYRFDEXODU\JLYLQJLWWKHRORJLFDOPHDQLQJ Although living then back in the United States, Shaull also engaged the Christian Base Communities that emerged in Brazil during the 1970s and 1980s. Finally, at the end of his life, he engaged Pentecostalism, UHFRJQL]LQJWKDWWKURXJKWKH3HQWHFRVWDOSRRU*RGZDVVSHDNLQJWRWKH historical churches.
6KDXOOLVDJRRGH[HPSODUDQGDJRRGSDUWQHURIGLDORJXHIRUWKH three faces of Brazilian Protestantism. For the Ecumenical face, Shaull LVDQDWXUDOFRQYHUVDWLRQDOSDUWQHUVLQFHKHZDVDQLPSRUWDQWDFWRURI WKLVPRYHPHQWLQWKH VDQGHDUO\ V)RUWKH3HQWHFRVWDOIDFH KHDOVREHFRPHVDQDWXUDOFRQYHUVDWLRQDOSDUWQHUGXHWRWKHZRUNKHGLG in the last part of his life and ministry among the poor Pentecostals in Rio de Janeiro.
%XW ZKDW WR PDNH RI WKH (YDQJHOLFDO IDFH" 1R GLUHFW KLVWRULFDO connections can link Shaull to the evangelical progressive movement WKDWHPHUJHGLQ%UD]LOLQ +RZHYHURQHFDQVWLOOPDNHWKHFDVH that Shaull is also a conversational partner for the Evangelical face for WZRPDLQUHDVRQV)LUVWWKH(YDQJHOLFDOIDFHHPHUJHGDVDUHVSRQVH to the challenges made by both the ecumenical movement and the liberationist movement in Brazil in the early 1960s. The appeal of both RIWKHVHPRYHPHQWVUHTXLUHGWKDWWKHHYDQJHOLFDOVZKRXSWRWKDWSRLQW KDGVKRZQQRVLJQRIDQ\VRFLDOFRQFHUQVRXJKWIRUDELEOLFDOUHVSRQVH WRWKHVLWXDWLRQRIH[WUHPHSRYHUW\DQGLQMXVWLFHLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD7KLV ZDV WKH VLWXDWLRQ WKDW JDYH ELUWK WR WKH /DWLQ$PHULFDQ 7KHRORJLFDO Fraternity (FTL) in 1970.66 The evangelical response, embodied in
the FTL, emerges in search for a biblical response to movements that, LQ WKHLU YLHZ ZHUH IDU WR WKH OHIW DQG KDG DFFRPPRGDWHG WR VHFXODU language. From this reactionary beginning, the Evangelical face has PRYHGLQWRDPRUHFRQVLVWHQWGLDORJXHZLWKRWKHUPRYHPHQWVLQWKHODVW WZRGHFDGHV67DQGLWKDVDGRSWHGVRPHRIWKHLUWHUPLQRORJ\LQWRLWVRZQ
vocabulary.68 If one takes into consideration that Shaull’s theology and
66 See Carlos Queiroz, “A Missão Integral no Brasil,” unpublished paper, from Carlos
4XHLUR]¶VSHUVRQDO¿OHVSFTL stands for the Spanish Fraternidad Teológica Latinoamericana. 67 ,QWKHODVW/DWLQ$PHULFDQ&RQJUHVVRI(YDQJHOL]DWLRQZKLFKWRRNSODFHLQ4XLWR (FXDGRULQWKLVGLDORJXHZDVPDGHPRUHH[SOLFLWDVPHPEHUVRIWKH/DWLQ $PHULFDQ&RXQFLORI&KXUFKHVIURPDPRUHHFXPHQLFDOLQFOLQDWLRQZHUHLQYLWHG WRFRQWULEXWHZLWKSDSHUVIRUWKHFRQJUHVVDQGWRGLDORJXHZLWKPRUHHYDQJHOLFDO WKHRORJLDQVIURPWKH)7/6HHIRULQVWDQFHWKHLPSRUWDQWZRUNWKDWFDPHRXWRI these efforts, Unidad y Diversidad del Protestantismo Latinoamericano : el tes-timonio evangélico hacia el tercer milenio: Palabra, espíritu y mission (ed. José 0LJXH]%RQLQR %XHQRV$LUHV .DLURV
68 An emphasis on social justice and transformation – a theological emphasis on the
King-GRPRI*RGDVWKHEDVLVIRUWKHVWUXJJOHIRUMXVWLFH±LVSUHVHQWLQVHYHUDOZULWLQJVRI this movement. See, for instance, Orlando Costas, The Church and Its Mission: A Shattering Critique from the Third World :KHDWRQ,,, 7\QGDOH+RXVH3XEOLVK-HUV ,QVHYHUDORIKLVZULWLQJV&RVWDVRQHRIWKHPDLQWKHRORJLDQVRIWKH)7/ makes numerous references to Rubem Alves, and some direct references to Shaull. See esp. Orlando Costas, Theology of the Crossroads in Contemporary Latin America: Missiology in Mainline Protestantism, 1969-1974 $PVWHUGDP 5RGRSL 2QH
HWKLFVZDVLQÀXHQWLDOLQWKHEHJLQQLQJRIERWKWKHHFXPHQLFDODQGWKH liberationist movements that provoked an evangelical response, one can come to the conclusion that Shaull might also be a good conversational partner for the Evangelical face of Brazilian Protestantism.
Furthermore, Shaull never gave up entirely the evangelical faith LQ ZKLFK KH ZDV QXUWXUHG ERWK GXULQJ KLV FKLOGKRRG DQG GXULQJ KLV youth.69$OWKRXJKKHJDYHGLIIHUHQWPHDQLQJVWRROGZRUGV6KDXOONHSW
XVLQJLPSRUWDQWZRUGVIRUWKHHYDQJHOLFDOPRYHPHQWLQKLVWKHRORJLFDO YRFDEXODU\WRWKHHQGRIKLVOLIH)RULQVWDQFH6KDXOODOZD\VHPSKDVL]HG the need for a biblical faith, and took “biblical authority” seriously, ZLWKRXW FRPLQJ FORVH WR D IXQGDPHQWDOLVW XQGHUVWDQGLQJ RI ELEOLFDO authority. Shaull also spoke of “discipleship”70±DQRWKHUGHDUZRUGIRU
many evangelicals in Brazil – as an important component of being a Christian. Finally, more emphatically at the end of his life, Shaull used WKHZRUG³FRQYHUVLRQ´YHU\RIWHQWRVSHDNRIVSLULWXDOWUDQVIRUPDWLRQV KHXQGHUZHQWWKURXJKRXWKLVOLIHDVZHOODVRIVSLULWXDOWUDQVIRUPDWLRQV WKDW&KULVWLDQLW\VKRXOGH[SHULHQFHLILWLQWHQGHGWREHUHOHYDQWWRWKH FRQWHPSRUDU\ZRUOG71
7KH FHQWUDOLW\ WKLV XVH RI WKH ZRUG ³FRQYHUVLRQ´ WRRN LQ KLV WKHRORJLFDODQGHWKLFDOGHYHORSPHQWLQKLV¿QDO\HDUVDQGWKHIDFWWKDW
FDQGHGXFWWKHQWKDWWKLVHYDQJHOLFDOWKHRORJLFDOPRYHPHQWLQ/DWLQ$PHULFDZDVLQ FRQYHUVDWLRQZLWK6KDXOORUZLWKWKRVHZKR6KDXOOGLUHFWO\LQVSLUHGDQGLQÀXHQFHG
69 +LVH[SHULHQFHRIUHDGLQJWKH%LEOHOHGKLPWRFRQFOXGHWKDWKHFRXOGEHDGLVFLSOH
of Christ only if he offered to Him all his life and energies. The intensity of this H[SHULHQFHLQKLVDGROHVFHQFHVWURQJO\DIIHFWHG6KDXOO¶VZD\WRGHDOZLWKWKHSUL-YDWLRQVIDFHGGXULQJWKH*UHDW'HSUHVVLRQDQGKLVIDLWKOLIHDVZHOO6HH6KDXOO Surpreendido Pela Graça, 22.
70 Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s books The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together made an
LQGHOLEOHLPSUHVVLRQRQ6KDXOOKHOSLQJKLPWR¿QGDVSLULWXDOODQJXDJHDVKHGHDOW ZLWKWKHQHHGWRXQGHUVWDQGDQGGHVFULEHZKDWLWPHDQWWREHDIDLWKIXO&KULVWLDQLQ WKHVRFLDOFRQWH[WWKDWKHIRXQGLQ/DWLQ$PHULFD$V6KDXOOUHFRJQL]HGWKHVHERRNV occupied a central place in his spiritual journey, and they offered a crucial contribu-tion to the development of his spiritual life. See Richard Shaull, Surpreendido Pela Graça, 88.
71 See, for instance, Richard Shaull, “The Third Conversion,” The Other Side
KHXVHVWKLVZRUGWRVLJQLI\WUDQVIRUPDWLRQVWKDWQRWRQO\KHEXWWKH church itself must undergo as they encounter the poor over and over again, are meaningful factors in providing an interface for the three faces of the Evangélico movement in Brazil, as it struggles to properly respond to challenging ethical demands.
The Evangelical Response
A second attempt to respond to the claim of the poor from a Protestant perspective in Brazil came from an evangelical movement, ZKLFKJDLQHGYLVLELOLW\WKURXJKWKHGHYHORSPHQWRIWKH/DWLQ$PHULFDQ Theological Fraternity.72 A group of evangelical theologians gathered
WR FUHDWH D IRUXP ZKHUH WKH\ FRXOG HQFRXUDJH D FRQWH[WXDOL]HG WKHRORJLFDO UHÀHFWLRQ LQ /DWLQ $PHULFD IURP ZKDW WKH\ FRQVLGHUHG WR EH D PRUH ELEOLFDO DQG PLVVLRQRULHQWHG SHUVSHFWLYH7KDW ZDV DQ attempt from Latin American evangelicals – theologically conservative, but politically and socially progressive – to respond to the challenges posed by the Latin American reality of poverty and injustice to the evangelical faith. They came to understand that social responsibility and HYDQJHOL]DWLRQZHUHERWKSDUWRIWKHPLVVLRQRIWKH&KULVWLDQFKXUFKLQ Latin America, and they developed a neo-evangelical theology that they called “theology of the holistic mission.” In the First Latin American &RQJUHVVRI(YDQJHOL]DWLRQLQ 6DPXHO(VFREDUZKRZRXOGEH one of the founders of the Latin American Theological Fraternity in DOUHDG\VDLGHORTXHQWO\
7KHUHLVVXI¿FLHQWEDVLVLQWKHKLVWRU\RIWKH&KXUFKDQGLQWKH WHDFKLQJRIWKH:RUGRI*RGIRUXVWRFDWHJRULFDOO\DI¿UPWKDWWKH FRQFHUQZLWKWKHVRFLDODVSHFWRIWKH&KULVWLDQZLWQHVVLQWKHZRUOG does not imply the abandonment of the fundamental truths of the Gospel; on the contrary, it means to take to the last consequences WKH WHDFKLQJV UHJDUGLQJ *RG -HVXV &KULVW KXPDQ H[LVWHQFH DQG
72 See Samuel Escobar, La Fundacion de la Fraternidad Teologica
Latinoameri-cana: Breve Ensayo Histórico (undated manuscript emailed by Samuel Escobar to WKHDXWKRULQ
WKHZRUOGZKLFKIRUPWKHEDVLVRIWKLV*RVSHO:HVXVWDLQWKDW an evangelization that does not take account of the social problems and that does not announce the salvation and sovereignty of Christ ZLWKLQWKHFRQWH[WLQZKLFKWKRVHZKROLVWHQWRLWOLYHLVDGHIHFWLYH HYDQJHOL]DWLRQ ZKLFK EHWUD\V WKH ELEOLFDO WHDFKLQJ DQG GRHV QRW IROORZWKHPRGHOSXUSRVHGE\-HVXV&KULVWZKRVHQGVWKHHYDQJHOLVW
Despite the theological conservatism of this movement, it has EHHQDEOHWRGLDORJXHZLWKWKHODUJHUVRFLHW\VKRZLQJJHQXLQHFRQFHUQ ZLWKWKHVRFLDOVWUXFWXUHVWKDWSURPRWHLQMXVWLFHDQGH[FOXVLRQLQWKHLU society.
Because of its strong emphases on personal piety and biblical authority, on one hand, and its intentional engagement in the struggle IRUVRFLDOMXVWLFHRQWKHRWKHUWKLVPRYHPHQWDGYDQFHVDKROLVWLFYLHZ RI PLVVLRQ ZKLFK FDQ SUHYHQW SRODUL]DWLRQ EHWZHHQ HYDQJHOL]DWLRQ and social action. At its best, this movement could rethink Brazilian (YDQJHOLFDOLVPKHOSLQJWRH[SDQGWKHZRUGEvangélico to mean anyone ZKRLVFRPPLWWHGWRWKH*RVSHOWKDWLV³WR&KULVWDQGWRMXVWLFH´
$V 2VFDU &DPSRV DI¿UPV OLEHUDWLRQ WKHRORJ\ FKDOOHQJHG traditional Catholicism and at the same time stood in sharp contrast to traditional evangelicalism, especially as represented by dispensational evangelicalism. As a result of this, “some evangelical theologians chose to enter into dialogue ... in an attempt to consider the challenges posed E\OLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\7KH\ZHUHPRWLYDWHGQRWRQO\E\WKHRORJLFDO UHDVRQV EXW DOVR E\ FRQWH[WXDO LVVXHV ZKLFK WKH\ IHOW HYDQJHOLFDOV could no longer afford to ignore.”767KXVDµFRQWH[WXDOHYDQJHOLFDOLVP¶
emerged in Latin America proposing a more contemporary evangelical theology of the mission of the church.
Samuel Escobar, A Responsabilidade Social da Igreja, Tópicos do Momento
6mR3DXOR 9LGD1RYD
5REHUWR%DUERVD³7KH*RVSHOZLWK%UHDG $QLQWHUYLHZZLWK%UD]LOLDQ3HQWHFRV-talist Manoel de Mello,” in Mission Trends 2, Evangelization (ed. Gerald H. An-GHUVRQDQG7KRPDV)6WUDQVN\ 1HZ<RUN 3DXOLVW3UHVV
Oscar A. Campos R., The Mission of the Church and the Kingdom of God in
Latin America (Ph.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 2000), 2.
&RQWH[WXDOL]DWLRQLVWKHSDUDGLJPDWLFZRUGRIWKLVPRYHPHQWWR replace either revolution or liberation. The main difference is that it FODLPV WR VWDUW LWV WKHRORJLFDO UHÀHFWLRQ IURP WKH ELEOLFDO WH[W DQG WKHQPRYHLQWRWKH/DWLQ$PHULFDQFRQWH[WWREHDEOHWRXQGHUVWDQG LW$OOWKHLUWKHRORJLFDODUJXPHQWVDUHSUHFHGHGE\GHWDLOHGH[HJHWLFDO ZRUNRQWKHELEOLFDOWH[WV77 Some of these progressive evangelicals
DUH RSHQO\ VRFLDOLVWV EXW WKH\ VHHP WR OHDQ PRUH WRZDUGV D VRFLDO GHPRFUDF\ EXLOW E\ GHPRFUDWLF DQG SDFL¿VW PHDQV UDWKHU WKDQ E\ violent revolution.
2UODQGR &RVWDV ZDV RQH RI WKH OHDGLQJ )7/ WKHRORJLDQV ZKR GHYHORSHGDWKHRORJ\RIFRQWH[WXDOHYDQJHOL]DWLRQDQGPLVVLRQLQ/DWLQ $PHULFD,QKLVPDMRUZRUNV&RVWDVVWUHVVHGOLEHUDWLRQWKHPHVZKHUHDV DOZD\VVWULYLQJWRLQFRUSRUDWHWKHPLVVLRQDU\WKUXVWDQGWKHHYDQJHOLVWLF passion of the evangelical perspective into the discussion.78 As he did
that, he also sought to engage the missiological and ecclesiological contributions coming from mainline and ecumenical theologians as ZHOODVIURPOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJLDQVLQJHQHUDO2QHRI&RVWDV¶VPRVW VLJQL¿FDQWYLHZVZDVKLVXQGHUVWDQGLQJWKDWLQLWVRULJLQVWKHJRVSHO ZDVSURFODLPHGDQGUHFHLYHGDWWKHSHULSKHULHVRIWKHZRUOGDQGWKDWLW is being perceived and proclaimed today from the vantage point of the SHULSKHU\RIWKH$PHULFDV+HSRLQWHGWRWKHIDFWWKDWZKHQOLEHUDWLRQ theologians today insist on “the political dimensions of the gospel and on the necessity of theologizing out of commitment to the concrete KLVWRULFDOVLWXDWLRQRIWKHGRZQWURGGHQWKH\DUHLQIDFWFDOOLQJXVDWWKLV point, back to the heart of biblical theology.”79 It is only by taking that
FRQWH[WVHULRXVO\WKDWHYDQJHOL]DWLRQEHFRPHVSURSKHWLFDQGDSRVWROLF at the same time. Costas offered an important contribution to bringing Latin American evangelical theology closer to the theme of liberation by VKRZLQJWKHLPSRUWDQFHIRUHYDQJHOLFDOVWRGHYHORSDELEOLFDOUHVSRQVH
77 See, for instance, C. René Padilla, Mission Between the Times (Grand Rapids,
0LFK (HUGPDQV
78 See, for instance, Orlando Costas, Christ Outside the
Gate 0DU\NQROO1< 2U-bis, 1982), and idem, Liberating News *UDQG5DSLGV0LFK (HUGPDQV
79 Orlando Costas, The Church and Its Mission: A Shattering Critique From the
WRWKHVXIIHULQJRIWKHSRRULQ/DWLQ$PHULFD+LVZULWLQJVKDYHVWURQJO\ LQÀXHQFHGPDQ\%UD]LOLDQSURJUHVVLYHHYDQJHOLFDOV
Other important theologians representing this more radical evangelical movement in Latin America have also contributed to keep DQRSHQGLDORJXHZLWKRWKHUUHVSRQVHVWRWKHSOLJKWRIWKHSRRU7U\LQJWR SXWWKLVPRYHPHQWLQFRQYHUVDWLRQZLWKWKH&DWKROLF%DVH&RPPXQLWLHV :LOOLDP&RRNSUDLVHG3RSH3DXO9,¶VGH¿QLWLRQRIHYDQJHOL]DWLRQLQ WHUPVRIWKHWRWDOKXPDQQHHGVDVKHVDLG³(YDQJHOL]DWLRQZLOOQRWEH FRPSOHWHXQWLOWKHUHWDNHVSODFHGLDORJXHEHWZHHQWKHJRVSHODQGWKH SHUVRQDODQGVRFLDOOLYHVRISHRSOHLQWKHFRQFUHWH>,W@PXVWNHHSWKH ZKROHPDQDQGDOOPHQ VLF EHIRUHLWVH\HVDQGPXVWFRPPXQLFDWHWR them suitably and adequately a particular vigorous message in our time RQOLEHUDWLRQDOZD\VLQWKHFRQWH[WRIWKHJOREDOSODQRIVDOYDWLRQ´80
7KLV(YDQJHOLFDOPRYHPHQWUHDI¿UPHGWKHFRQYLFWLRQSUHVHQWLQ ERWK OLEHUDWLRQ WKHRORJ\ DQG HFXPHQLFDO 3URWHVWDQWLVP WKDW SUD[LV LV WKHHOHPHQWE\ZKLFKWKHYDOLGLW\RIDQ\WKHRORJLFDOUHÀHFWLRQVKRXOG be judged. As Samuel Escobar put it, “The real test of the validity of all WKHRORJLFDOUHÀHFWLRQFRPHVZKHQLWKDVEHFRPHVSHFL¿FE\DSSOLFDWLRQ on the ethical level.”81
The Evangelical face also emphasizes the Kingdom of God as an important dimension of the proclamation of Christ’s gospel. In a FULWLFDOFRQYHUVDWLRQZLWK0DU[LVP(VFREDUFDOOVRQ/DWLQ$PHULFDQ evangelicals to rediscover the dimensions of the Kingdom of God in their lives.82+HJRHVRQWRPHQWLRQZKLFKWKHVHGLPHQVLRQVDUH 7KH
HWKLFDOGLPHQVLRQRIWKH.LQJGRPZLWKLWVFRQWHQWRISHDFHMXVWLFHDQG ORYHSUHVHQWLQJDGLIIHUHQWSRVVLELOLW\IRUKXPDQUHODWLRQVKLSVZLWKRQH DQRWKHUZLWKQDWXUHDQGZLWKWKH&UHDWRU (2) a critical dimension,
80 Paul VI, Evangelii
Nuntiandi 4XRWHGE\$:LOOLDP&RRN-U³%DVH(FFOHVL-DO&RPPXQLWLHV $6WXG\RI5HHYDQJHOL]DWLRQDQG*URZWKLQWKH%UD]LOLDQ&DWKROLF Church,” Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research -XO\
81 Samuel Escobar, “The Kingdom of God, Eschatology, and Social and Political
Eth-ics in Latin America,” Theological Fraternity Bulletin$UJHQWLQD
82 Ibid.
Ibid., 28. Here Escobar speaks not only of the alternative kind of relationships
ZLWKLWVZDUQLQJDJDLQVWPDNLQJDQ\VRFLDORUGHUVDFUHGEHLWWKHVWDWXV TXRRUWKHUHYROXWLRQ DQDSRORJHWLFGLPHQVLRQZLWKLWVHPSKDVHVLQ pointing out the accomplishments of the Christian faith in Latin America LQWHUPVRIKHDOWKFDUHDQGHGXFDWLRQIRUH[DPSOH DQG DGLPHQVLRQ RIKRSHZKLFKDJDLQDGYLVHVDJDLQVWSDVVLYHFRQIRUPLW\GLVJXLVHGDV realism or else spiritualized, and calls for social and political action in the hope of the Kingdom.
Rene Padilla, also emphasizing the topic of the Kingdom, speaks of WKHUHODWLRQEHWZHHQWKHFKXUFKDQGWKH.LQJGRP)RUKLPWKHFKXUFK¶V YRFDWLRQ LV WR OLYH LQ ³EHWZHHQ WKH WLPHV´ WKDW LV LQ DQ LQFRPSOHWH HVFKDWRORJLFDOUHDOLW\WKDWLVRQO\DSDOOLGUHÀHFWLRQRIWKH.LQJGRP
+H VD\V ³7KH WHQVLRQ EHWZHHQ WKH SUHVHQW DQG WKH IXWXUH EHWZHHQ the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’, belongs to the essence of the Christian faith. The Kingdom of God is both a present reality and a promise to be IXO¿OOHGLQWKHIXWXUH´867KXVWKHFKXUFKUHÀHFWVWKHWHQVLRQEHWZHHQ
the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’ of the Kingdom of God, being both eschatological and historical; a fruit of the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’ of the Kingdom.
The church, as a messianic community, is also seen as the FRPPXQLW\RIWKH6SLULWEHFDXVHIRU3DGLOODLWLVWKH+RO\6SLULWZKR LV³WKHDJHQWRIHVFKDWRORJ\LQWKHSURFHVVRIIXO¿OOPHQW´87 Through WKH6SLULWWKH.LQJGRPRI*RGWKDWZDVPDGHSUHVHQWDPRQJKXPDQ EHLQJVEHJLQQLQJZLWK-HVXVFRQWLQXHVWRDFW$QGWKHFKXUFKLVVHHQ DVDVLJQRIWKH6SLULW¶VDFWVLQKXPDQH[LVWHQFH7KHFKXUFKDVWKH ERG\RI&KULVWLVWKHVSKHUHLQZKLFKWKHOLIHRIWKHQHZHUDRIWKH
YRLFH FKDOOHQJLQJ WKH VWDWXV TXR +H VD\V ³,I LQ /DWLQ$PHULFD ZH GR QRW JLYH VRFLDODQGSROLWLFDOFRQWHQWWRWKHJRRGWKDWZHZDQWWROLYHDQGVKDUHZLWKRWKHUV ZHZLOOEHOLPLWHGWRSDVVLYHO\DFFHSWLQJWKDWZKLFKWKHVRFLDOJURXSLQZKLFKZH PRYHFRQVLGHUVµJRRG¶DQGRXUMXVWLFHZLOOEHQREHWWHUWKDQWKDWRIWKH6FULEHVDQG Pharisees” (ibid.S
Ibid.
C. René Padilla, “The Kingdom of God and the Church,” Theological Fraternity
Bulletin QR
86 Ibid., 2. 87 Ibid., 6.
.LQJGRPLQLWLDWHGE\-HVXVRSHUDWHVWKURXJKWKH+RO\6SLULWZKLFK LPSDUWV WKDW QHZ OLIH 7KH FKDULVPDWLF JLIWV RI WKH 6SLULW LPSDUWHG ZLWKLQ WKH FKXUFK PDNHV SRVVLEOH IRU LW WR EHFRPH DQ LQVWUXPHQW IRUWKHIXO¿OOPHQWRI*RG¶VUHGHPSWLYHSXUSRVH88 The church is an
RUJDQLVPZKRVHPHPEHUVDUHXQL¿HGE\WKHDFWLRQRIWKH6SLULW,WLV WKH6SLULWZKRLVWKHDXWKRURIWKHFRPPXQLRQWKDWELQGVWKHPHPEHUV of the koinoniaWRJHWKHUWKHRQHZKRPDNHVWKHOLIHRIWKH.LQJGRP SUHVHQWLQWKHFKXUFKDQGDOVRZKRHPSRZHUVWKHFKXUFKWRSURFODLP the “Gospel of the Kingdom.”89 From that, Padilla concludes that
the mission of the church is not the multiplication of churches, but rather the manifestation of the Kingdom that has come in Jesus Christ. As the sign of the ‘already’ of the Kingdom, the church manifests WKURXJKLWVDFWLRQVWKHIHOORZVKLS koinonia) and the service to the ZRUOG diakonia) that characterize the Kingdom. As the sign of the ‘not yet,’ the church confesses the sovereignty of God, thus avoiding WKHDEVROXWL]DWLRQRIHLWKHULWVRZQVWUXFWXUHVRURIWKHVWUXFWXUHVRI WKHVRFLHW\LQZKLFKLWH[LVWV6RLWVHWVOLPLWVWRLWV³OR\DOWLHVWRWKH SRZHUVWKDWKROGVZD\LQWKHNLQJGRPRIPHQ VLF ´EHLQJDEOHWR prophetically criticize all the passing societal structures, on the basis of the hope of the Kingdom.90
3DGLOOD¶VHPSKDVLVRQWKHHVFKDWRORJLFDOUHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWKH kingdom and the church, mediated by the action of the Spirit, opens his WKHRORJ\WRGLDORJXHZLWKERWKWKH,6$/DQGOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\ZKLFK KDYHHPSKDVL]HGWKHKLVWRULFLW\RIWKH.LQJGRPRI*RGDQGDOVRZLWK 3HQWHFRVWDOVSLULWXDOLW\ZKRVHHPSKDVLVOD\VRQWKHZRUNRIWKH6SLULW in the day-to-day life of the poor, and on the democratic distribution of the charismata. Padilla is very appreciative of the liberationist emphasis on the preferential option for the poor. Nevertheless, Padilla is concerned that as both liberationist and ecumenical thought focus on the structural transformation of society, they might have neglected the need for personal transformation. He quotes Leonardo Boff saying that
88 Ibid., 7. 89 Ibid., 8. 90 Ibid.
as one emphasizes the structural character of social sin and the need IRUDJUDFHWKDWLVDOVRVRFLDODQGVWUXFWXUDOWKHUHLVDOZD\VWKHULVN of neglecting the need for personal conversion.91 According to Padilla,
%RIIKLJKOLJKWVWKDWWKHSROLWLFDOGLPHQVLRQRIWKH&KULVWLDQIDLWKZKLFK LVVRQHFHVVDU\WRGD\FDQQRWDEVRUEDOOLWVULFKQHVVZKLFKPXVWDOVR ¿QGRWKHUH[SUHVVLRQVLQWKHSURFHVVRIOLEHUDWLRQVXFKDVWKHP\VWLFDO WKHOLWXUJLFDODQGWKHSHUVRQDOH[SUHVVLRQV92
2QDFRQWLQHQWZKHUHHYDQJHOLFDOFKXUFKHVDUHJURZLQJDQGJHWWLQJ more involved in the social and political spheres, it is no longer possible to continue to neglect the important theological contributions that are being made by these progressive evangelicals. They might have the means that is lacking today in several other mainstream theologians, to UHQHZWKHFRQFHUQVZLWKVRFLDOMXVWLFHDQGOLEHUDWLRQE\XVLQJDODQJXDJH WKDWFDQEHXQGHUVWRRGDQGDFFHSWHGZLWKLQWKHVHJURZLQJFKXUFKHV
2QH FDQ DOVR PDNH D FOHDU FRQQHFWLRQ EHWZHHQ WKLV NLQG RI evangelicalism and both the ecumenical progressive Protestantism WKDWSUHFHGHGLWDQGOLEHUDWLRQWKHRORJ\)7/ZDVERUQIURPDUHDFWLRQ WRWKHVHWZRPRYHPHQWVEXWLWKDVLQFRUSRUDWHGVHYHUDORIWKHLUNH\ WKHPHVLQLWVWKHRORJLFDOUHÀHFWLRQDQGLWKDVRSHQHGVSDFHIRUGLUHFW GLDORJXHEHWZHHQHYDQJHOLFDOHFXPHQLFDODQG3HQWHFRVWDOWKHRORJLHV in Latin America. Because of these connections, this movement can be an important bridge to connect the contributions made by the ecumenical Religion and Society movement represented by ISAL, and the current VLWXDWLRQLQ%UD]LOZKLFKLVRQHRI3HQWHFRVWDOL]DWLRQRIWKHKLVWRULFDO churches, and also of the movement of churches that previously kept themselves apart from society into the public realm.
The contributions of both the ecumenical movement and the SURJUHVVLYHHYDQJHOLFDOPRYHPHQWFDQEHRIVXEVWDQWLDOKHOSDVDQHZ spirituality is on the stage, also seeking to play a public role in Brazilian society.
91 See C. René Padilla, “La Nueva Eclesiologia en America Latina,” Revista de la
Fraternidad Teológica LatinoamericanaYROQR 'HFHPEHU see also Leonardo Boff, Igreja: Carisma e PoderGHG 3HWURSROLV 9R]HV
The Pentecostal Response
Both the Ecumenical and the Evangelical faces of Brazilian Protes-tantism have tried to respond to the needs of the Brazilian people, each RQHXVLQJLWVRZQODQJXDJHDQGVSHDNLQJIURPZLWKLQLWVRZQVSHFL¿F IUDPHZRUN%RWKKDYHUHYHDOHGDVWURQJFRQFHUQZLWKWKHFKXUFK¶VUROH in the struggle for social justice in Brazil.
0RVW UHFHQW VWXGLHV RQ /DWLQ$PHULFDQ 3URWHVWDQWLVP KRZHYHU KDYH VWUHVVHG WKH 3HQWHFRVWDO PRYHPHQW DQG LWV LPSUHVVLYH JURZWK 3HQWHFRVWDOLVP LV WKH IDVWHVW JURZLQJ UHOLJLRXV PRYHPHQW LQ /DWLQ America, and much attention has been devoted to discuss its impact upon society at-large. This movement has been portrayed many times as either tending to be supportive of the status quo, or as being merely an indirect force encouraging a democratic spirit and capitalist GHYHORSPHQW DW WKH SHUVRQDO OHYHO ZKLOH NHHSLQJ D FRPSODFHQW RU corporative attitude in the public sphere.
7KHWZRFODVVLFDOVWXGLHVRIWKHERRPRI/DWLQ$PHULFDQ3HQWHFRVWDOLVPDUH&KULV-tian Lalive D’Epinay, Haven of the Masses: A Study of the Pentecostal Move-ment in Chile /RQGRQ /XWWHUZRUWK3UHVV DQG(PLOLR:LOOHPVFollowers of the New Faith: Culture Change and the Rise of Protestantism in Brazil and Chile 1DVKYLOOH7HQQ 9DQGHUELOW8QLYHUVLW\3UHVV )RU/DOLYH'¶(SLQD\ 3HQWHFRVWDOLVPLQVSLWHRILWVJURZWKXOWLPDWHO\NHHSVLWVPHPEHUVDOLHQDWHGIURP the socio-political sphere, leading them to avoid more direct involvement in politi-cal and social struggles. Therefore, he did not see this charismatic form of Prot-HVWDQWLVPDVDVLJQL¿FDQWIRUFHIRUVRFLDOFKDQJH(PLOLR:LOOHPVRQWKHRWKHU KDQG GHWHFWHG VRPH ZD\V E\ ZKLFK 3URWHVWDQWLVP HVSHFLDOO\ LQ LWV FKDULVPDWLF vein, might be a positive factor for socio-political change. He envisioned an indi-UHFWLQÀXHQFHWKURXJKWKHVKDSLQJRIWKHUHJLRQ¶VSROLWLFDOFXOWXUHDQGWKHSHUVRQDO YDOXHVRIWKHSHRSOH:LOOHPVLGHQWL¿HGDQHJDOLWDULDQHOHPHQWLQWKH3HQWHFRVWDO FRPPXQDOH[SHULHQFH&RQWUDVWLQJZLWK/DOLYH'¶(SLQD\:LOOHPVVDZWKHULVHRI Pentecostalism as a ‘symbolic protest’ that rejected the traditional hierarchical so-cial order that prevailed in Latin American societies and instilled a more democratic HWKRVLQWRQHZJHQHUDWLRQVRI/DWLQ$PHULFDQV+HGLGQRWH[SHFWKRZHYHUWKLV IRUPRI3URWHVWDQWLVPWRDFWLYHO\HQJDJHWKHSROLWLFDODUHQD7KHVHWZRDUJXPHQWV KDYHLQYDULHGIRUPVDQGWRGLIIHUHQWH[WHQWVUHDSSHDUHGLQWKHZRUNVRIVHYHUDO scholars studying Latin American Protestantism more recently, such as Jean-Pierre Bastian, Cecilia Mariz, David Stoll, David Martin, and Francisco Rolim.
