Catholicism in Brazil: Global Trajectories in Tension

This book invites readers to engage with thought-provoking and significant reflections on Catholicism in Brazil. Drawing on the insights of theologians and social scientists, it addresses key questions: Why and how does Brazil, known as the largest Catholic country in the world, exhibit such a remarkable diversity of religious practices? How do Brazilian Catholics coexist with practitioners of African religions? In what ways has Brazilian Catholic theology, particularly Liberation Theology, influenced politics? What are the most prominent Catholic devotions in Brazil? Within these pages, you will find clear and insightful answers to the complex questions shaping contemporary Catholicism.

Maria Clara Bingemer, PhD in Systematic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome (1989), is Full Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. She has published many books and articles on God, otherness, women, spirituality, contemporary mystics and literature.

Carlos Alberto Steil, PhD in Social Anthropology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (1996), is Professor at the State University of Campinas. He has published monographs and articles on Pilgrimage, New Age and Spirituality, including the awarded book Sertão das Romarias.

Paulo Fernando Carneiro de Andrade, PhD in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome (1989), is Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. He has written many academic publications on base ecclesial communities, Popular Movements, and Religion and Politics.