Mendonca

That is why the first reports about the newly conquered land always mention the duty, and at the same time the privilege, the king has to promote the conversion of the native population...religious mission and commercial interests intermingled.” (368)1

Catholicism established in Brazil according to a medieval hierarchichal order entered by God's grace dispensed by the Church. “the institution that considers itself the exclusive dispenser of the grace extends its power to all spheres of human existence. This constituted a significant trait in the configuration of Brazilian culture” (368-369 quote 369)2
Refers to Portuguese Messianism, later taking the form of Sebastianism [the belief in the return of King Sebastian esp 1580-1640 when Portugal came under Spanish control] popularised by Antonio Vieira. Part of this consisted in building the kingdom of God by Portugal3 (369)
“It can be said that the set of thoughts that predominated in the colonization of Brazil was that of an idyllic Christendom formed and founded under the powerful and sacred mantle of the Portuguese monarchy. The suffering and falls of this idyllic paradise would be endured because of the messianic belief in the return of King Sebastian and in the restoration of the kingdom of God.” (369)4
claims that Islamic fatalism may have influenced Portuguese catholicism and hence Brazilian culture. (369-370)5 suggests that this fatalism may also have come into Brazil through Islamic slaves brought into the country. (370)6

Patronage: emphasis on the faithfulness of Portuguese Kings to the Pope.7 (373)

claims that the official history of Christianity in Brazil begins in 1549 with the arrival of the Jesuits.(374)8

suggests that the introduction of Jansenist ideas in Brazil in the 18th century [Jansenism a form of Catholicism more Augustine and closer to reformation ideas] may have helped open the way for later protestant expansion [Note Figueredo translator of the first Portuguese Bible was a Jansenist] (375)9

“The Society of Jesus performed two important tasks in Brazil: the establishment of missions and the organizing of Indians in villages around them; and the founding of schools, with humanist orientation, that established the foundation of the colonial culture.” (375)10
Pombal's expulsion of the Jesuit's from Portugual and thus Brazil tilted balance of Power in favour of the state. (376)
“The reason why Brazilian unity has been established over a vast territory, compared to the fragmentation of the former Spanish colonies in Latin America, has always been a matter of discussion. Three prominent Brazilian historians have credited such a mysterious unity to Catholic colonizing work. In fact, the dissemination of a form of global thinking of a religious nature, the dissemination of a single language through preaching and education as well as the presence of religious in all parts of Portuguese dominion may have been the main reason for such a unity.15 Americo Jacobina Lacombe says that "There is no doubt that the religious factor represents a unique and valuable contribution for the understanding of the historical mystery of our unity."16 “ (377)11

Points to Catholic priests sympathetic to Protestant influence, suggests Janseist influence.12
Influence of positivism encouraged religious indifference amongst educated classes.13
Points to the fact that Pedro II was a Freemason and had a tense relationship with the Catholic clergy.14
José Manuel da Conceição, who is famous as the first Brazilian Presbyterian pastor, was probably a follower of Father Feijó, favouring an Anglican style reform in Brazil.15
suggests that Immigrant German Roman Catholics became assimilated into the Lutheran Church in Brazil.16
Kalley “was admitted to the inner circle of friends of Emperor Pedro II and convinced the emperor to introduce civil marriage and civil birth and death certificates as well as the establishment of special places in the cemeteries for non-Catholic burials (1863). These acts constituted privileges for the Roman Catholic Church and used to cause serious problems for the new converts to protestantism.”17
“the lower classes constituted by "free men and the poor." The latter, characterized by messianic-millenist ideals, absorbed from the Protestant preaching the ideal of life as a pilgrimage in this world and the hope for a life of blessing in the "celestial future." The congregations formed by the missionaries never overcame this understanding of Christian life.” (384)18
“Because of its weak and denominationally parochial theological education, which made it vulnerable to the theological oscillation and conflicts existing in other theological centres, Brazilian protestantism was never able to make any synthesis that was adequate to the Brazilian cultural environment.” (385)19

AG MENDONÇA,”A History of Christianity in Brazil : An Interpretive Essay ” International Review of Mission 85:338 (1996) 367-387