SEPAL

Defines a small church in the Brazilian context as having 80-150 members.¹

Reasons for small growth of conservative churches (1) over-reaction against church growth philosophy (2) Use of the sovereignty of God as an excuse (3) contenment with small size (4) over concern with doctrine (5) closed to change.²

AN Lopes, “O não crescimento de igrejas neo-pentecostais” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=731.

Seeks to suggest reasons why neo-pentecostal pastors within conservative denominations rarely see their churches grow. Links this to them being neither fully conservative nor fully neo-pentecostal.³

AN Lopes, “Os Protestantes Históricos e a Mídia” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=446

Numbers re: Renascer em Cristo c. 1500 churches, 1 TV station and dozens of radio stations.⁴

Seeks to explain the lack of interest of Historical Protestants to use mass media (1) greater interest in discipleship (2) TV evangelist scandals (3) scruples regarding money raising, and renting TV space for non-religious purposes (4) lack of a central leader.⁵

AN Lopes, “Tensões no Culto Evangélico Brasileiro” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=247

Key tensions (1) Issue of whether only ordained people can officiate (2) formality v simplicity/celebration (3) mind v heart.⁶

Claims that in some churches “A pregação acaba por ser relegada a plano secundário, sendo substituída por relatos de experiências pessoais;...é uma coleção de casos, exemplos e experiências...trechos bíblicos nunca expostos e explicados, mas citados como prova.”⁷

AN Lopes, “A Alma Católica dos Evangélicos no Brasil” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=437

Claims that Catholicism still shapes the worldview of many Brazilian Evangelicals in the following areas: (1) love of bishops and apostles (2) belief in Pastors as mediators between God and men (3) superstition regarding holy objects (4) separation between the holy and the profane (5) focus on sexual sins.⁸

Claims this is striking as Brazilian evangelicals are amongst the most anti-Catholic in the world. “O anti-Catolicismno brasileiro, todavia, se concentrou apenas na questão das imagens e de Maria, e em questões éticas como não fumar, não beber e não dançar.”⁹

suggests Neo-Pentecostalism as stemming from medieval Catholicism¹⁰

AN Lopes, “O que Aconteceu com os Evangélicos” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=401

Main problems of evangelical church in Brazil (1) spread of prosperity theology (2) lack of theological direction (3) lack of moral and spiritual leadership (4) theological liberalism in seminaries (5) commercial aspect of Brazilian churches (6) arrival of emerging churches¹¹

causes: (1) dialogue with non-evangelicals without establishing lines (2) abandoning confessionalism (3) pragmatism (which he associates with arminianism) (4) search for academic respectability¹²

Points to the way evangelical is used as a synonym for Non-Catholic theology¹³

E. Zillner, “O Islamismo no Brasil” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=234

2000 census 27.329 Muslims in Brazil= 0.02% of the population, in 316 municipalities, up to 3.03% in Chui (RS).¹⁴

A. Ramos, “A Prosperidade da Decepção” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=716

1980s Prosperity Theology arrived in Brazil¹⁵

Reasons for survival: (1) creativity of propagators (2) tradition of penitence in Brazilian Christianity. Offer as a sacrifice, as a proof of faith (3) justifies capitalism—refers to one church which denied social work in the community as this would benefit those without faith.¹⁶

Claims that prosperity theology results in disappointment, leading (1) many to abandon faith altogether (2) seek other churches for direction.¹⁷

1AN Lopes, “Pastores Conservadores com Igrejas Minusculas” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=710 23/04/2008

2AN Lopes, “Pastores Conservadores com Igrejas Minusculas” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=710 23/04/2008

3AN Lopes, “O não crescimento de igrejas neo-pentecostais” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=731.

4AN Lopes, “Os Protestantes Históricos e a Mídia” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=446

5AN Lopes, “Os Protestantes Históricos e a Mídia” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=446

6AN Lopes, “Tensões no Culto Evangélico Brasileiro” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=247

7AN Lopes, “Tensões no Culto Evangélico Brasileiro” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=247

8AN Lopes, “Tensões no Culto Evangélico Brasileiro” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=247

9AN Lopes, “Tensões no Culto Evangélico Brasileiro” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=247

10AN Lopes, “Tensões no Culto Evangélico Brasileiro” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=247

11AN Lopes, “O que Aconteceu com os Evangélicos” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=401

12AN Lopes, “O que Aconteceu com os Evangélicos” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=401

13AN Lopes, “O que Aconteceu com os Evangélicos” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=401

14E. Zillner, “O Islamismo no Brasil” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=234

15A. Ramos, “A Prosperidade da Decepção” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=716

16A. Ramos, “A Prosperidade da Decepção” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=716

17A. Ramos, “A Prosperidade da Decepção” SEPAL Homepage available online at http://www.lideranca.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=printtopic&id=716