#religion #authoritarianism #democracy #evangelicals #protestantism #capitalism #faith #narcopentecostalism #theology
- Evangelical growth and political cleavage
According to the IBGE, between 2010 and 2022, evangelicals jumped from 21,6% to
26,9% of the population (47,4 million), while Catholicism fell to 56,7%.
Lipset and Rokkan (1967) argue that cleavages – enduring social divisions,
like religion – shape party identities and voting behaviors. The
evangelical growth consolidates a new political axis, uniting conservative faith and
demands for institutional representation, which realigns party projects in front of
to the 2026 elections. - Protestant ethic and neoliberal meritocracy (or the Weberian distortion:
meritocracy as theology)
Weber, in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (2000), argues that the
Protestant ethos (ascetic work, discipline, success as a sign of blessing
divine) favored the emergence of modern capitalism. Today, the discourses
neo-Pentecostals amplify this ethical tradition under a neoliberal meritocratic bias:
the spiritualized “you can win.” This discourse mobilizes the working classes
even in contexts of exclusion, offering a narrative of personal overcoming
that covers up structural inequalities (through entrepreneurship, uberization,
pejotization).
Prosperity theology (faith equals material wealth) has merged with the discourse
neoliberal, preaching that poverty is a moral failing. Billionaire pastors like Edir
Macedo (Universal Church) and Silas Malafaia promote divine meritocracy: “God
helps those who prosper”, not those who demand rights.
As a consequence, this shifts class conflicts to the moral field,
justifying inequalities and dismantling solidarities. The “deserving” poor is the
who adheres to faith, not who demands public policies. - Evangelical populism and religious authoritarianism
In contemporary Brazil, there is a confluence between populism and
Neo-Pentecostalism: Charismatic leaders speak “the voice of the people” with content
moralistic and anti-system. This discourse is authoritarian, in line with the
dominionism 2 , a project of total religious influence over the structures of the State.
The Handmaid's Tale series – based on the novel by Margaret Atwood (1985) –
offers a powerful allegory of the possible fate of societies where
religious fundamentalism and state power merge. In the dystopia of Gilead, values
religious are instrumentalized to legitimize gender oppression, censorship,
suppression of religious freedom and institutional violence. The parallel with sectors of the
Brazilian neo-Pentecostalism that preaches female submission, criminalization of
Afro-Brazilian religions and denial of civil rights is not merely fictional, it is a
real alert. - Narco-Pentecostalism and the Erosion of Democracy
In recent years, phenomena of narco-pentecostalism have emerged with force:
drug traffickers and militiamen adopt religious symbols and impose moralities on
coercion. Cases such as the Israel Complex (RJ), where drug trafficking leaders
ordered the closure of Catholic and Candomblecist temples, show a
new symbiosis between violence and forced evangelization.
According to reports from the BBC, G1 and O Globo, these groups justify the repression
to other religions based on “spiritual warfare”, and are organized with references
explicit to the Old Testament, Israel and territorial dominion.
This authoritarian logic, with theological support, undermines the secular State, expands the
armed informal power and compromises democratic pluralism, replacing
civil institutions by militarized religious structures.
Brazil walks a fine line between religious pluralism and theocratization
populist. The convergence between (1) religious cleavage (Lipset), dividing society
in antagonistic blocks; (2) theological neoliberalism, or meritocratic discourse
ascetic (Weber), with the naturalization of inequalities; (3) authoritarianism
militia/narco-pentecostal who offers “order” through sacred violence; and (4)
authoritarian charismatic populism, produces a far-right populism with
divine varnish, where: enemies are demonized (leftists, Afro religions);
violence is justified as “holy war”; and politics is emptied in favor of
messiah leaders.
This combination creates a scenario of democratic erosion. Just as in
The Handmaid's Tale, there is a risk that, under the guise of moral order and
spiritual prosperity, hide an institutionalized faith-based tyranny and
violence.
Conclusion
The evangelical rise in Brazil is not, in itself, a threat; the problem lies in
capture of faith by authoritarian political projects. When neo-Pentecostalism
becomes an instrument of social control, of domination of bodies and territories, and of
alliance with violent forces, democracy weakens. Thus, the parallel drawn
in this text with the series The Handmaid's Tale, it is not just a dystopia, it is a
possible mirror of a country that no longer resists the fusion between pulpit, platform and
gunpowder.
Notes
1 PhD in Education (UNICAMP), Master in Political Science (UFSCar) and Graduate in
Social Sciences (UEL). Director of opinion research at APPC Consulting and Research.
2 Political and religious ideology that advocates the application of biblical law and Christian influence in all
spheres of society. It is a vision that seeks to “reconquer” domains in seven areas: family,
religion, education, media, leisure, business and government, with the aim of rebuilding society with
based on Christian values.
References
BBC, July 04, 2023. Evangelical drug traffickers: religion in the fight for territory
in the river.
BBC, September 13, 2023. Motivational Jesus: Who are the 'coaches'?
evangelicals'.
BBC, January 02, 2025. The expansion of drug traffickers across Brazil who see themselves
as 'soldiers of Jesus'.
HULU. The Handmaid's Tale (2017-2025), TV series created by Bruce Miller,
based on the work of Atwood (1985).
IBGE. 2022 Demographic Census (Religion). Rio de Janeiro, 2024.
LIPSET, SM; ROKKAN, S. Cleavage Structures, Party Systems, and Voter
Alignments. Free Press, 1967.
O Globo, October 31, 2021. Trafficking expels holy fathers and imposes religion on
communities of Rio.
WEBER, M. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Pioneira, 2000.
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Fabrizio Martins Tavoni, PhD student in Education at Unicamp, Master in Political Science at UFSCar and Bachelor and Licentiate in Social Sciences at UEL