The economic and social welfare work features of Christianity in Brazil and their political derivations

Abstract

This project comes from the results of post-doctorate research with F APESP scholarship made between 2007 and 2009. It objectifies to complement that investigation, but with more serious theoretical study and also empirical sustentation. The tendency to religion, especially in terms of Christianity, is considered as a still important factor for comprehension of Brazilian society. The research will face the material basis, the social works rendered and the respective political unfolding of mainly Brazilian Christian institutions. More than the religious influence over the economic behavior patterns already delineated (liberal entrepreneurship, solidarity economy and third sector), the aim now is the economic social welfare and political configuration of Christianity in Brazil. For that, the starting-point will be the conscientious theoretical examination of relationship between religion and economy, from Max Weber to some authors of contemporaneous economic sociology. This project searches the improved comprehension of religion as a source of economic and also political conduct orientation. The approach of the Brazilian Christian universe will take into account its pluralism which embraces the new demographic category of "neochristianity", including in it - accordant a few social scientists of religion - kardecist spiritism, due to the materialization of the Christian principle of charity promoted by the spiritists. The Brazilian Christianity will be researched as basis of ideological sustentation and also social legitimization of economic, social work and political practices. Social welfare work and lucrative enterprises with Christian institutional references, as well as leaders in parliamentary and executive offices, which emerge from them, will be systematically investigated. (AU)