Religion and faith-based organizations shaping social policies in Brazil

Strong ties between the Catholic Church and the state dated in Brazil back to Portuguese colonization in the 1500s. Catholic organizations have historically provided social services in the country and have been involved in different political events over time. Catholics are the main denomination in Brazil, as 50% of Brazilians are Catholics. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church lost its prominence to Evangelical churches. The growth of Evangelicals influenced the political arena, and in 2019, Pentecostal and Neopentecostal groups supported the right-wing populist coalition that elected President Bolsonaro (2019-2022). The scholarship shows that, in some countries, religious organizations were among the key actors in shaping welfare policy models. Moreover, religion has influenced specific ideas related to poverty, poor relief, and family and gender recognition embedded in social policies across countries. This study discusses the intersections between religion and social policies in Brazil through a qualitative and historical analysis of documents and interviews. The analysis shows that the Catholic Church, through the role of faith-based organizations in both policy formulation and implementation, has embedded specific ideas that have shaped social policies. However, in the last few years, these ideas have been reinforced or challenged by Pentecostal and Neopentecostal groups.