Pepper, Joanne L. (1991) The historical development of Pentecostalism in northeastern Brazil, with specific reference to working class women in Recife. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis discusses the historical development o£ Pentecostal ism in Northeastern Brazil in the twentieth century. In particular, it stresses the contributions of women in the establishment of the movement in Belém in 1911, its subsequent founding in Recife, and its continuing rapid expansion into the Northeastern backlands over the past eighty years. The current state of the Northeastern church and the role of women within the institution is discussed in light of both social and cultural factors interacting with this 'new religion'.

The study commences by establishing the historical and cutural background of Recife and the Northeast, with a view to understanding the social context of the lives of the working class. An historical examination of the early attempts to establish Protestant religion in the Northeast follows, in chapter two. Chapter three details the entry of Pentecostalism into the Brazilian Northeast. This historical survey provides the context for the subsequent chapters of the thesis. Chapter four focuses specifically on the history of the Recifense church. Chapter five examines the unique historical contributions by which women have helped to mould the modern Brazilian Pentecostal church. It is argued that the dynamic female presence in the movement was central to its success in establishing a credible religious alternative to Catholicism and other Protestant denominations. Chapter six is a discussion on the life of working-class women within the Pentecostal community, detailing those factors relating to conversion and approved lifestyle within the church. Chapter seven seeks to demonstrate how Pentecostalism has elevated the social position of working-class women through education. A discussion on the adaptation of popular literature as a mechanism for socializing women toward specific moralistic norms is included. Finally this study contrasts the tenets of Pentecostalism with Northeastern working-class culture, in an attempt to analyse the means by which Pentecostalism is a catalyst both for individual and societal change.

In the absence of a comprehensive work on the history of Pentecostal women in Brazil, the method adopted here was to conduct a micro-study using participant-observation techniques at the grass-roots level, as each Pentecostal congregation is autonomous. Thus, although Pentecostals share certain basic beliefs, each congregation has its own distinctive approach to the problems of its local constituency. It is argued that the great strength of Pentecostalism lies precisely in this autonomy and the flexibility which this allows. The thesis aims to bring together both oral and written sources in order to reflect the varying perspectives of each individual and thus to represent a 'living' history.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity F History United States, Canada, Latin America > F1201 Latin America (General)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Pentecostalism -- Brazil, Working class women -- Religious life -- Brazil, Women and religion -- Brazil, Recife (Brazil) -- Church history -- 20th century, Women -- Brazil -- Recife -- Social conditions
Official Date:	December 1991
Dates:	Date Event December 1991 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of History
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Hennessy, C. A. M. (Charles Alistair Michael)
Sponsors:	Rotary International ; Instituto de Cultura e Língua Portuguesa (Portugal)
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	vii, 371 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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