Institutional Explanations for the Decline of the Congregação Cristã no Brasil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/ptcs.v14i1.72Keywords:
Congregação Cristã no Brasil, Pentecostalism, Survey, Institutional Factors, BrazilAbstract
For the first time since its inception, the Congregação Cristã no Brasil (CCB) has lost members – two hundred thousand members in the last decade – while other traditional Pentecostal churches’ membership continue to grow. Based on survey research data, this study explores the diverse views of church members and how institutional factors affect the growth of the church. Two opposing views among church members are identified: fundamentalism and progressivism. Besides providing empirical data, this work engages a wider debate on how the strict nature of the CCB leadership, based on a traditional authoritarian model, is unwilling to adapt to cultural and social changes, giving rise to discontent, tensions, and schisms.
References
Anderson, R. 1979. Vision of the Disinherited: The Making of American Pentecostalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Anderson, A., M. Bergunder, A. Droogers, and C. van der Laan. 2010. Studying Global Pentecostalism: Theories and Methods. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520266612.001.0001
Blumhofer, E. L. 1993. Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Campos, L. 2011. “Pentecostalismo e Protestantismo ‘Histórico’ no Brasil: um século de conflitos, assimilação e mudanças.” Horizonte 9.22: 504–33.
Congregação Cristã no Brasil. 1936. Tópicos da Convenção de 1936. “Reuniões dos Menores.” Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
—. 2003. “International Convention of Christian Congregations.” April 19. Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
—. 2004. “Yearly Assembly Teachings: Article 17 – Survey about the Congregation.” Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
—. 2013. “Congregação Cristã no Brasil – Relatório.” Ed. 2012-2013, no. 76. Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
Congregacion Cristiana en Chile. 2013. “Historia del comienzo de la obra de Dios en Chile- Quien Somos.” Available at www.congregacioncristianaenchile.superweb.cl/ quienes_somos.html (accessed February 5, 2013).
Corbin, J. and A. Strauss. 2007. Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. London: Sage.
Correa, M. G. 1989. As vozes prementes (Ritual e Representação: o Discurso Religioso da Congregação Cristã no Brasil), 2nd edn. Campinas: Editora da UNICAMP.
DeCaro, L. 1977. Our Heritage: The Christian Church of North America. Transfer, PA: Christian Congregation of North America.
Droogers, A., P. B. Clarke, G. Davie, S. M. Greenfield, and P. Ve. 2006. Playful Religions: Challenges for the Study of Religion, ed. Anton van Harskamp. Delft: Eburon Publishers.
Fernando, C. 2012. “Grupo Pesquisa – CCB.” Available at http://apologeticaccb.wordpress. com/2012/03/08/grupo-pesquisa-ccb (accessed April 30, 2012).
Finke, R. and R. Stark. 1992. The churching of America, 1776–1990: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Foerster, N. 2006. “Poder e Politica na Congregação Cristã no Brasil: Um Pentecostalismo na Contramao.” Ciencias Sociais e Religião 8.8: 121–38.
Freston, P. 1995. “Pentecostalism in Brazil: A Brief History.” Religion 25.2: 119–33. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1006/reli.1995.0012
General Council. 1977. Fiftieth Anniversary–Christian Church of North America 1927– 1977. Washington, PA: Christian Church of North America.
Goes, P. 1988. “Congregação Cristã no Brasil: o poder do discurso sobre a organização.” Ciências da Religião 3(5): n.p.
Hoge, D. R. and D. A. Roozen (eds). 1979. Understanding Church Growth and Decline, 1950–1978. New York: Pilgrim Press.
Hoge, D.R., B. Johnson, and D. Luidens. 1994. Vanishing Boundaries: The Religion of Mainline Protestant Baby Boomers. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
IBGE. 1991. Censo Demográfico. Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística.
—. 2000. “População Residente, Por sexo e Situação do Domicilio, segundo a Religião – Brasil Census 2000.” Available at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/ censo2000/populacao/religiao_Censo2000.pdf (accessed April 30, 2013).
—. 2010. “População Residente, Por sexo e Situação do Domicilio, segundo a Religião – Brasil Census 2010.” Available at ftp://ftp.ibge.gov.br/Censos/Censo_Demografico_2010/ Caracteristicas_Gerais_Religiao_Deficiencia/caracteristicas_religiao_deficiencia. pdf (accessed April 30, 2013).
Inskeep, K. W. 1993. “A Short History of Church Growth Research.” In Roozen and Hadaway (1993): 135–48.
Léonard, É. G. 1952. “L’illuminisme dans un protestantisme de constitution récente (Brésil).” Revue de l’histoire des religions 141.1: 26–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/ rhr.1952.5848
Mariano, R. 1999. Neopentecostais: Sociologia do novo Pentecostalismo no Brasil. São Paulo: Loyola.
Mariano, R. and A. Pierucci. 1992. “O envolvimento dos Pentecostais na eleição de Collor.” Novos Estudos Cebrap 34: 92–106.
Marques, H. 2012. “Pesquisa Academica para Membros da Congregação Cristã.” Available at http://doutrinacristaccb.blogspot.com/2012/04/pesquisa-academicapara-membros-da.html (accessed April 30, 2013).
Martin, D. 1990. Tongues of Fire: The Explosion of Protestantism in Latin America. Oxford: Blackwell.
—. 2001. Pentecostalism: The World Their Parish. Oxford: Blackwell.
McKinney, W. and D. Hoge. 1983. “Community and Congregational Factors in the Growth and Decline of Protestant Churches.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 22: 51–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1385591
Miguel, I. 2008. “Genero, Pentecostalismo e Formação de Professores da Construção da Cidadania: As Professoras da Congregação Cristã no Brasil”. Dissertation, São Paulo State University, Brazil.
Monteiro, Y. 1995. “Pentecostalismo no Brazil: Os desafios da pesquisa.” Revista de Cultura Teológica 13: 7–20.
—. 2010. “Congregação Cristã no Brasil: da fundação ao centenário – a trajetória de uma Igreja brasileira.” Estudos de Religião 24.39: 122–63.
Nelson, R. 1979. “Cultural Environment and Organization Design in a Brazilian Pentecostal Sect: The Congregação Cristã no Brasil.” MA thesis, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
—. 1984. “Analise Organizacional de uma igreja brasileira: A Congregação Cristã no Brasil.” Revista Eclesiastica Brasileira 44: 544–58.
—. 1988. “Organizational Homogeneity, Growth, and Conflict in Brazilian Protestantism.” Sociological Analysis 48: 319–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3710870
—. 1989. “Organization-Environment Isomorphism, Rejection, and Substitution in Brazilian Protestantism.” Organizational Studies 10.2: 207–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/017084068901000205
—. 1993. “Organization and Societal Context in Multinational Churches.” Administrative Science Quarterly 38.4: 653–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2393340
Neto, M. 2012. “Pesquisa Academica para Membros da Congregação Cristã.” Available at www.blogdomario.com/2012/04/pesquisa-para-membros-da-ccb.html (accessed April 30, 2013).
Palma, R. A. 1987. The Articles of Faith. Transfer, PA: Christian Congregation of North America.
Pew Research. 2006. “Spirit and Power: A 10 Country Survey of Pentecostals.” October 5. Available at www.pewforum.org/2006/10/05/spirit-and-power (accessed November 11, 2013).
—. 2013. “Brazil’s Changing Religious Landscape.” Pew Research Religion and Public Life Project, July 18. Available at www.pewforum.org/2013/07/18/brazils-changingreligious-landscape (accessed November 11, 2013).
Read, W. 1965. New Patterns of Church Growth in Brazil. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Roof, W. C., D. R. Hoge, J. E. Dyble, and C. K. Hadaway. 1979. “Factors Producing Growth or Decline in United Presbyterian Congregations.” In Hoge and Roozen (1979): 198–223.
Roozen, D. A. 2005. Church, Identity, and Change: Theology and Denominational Structures in Unsettled Times. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Roozen, D. A. and C. Hadaway. 1993. Church and Denominational Growth: What Does (and Does Not) Cause Growth or Decline. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Shaull, R. and W. Cesar. 2000. Pentecostalism and the Future of the Christian Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Spina, J. 2008. “Open Letter to Members of the Christian Congregation.” Email communication, August 15.
Sturgis, P. W. 2008. “Institutional versus Contextual Explanations for the Growth of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States, 1945–2002.” Review of Religious Research 49.3: 290–300.
Toppi, F. 2003. Madri in Israele. Legge: Assemblee di Dio in Italia Media.
—. 2007. Luigi Francescon: Antesignano del Risveglio Pentecostale Evangelico Italiano. Legge: Assemblee di Dio in Italia Media.
Unorganized Italian Christian Church. 1932. “Yearly Assembly Teachings.” Philadelphia, United States, July 3 and 4.
Wacker, G. 2003. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Walrath, D. 1979. Leading Churches Through Change. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Yang, F. 1998. “Chinese Conversion to Evangelical Christianity: The Importance of Social and Cultural Contexts.” Sociology of Religion 59.3: 237–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3711910
Yuasa, K. 2001. “Louis Francescon: A Theological Biography, 1866–1964.” PhD dissertation, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Anderson, A., M. Bergunder, A. Droogers, and C. van der Laan. 2010. Studying Global Pentecostalism: Theories and Methods. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520266612.001.0001
Blumhofer, E. L. 1993. Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Campos, L. 2011. “Pentecostalismo e Protestantismo ‘Histórico’ no Brasil: um século de conflitos, assimilação e mudanças.” Horizonte 9.22: 504–33.
Congregação Cristã no Brasil. 1936. Tópicos da Convenção de 1936. “Reuniões dos Menores.” Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
—. 2003. “International Convention of Christian Congregations.” April 19. Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
—. 2004. “Yearly Assembly Teachings: Article 17 – Survey about the Congregation.” Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
—. 2013. “Congregação Cristã no Brasil – Relatório.” Ed. 2012-2013, no. 76. Brás: Congregação Cristã no Brasil.
Congregacion Cristiana en Chile. 2013. “Historia del comienzo de la obra de Dios en Chile- Quien Somos.” Available at www.congregacioncristianaenchile.superweb.cl/ quienes_somos.html (accessed February 5, 2013).
Corbin, J. and A. Strauss. 2007. Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. London: Sage.
Correa, M. G. 1989. As vozes prementes (Ritual e Representação: o Discurso Religioso da Congregação Cristã no Brasil), 2nd edn. Campinas: Editora da UNICAMP.
DeCaro, L. 1977. Our Heritage: The Christian Church of North America. Transfer, PA: Christian Congregation of North America.
Droogers, A., P. B. Clarke, G. Davie, S. M. Greenfield, and P. Ve. 2006. Playful Religions: Challenges for the Study of Religion, ed. Anton van Harskamp. Delft: Eburon Publishers.
Fernando, C. 2012. “Grupo Pesquisa – CCB.” Available at http://apologeticaccb.wordpress. com/2012/03/08/grupo-pesquisa-ccb (accessed April 30, 2012).
Finke, R. and R. Stark. 1992. The churching of America, 1776–1990: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Foerster, N. 2006. “Poder e Politica na Congregação Cristã no Brasil: Um Pentecostalismo na Contramao.” Ciencias Sociais e Religião 8.8: 121–38.
Freston, P. 1995. “Pentecostalism in Brazil: A Brief History.” Religion 25.2: 119–33. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1006/reli.1995.0012
General Council. 1977. Fiftieth Anniversary–Christian Church of North America 1927– 1977. Washington, PA: Christian Church of North America.
Goes, P. 1988. “Congregação Cristã no Brasil: o poder do discurso sobre a organização.” Ciências da Religião 3(5): n.p.
Hoge, D. R. and D. A. Roozen (eds). 1979. Understanding Church Growth and Decline, 1950–1978. New York: Pilgrim Press.
Hoge, D.R., B. Johnson, and D. Luidens. 1994. Vanishing Boundaries: The Religion of Mainline Protestant Baby Boomers. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
IBGE. 1991. Censo Demográfico. Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística.
—. 2000. “População Residente, Por sexo e Situação do Domicilio, segundo a Religião – Brasil Census 2000.” Available at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/ censo2000/populacao/religiao_Censo2000.pdf (accessed April 30, 2013).
—. 2010. “População Residente, Por sexo e Situação do Domicilio, segundo a Religião – Brasil Census 2010.” Available at ftp://ftp.ibge.gov.br/Censos/Censo_Demografico_2010/ Caracteristicas_Gerais_Religiao_Deficiencia/caracteristicas_religiao_deficiencia. pdf (accessed April 30, 2013).
Inskeep, K. W. 1993. “A Short History of Church Growth Research.” In Roozen and Hadaway (1993): 135–48.
Léonard, É. G. 1952. “L’illuminisme dans un protestantisme de constitution récente (Brésil).” Revue de l’histoire des religions 141.1: 26–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/ rhr.1952.5848
Mariano, R. 1999. Neopentecostais: Sociologia do novo Pentecostalismo no Brasil. São Paulo: Loyola.
Mariano, R. and A. Pierucci. 1992. “O envolvimento dos Pentecostais na eleição de Collor.” Novos Estudos Cebrap 34: 92–106.
Marques, H. 2012. “Pesquisa Academica para Membros da Congregação Cristã.” Available at http://doutrinacristaccb.blogspot.com/2012/04/pesquisa-academicapara-membros-da.html (accessed April 30, 2013).
Martin, D. 1990. Tongues of Fire: The Explosion of Protestantism in Latin America. Oxford: Blackwell.
—. 2001. Pentecostalism: The World Their Parish. Oxford: Blackwell.
McKinney, W. and D. Hoge. 1983. “Community and Congregational Factors in the Growth and Decline of Protestant Churches.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 22: 51–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1385591
Miguel, I. 2008. “Genero, Pentecostalismo e Formação de Professores da Construção da Cidadania: As Professoras da Congregação Cristã no Brasil”. Dissertation, São Paulo State University, Brazil.
Monteiro, Y. 1995. “Pentecostalismo no Brazil: Os desafios da pesquisa.” Revista de Cultura Teológica 13: 7–20.
—. 2010. “Congregação Cristã no Brasil: da fundação ao centenário – a trajetória de uma Igreja brasileira.” Estudos de Religião 24.39: 122–63.
Nelson, R. 1979. “Cultural Environment and Organization Design in a Brazilian Pentecostal Sect: The Congregação Cristã no Brasil.” MA thesis, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
—. 1984. “Analise Organizacional de uma igreja brasileira: A Congregação Cristã no Brasil.” Revista Eclesiastica Brasileira 44: 544–58.
—. 1988. “Organizational Homogeneity, Growth, and Conflict in Brazilian Protestantism.” Sociological Analysis 48: 319–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3710870
—. 1989. “Organization-Environment Isomorphism, Rejection, and Substitution in Brazilian Protestantism.” Organizational Studies 10.2: 207–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/017084068901000205
—. 1993. “Organization and Societal Context in Multinational Churches.” Administrative Science Quarterly 38.4: 653–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2393340
Neto, M. 2012. “Pesquisa Academica para Membros da Congregação Cristã.” Available at www.blogdomario.com/2012/04/pesquisa-para-membros-da-ccb.html (accessed April 30, 2013).
Palma, R. A. 1987. The Articles of Faith. Transfer, PA: Christian Congregation of North America.
Pew Research. 2006. “Spirit and Power: A 10 Country Survey of Pentecostals.” October 5. Available at www.pewforum.org/2006/10/05/spirit-and-power (accessed November 11, 2013).
—. 2013. “Brazil’s Changing Religious Landscape.” Pew Research Religion and Public Life Project, July 18. Available at www.pewforum.org/2013/07/18/brazils-changingreligious-landscape (accessed November 11, 2013).
Read, W. 1965. New Patterns of Church Growth in Brazil. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Roof, W. C., D. R. Hoge, J. E. Dyble, and C. K. Hadaway. 1979. “Factors Producing Growth or Decline in United Presbyterian Congregations.” In Hoge and Roozen (1979): 198–223.
Roozen, D. A. 2005. Church, Identity, and Change: Theology and Denominational Structures in Unsettled Times. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Roozen, D. A. and C. Hadaway. 1993. Church and Denominational Growth: What Does (and Does Not) Cause Growth or Decline. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Shaull, R. and W. Cesar. 2000. Pentecostalism and the Future of the Christian Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Spina, J. 2008. “Open Letter to Members of the Christian Congregation.” Email communication, August 15.
Sturgis, P. W. 2008. “Institutional versus Contextual Explanations for the Growth of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States, 1945–2002.” Review of Religious Research 49.3: 290–300.
Toppi, F. 2003. Madri in Israele. Legge: Assemblee di Dio in Italia Media.
—. 2007. Luigi Francescon: Antesignano del Risveglio Pentecostale Evangelico Italiano. Legge: Assemblee di Dio in Italia Media.
Unorganized Italian Christian Church. 1932. “Yearly Assembly Teachings.” Philadelphia, United States, July 3 and 4.
Wacker, G. 2003. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Walrath, D. 1979. Leading Churches Through Change. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Yang, F. 1998. “Chinese Conversion to Evangelical Christianity: The Importance of Social and Cultural Contexts.” Sociology of Religion 59.3: 237–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3711910
Yuasa, K. 2001. “Louis Francescon: A Theological Biography, 1866–1964.” PhD dissertation, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Published
2015-02-17
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Valente, R. (2015). Institutional Explanations for the Decline of the Congregação Cristã no Brasil. PentecoStudies, 14(1), 72-96. https://doi.org/10.1558/ptcs.v14i1.72
