A Secular Nation under God's Protection: Brazil's Porous State Secularism and the Problem of the Differentiation of Value Spheres

• Published in: Journal of religion & society Vol. 18; p. 1
• Main Author: Chemin, J E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Omaha Creighton University, Center for the Study of Religion and Society 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Catholicism; Church & state; Citizens; Conflict; Cultural values; Everyday life; Protection; Protestantism; Religion; Religion & politics; Secularism; Social conditions & trends; Weber, Max (1864-1920); Brazil
• ISSN: 1522-5658

In Brazil, religion influences many aspects of the everyday life of most citizens. But despite this ubiquity, Brazil has favored a strong separation between church and state. Whilst these two realities are by no means incompatible, I ask the question: in a society where religion is ubiquitous, how does state secularism function? As I attempt an answer, I discuss some of the meanings associated with the term "secularism," whilst critically engaging with the idea underpinning much of our sociological understanding of secularism, namely Max Weber's differentiation of "value spheres." I ground the more theoretical part of the argument on the much-publicized "shift" from Catholicism to Protestantism that has occurred in Brazil in the past three decades. I argue that this shift is forcing a more fluid relationship between Brazil's secular and religious spheres. As a result, the institutional and constitutional boundaries between these spheres could be considered porous. This insight reveals a Brazilian-style state secularism that is more inclined toward accommodation than conflict.