Religion in Brazil’s elections is an international philosophical topic

Public theology is the theme of an international seminar at the University of Edinburgh. It is led by Dr. Ulrich Schmiedel. The Brazilian case of the use of religion for political ends is addressed by researchers Dr. Magali Cunha and Dr. Rudolf von Sinner. I highlight a remark of hers that combats prejudice against Protestants. Seen by some segments as the main operators of the contamination between state and religion in Brazil, there are historical records that such contamination existed before evangelical churches.

Assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Religions in Qom, Iran, researcher Dr. Fatima Tofigui addresses the difference between “prophetic influence” and the caliphate. For the former, the relationship with the invisible world is primary, while for the latter, although seated in prophetic words, the result of the experience is material power.

The central debate in Dr. Fatima’s presentation is the legitimation of political authority based on prophetic words. One of the authors she brings, Muhammad Iqbal, defends Islam as a “religious experience” similar to others outside Islam. Its meaning, therefore, would be restricted to an individual experience. That point would make the maintenance of a democracy inspired by the divine more difficult.

In the 1960s, authors even wrote about theology and the Palestinian cause, which has ceased since then.

Definition of public theology

My contribution to the seminar is the following. Provoked by Dr. Schmiedel, I tried out a definition of what “public theology” could be. Below is the text as presented, in English.

Public theology can be described as the amalgamation of the concepts of State, democracy, and spirituality. Nevertheless, it is crucial to inquire about the aspects that differentiate public theology from a theocratic state. In countries where religion holds a dominant position in the government, the term "public theology" may not be applicable as the prevailing theology is intrinsically associated with a specific religion. Hence, such theology cannot be categorized as public. Consequently, public theology belongs simultaneously to the State and the various spiritual experiences. Moreover, public theology is intimately connected to collective sentiment, which concerns the establishment of communities and the regulations that govern these communities (reviewed by Karine Porto Lopes Ono).

Federal University of Paraná

Professors Dr. Kelly Prudencio and Dr. Carla Rizzotto, in 2017, held the seminar “Mobilization of public opinion” at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). In it, the Theory of Recognition and its derivations led to discussions essential to the communication research that preceded the political phenomena of 2018. It was a kind of last rational gasp before the breakdown in which religion was central countless times.

What is Jair Bolsonaro’s religion, for example? It is known that the former president took a side for himself, and emphasized it through the performance of former first lady Michelle.

By the way

Whose responsibility is it to contain violence against women if not men’s? Whose responsibility is it to stand against racism if not white people’s? Whose responsibility is it to stand against fascism if not fanatics’? And how do you persuade men, white people and fanatics if not by talking to them? That is, to me, the dilemma of my century.

I consider a passage from Vinicius de Moraes’s poem “Mensagem à poesia” (1954) appropriate for this article¹. [The ten lines quoted in the Portuguese version are not reproduced here: they say the speaker cannot meet someone tonight because there are millions of bodies to bury, cities to rebuild and a world full of poverty and grief, and that he must stay alert, ready to help, to love and, if need be, to die.]

A few days ago, I heard from a Bolsonarista: “I am about to believe that a Bolsonarista is worse than a Petista” (a supporter of the Workers’ Party). To which I replied, “the Petista is certainly worse.”