[Kansas58]

Theologically, I feel like I am still a Catholic.

Politically?

I am sick to death of the “Social Justice” types who seem to have taken over.

“Subsidiarity” is still valid Catholic doctrine, but it is hard to find a Priest or Bishop who understands the evils of Socialism.

I am guessing the same is true is Brazil.

[Buckeye McFrog]

A Brazilian friend of mine has given me reports on the ground about this.

These Evangelical churches bring joy, and a genuine sense of celebration over the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is very motivating, particularly to young people.

Meanwhile our Church puts out a new missal containing the Portugese equivalent of words like Consubstantial.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

There's a difference between evangelicals who by-and-large believe in what the Gospel says, and the "megachurches" that preach the "prosperity gospel".

But the reporter doesn't seem capable of making that distinction.

[marshmallow]

The use of the word "Protestantism" is always amusing. It can be used in various ways depending on the agenda of the user but in this article, it is implied that it is a uniform, monolithic theology which is opposing another uniform, monolithic theology (Catholicism). Thus, "Catholicism" is losing out to "Protestantism."

Protestantism, however, is a fragmented, diverse world which is an umbrella for a wide spectrum of non-Catholic religions. Brazilians who are embracing "Protestantism" are in fact embracing a variety of independent, Pentecostal churches which profess a variety of different theologies and in some cases, no theology. A collection of custom made churches.

That's entirely in keeping with my cultural experience of modern Brazil and its chaotic, haphazard society. On reflection, it's a miracle that Catholicism has been dominant in Brazil for so long, given the Brazilian love of improvisation and spontaneity.

I guess they want to be just like Americans.

[sayuncledave]

Simply put: bring back the Traditional Latin Mass, and ditch liberation theology in favor of scholastic theology. Better to have more faithful, well-formed priests in smaller numbers than to have greater amounts of less well-formed priests. Also better for formation of the faithful. I know that this isn’t a complete answer, and that such things are always more complex than a single article, or indeed my feeble understanding will convey, but these words keep coming to mind, and I am sure they are the key: Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi.
(As we worship, we believe. As we believe, we live.)

But for starters, remove every trace of liberation theology.

[fish hawk]

Nothing at all complicated here. The masses have discovered that it is more important to love the Lord more than the “church”. (political, money loving,controlling)

[lastchance]

People use the term Evangelical Christianity as if there were a single understanding of what that means in terms of doctrine. In many poverty stricken areas the type of Evangelical Christianity which is flourishing is what is commonly called the “Prosperity Gospel” this is very different than Evangelical Christianity of more traditional Pentecostal or Baptist or Nondenominational sects. Even within those traditions there are different approaches and responses to Biblical teachings.

It would be interesting to see more specifics of just what type of Evangelical Christianity is gaining ground.

[Rashputin]

Like everywhere else, people in Brazil want to use contraception and not hear about it being wrong. The growth of Protestant churches marches in lock step with the increase of sex on television, in movies, and in popular romances and such, especially soaps that are so popular (well at least in this country). People who think sex is more important than their faith become Protestant, it's that simple.

If people are taught to believe true love is never having to practice self control naturally they're going to agree with the pretense that ignoring the effects of contraception is the same thing as a closer walk with Christ. If people are taught to believe that multiple sex partners is the only way to fit in they're going to migrate to Protestant churches where half the sermons are about why no one should feel guilty since whatever they've done is already forgiven in advance. Where the population is taught to think with their glands instead of their brains, the population migrates to Protestantism. Sheep are easily led and as the culture of death leads them towards death the sheep gravitate toward the path of least resistance. The path of least resistance is the theology of the magic words.

Scripture spells all this out and warns about it but for people who revise and reinterpret Scripture to suit their current mood it all vanishes into the whirlpool of self-satisfaction. Jude warns about the heresy of Core and Luther revived exactly that heresy. The theology of, "Eat, drink, and contracept, for you have Christ by the throat now that you've said the magic words" is always going to be more popular than the Biblical, "take up your cross and follow me". This is obvious stuff, even to an awful lot of the Protestants who prefer to bash Catholics rather than confront their own dens of vipers. They don't want to recruit Protestants, they know what Protestants are like and hope that by luring Catholics away they'll have some members who are serious about their faith.

It's also funny to see folks in a country that has always been more than 70% Protestant talking about Catholics taking the country down the tubes. I never realized that Protestants all stayed home on election day and just let the Catholics vote. I guess that explains North Carolina where something like 3% of the population is Catholic and the State went for King Barry in a big way.

[AmericanSamurai]

I find the prosperity gospel and ecumenical Roman Catholicism both repugnant. That’s why I am Reformed.

[LanaTurnerOverdrive]

Perhaps its all the underage, same-sex, forcible sodomy that has people leaving the Catholic church. Just sayin’.