CHURCH, STATE AND SOCIETY IN BRAZIL: from catholic activism to the rise of NGOs

Abstract

This article examines the Catholic roots that shaped the development of social assistance in Brazil since colonial times and which, centuries later, culminated in the formation of the field of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). After briefly outlining the macro-historical context of the Church’s leading role in social welfare across the West, and particularly in Brazil, the analysis focuses on the second half of the 20th century, when historical patterns of Church-State-society underwent profound shifts. This process is framed through the notion of “religious secularization,” defined as the enduring influence of Christian values in shaping public and private social assistance institutions. During the 1950s–60s, Church-affiliated actors and institutions increasingly aligned with leftist ideologies, paving the way for what is now termed Brazil’s Catholic left. By the 1970s and 1980s, these institutions gradually disengaged from grassroots social movements, giving rise to the NGO sector. In the 1990s, the professionalization of social assistance introduced a new paradigm, redefining professionalism as a domain ostensibly detached from both politics and religion.