Brazil
A sermon in 1859 in the chapel of Princeton Seminary inspired the first Presbyterian missionary to come to Brazil. Today Brazil, while continuing to be the largest Roman Catholic country in the world, also has broad religious diversity. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) partners with the United Presbyterian Church of Brazil, one of several local Presbyterian denominations, through sending mission personnel who focus on redeveloping small churches. The United Presbyterian Church of Brazil focuses on church growth, ecumenism and lifting up a prophetic voice against injustice. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) also partners with the Graduate Program for Religious Studies of the Methodist University of São Paulo (UMESP), one of the region’s premier graduate theological faculties.
The United Presbyterian Church of Brazil – The United Presbyterian Church of Brazil was created in 1978 when Brazil’s oldest Presbyterian denomination expelled dozens of church leaders who, in a context of military dictatorship, were committed to maintaining a prophetic social witness, supported the ordination of women and enjoyed strong ecumenical relationships with other Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church. Today the United Presbyterian Church of Brazil combines its historic passion for ecumenism and social justice with a renewed commitment to evangelism and new church development. The church participates in the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil, the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in Latin America and the Latin American Council of Churches.
The Graduate Program for Religious Studies – The program is located at the Methodist University of São Paulo and is one of the premier graduate schools for the study of religion in Latin America. Many Latin American Presbyterian church leaders have completed their graduate study here. The program is also available to provide orientation to mission study groups and Presbyterian seminary delegations seeking better to understand where and how God is working in Brazil. Presbyterian World Mission has placed mission co-workers with the necessary academic credentials on the faculty in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
