MIGRATION AND RELIGION

BRAZILIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN NEWARK, NJ

Abstract

Since 1980s Brazil became a sending country in the international immigration process, and the USA were one of its main focuses. Since them, Evangelical churches, mainly the Pentecostals, became a significant part of Brazilian population. Both processes are connected: According as Brazil gets away from a traditional social structure, its population felt free to experience new religiosities and live in other countries. Brazilian immigration to the USA concentrates in some cities and regions like Boston, New York, Florida and Newark (NJ). In this last case, Portuguese presence played a fundamental role, because of language. In the summer of 2000, we did a meticulous survey with the 20 evangelical Brazilian Churches and a Portuguese Assembly of God in Newark. In July 2013, the churches enlisted in the 2000 Newark research were revisited and new founding were agreed. From 21 Portuguese-speaking churches in 2000, the number grew to 130. Except some of them, most congregations are losing the second generation of Brazilian immigrants. Pastors and the religious community have had an important role in the integral health of the immigrants. Churches are the main resource before the immigrants can manage the social and public support. However, tendencies to social and political withdrawal and the conflicts between church leaders weaker the impact of these more than one hundred churches in Newark.