Religious Pluralism

Neo-Conservatism And Neo-Pentecostal Movements

Abstract

As we know, the relationship between religious pluralism, neoconservatism, and neo-Pentecostal movements is marked by tensions and strategic alliances, namely: neo-Pentecostals and religious pluralism grow in pluralistic societies, but adopt a discourse of “spiritual warfare” against other religions (especially those of African origin); they seek cultural hegemony, challenging the idea of equality between religions. In turn, the alliance with neoconservatism has been expressed in sharing a moral agenda, as well as in the political arena, where they act in support of governments and laws aligned with traditional values. This articulation forms a pragmatic alliance: neo-Pentecostals gain political power, neoconservatives expand their base, and religious pluralism becomes a dispute over influence, not equality. From this perspective, religious pluralism can be seen as an expression of an era of multiple modernities, neoconservatism, and the emergence of neo-Pentecostal movements. Our goal, therefore, is to reflect on these three dimensions, taking as a reference the contemporary Brazilian religious field and a qualitative perspective methodology. In our conclusion, we point out that it is urgent to adopt a challenging attitude of openness towards the differentiation present in the Brazilian religious field.