DIAGNÓSTICO DO PROTESTANTISMO NA DÉCADA (2001-2010) NA CIDADE DE SÃO SEBASTIÃO DE LAGOA DE ROÇA-PB: CRESCIMENTO, DESENVOLVIMENTO OU INTERESSES INDIVIDUAIS

Abstract

This dissertation results from research conducted on the growth of the Protestant population in the town of São Sebastião de Lagoa de Roça, in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, during the first ten years of the 21 century. Its key question is whether conversion to Protestantism affects the economic and cultural level of converts and their families. Thus, its theoretical basis derives from Max Weber and his thesis, according to which religion explained the greater prosperity of the Protestant nations of Northern Europe and North America when compared with neighboring Catholic nations. Weber can also be viewed as a forerunner of so-called theology of prosperity which is so influential in today s Brazil. The universe of our research was the families who attend the Protestant churches of the community. From them a double sample was drawn, comprising on one hand 15 families who used to be Catholic and are now Protestant and, on the other hand, 15 families without a Catholic past. Thus we could estimate the impact of the very phenomenon of conversion. Our data received statistical treatment and are presented under the form of tables. Our results allow us to conclude that Protestantism is positively associated with economic development in the town, since this is not homogenous when religious affiliation is taken into consideration. The group of persons who accepted Jesus as their Savior did improve in financial terms, seemingly corroborating the motto if I accept Jesus, he rewards me . Such reward is linked to several aspects of people s life, above all to economic improvement. Indeed, there is, in the local Protestant churches, a marked belief according to which those who convert are rewarded with an increase in their income. At Lagoa da Roça, Protestants, in the last ten years, grew to about 1000 individuals. The growth of trade is viewed, in the community (and not only by Protestants) as a consequence of conversion, representing a nearly miraculous reward.