The global spread of Brazilian religions

When one thinks of Brazil's growing economic prowess on the global stage, powerful transnational corporations like Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, Petrobras, and Embraer readily come to mind. Indeed, many of the richest people in Brazil made their fortunes investing and trading in mining, oil, gas, construction and aviation. More surprising is that a number of Brazilian millionaires are Pentecostal pastors. As Anderson Antunes writes in Forbes, "Religion has always been a profitable business. And if you happen to be a Brazilian evangelical preacher, chances of hitting a heavenly jackpot are actually pretty high these days." We argue here that the global projection of Brazilian religious power and influence is not restricted to transnational Pentecostal churches. Rather, it is part and parcel of the rise of Brazil as a key center of religious innovation within an emerging, polycentric, global religious cartography.