28.11.2025 Taking God Public: How Religious Change Has Affected the Brazilian Public Sphere - A lecture on 4th December 2025

Over the past 30 years, Evangelicals increased from 6% to 26,5% in Brazil (Census, 2022), impacting the country’s sociopolitical and religious landscape. The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) has been highlighted as an example of the significant role Evangelicals play in mobilizing voters (Almeida 2017; Burity 2020) and engaging in the public sphere.

However, the number of people who identify as members of this church (less than 1% of the Brazilian population) is too small to explain its influence. I argue that, to understand how the UCKG has become such a major actor in the Brazilian public sphere, it is essential to analyze the diverse sociabilities fostered within and through this church.

Speaker: Alana Sá Leitão (Universidade de Pernambuco, Brazil)
Date: 04.12.2025
Location: CNMS, Deutschhausstrasse 12, Room 00A26
Time: 16:00-18:00