Igreja Presbiteriana no Brasil e na Bahia: instituição, imprensa e cotidiano (1872-1900)

Abstract

The Presbyterian Church of Bahia was characterized between 1872 and 1900, by a significant heterogeneity in its membership (nationalities, professions, social classes and "races" variety). This helped to ensure a uniqueness of this name, the pioneering Protestant proselytizing in Bahia. The relative success of proselytism charges also came on the behavior change required for a faithful Presbyterian. Through the Minutes of Meetings of the Church, it was possible to identify the main causes of punishment of members and to infer what the values taught by the leaders of this community. Thus, based on this information, was drawn a picture of the action Presbyterian in the city of Salvador, in view of the leaders and the faithful. Rethinking strategies for consolidation of Protestantism in Brazil, this work was also aimed identified some key sectors of society nineteenth century that were targets of attacks from proselytizing groups, emphasizing the importance of characters who, in the first half of the nineteenth century, before begin to "preach" to great pains to ensure minimum conditions of survival legal and institutional framework for the missionaries who arrive in the following decades, is building a direct relationship between Protestantism and progress, is erecting institutions that represented the Protestant approach to modernization of Brazil.