Brazil’s distinct brand of religious liberty: an example to the world, not without its challenges

Autores

  • Alexander Curtis Alton Brigham Young University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21056/aec.v18i71.935

Palavras-chave:

Constitutional Law, Religious Liberty, Religious Freedom, French Laïcité, Intolerance

Resumo

Brazilian scholars, politicians, legal practitioners, and judges consistently refer to Brazil as a lay state, suggesting a type of secularism similar to French laïcité. However, in practice, the interaction between government, religion, and society in Brazil more closely resembles religious freedom in the United States. Among the twenty-six most populous countries, Brazil has the lowest governmental restrictions on religious freedom. The Brazilian government protects religious liberty through extensive constitutional and statutory provisions, as well as numerous international conventions. Notwithstanding these governmental protections, the country has recently experienced a dramatic increase in social hostilities directed toward people of faith. Thus, while Brazil is an example to the world with regard to minimal governmental restrictions on religious liberty, both the government and Brazilian citizens must find ways to minimize social hostilities and religious intolerance. This paper compares religious liberty in Brazil to French laïcité and U.S. religious freedom, explores governmental protections of religion in Brazil, exposes the growth of social hostilities towards religious groups in Brazil, highlights the work of government and grassroots organizations to turn back this rising tide of religious intolerance, and offers several suggestions on how the Brazilian government might further decrease social hostilities.  

Biografia do Autor

  • Alexander Curtis Alton, Brigham Young University
    2018 Juris Doctor candidate at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School (Provo, United States of America). Master of Science in Education (2011) from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management (2009) with a minor in Music from Brigham Young University. Ecclesiastical experience in Brazil, having served as a proselyting missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the state of Bahia, Brazil from 2003 to 2005. The author also worked as a legal intern for the Area Legal Counsel for the LDS Church in São Paulo, Brazil during the summer of 2016. All translations from Portuguese originals are by the author, unless otherwise noted.

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2018-08-21

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