Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Hello!
Given a scenario marked by the rapid circulation of information, where can we find analyses and reflections that contribute to a more qualified debate on the relationship between religion and politics in Brazil? During election periods, the disputes over narratives and interests gain even more visibility.
To contribute to this reflection, we have gathered here campaigns and content produced by ISER and partners that help to understand the relationship between religion, elections, and democracy in Brazil.
Brazilian faith chose democracy.
The campaign launched today (September 15th) brings together religious entities, civil society organizations, and leaders in defense of democracy and the secular state in Brazil. The interfaith manifesto is the result of the Religions and Democracy initiative, which since 2023 has aimed to promote dialogue between different religious experiences to strengthen Brazilian democracy and foster a pluralistic Brazil with rights and justice for all people. ISER is part of the project and invites: Visit the Faith in Democracy website and sign the manifesto.
What do we learn from researching religion and elections?
The book “What have we learned from researching religion and elections?” It brings together a collection of works that guides the understanding that it is no longer possible to analyze the political dynamics in the country without considering the complexity of the religious field, the influence of religious leaders, and the impacts of religion as people live it in their daily lives on Brazilian institutional politics. Access the full publication!
What is at stake in the National Congress?
Since 2023, ISER has been conducting the Monitoring of Legislative Projects, By monitoring parliamentary activity and the issues that intersect with the relationship between religion, politics, and rights, the bulletins produced offer a snapshot of the agendas being debated in the Chamber of Deputies and help identify movements and trends that may also gain relevance in the electoral context. Among the topics demanding attention are issues such as education and public safety, in addition to other agendas related to the research and advocacy developed by ISER. Check out the monthly newsletters on the Religion and Power Platform.
How do religion and politics clash in elections?
The relationships between religious groups and political projects can also be observed in the construction of agendas that reach electoral contests. The article “"How Catholic groups and evangelical politicians are trying to bring the 'life, family, and freedom' agenda into future government plans"‘ This analysis examines how different religious and political actors articulate these agendas, formulate priorities, and mobilize specific conceptions of society. The analysis also helps to understand how elections can be presented as a dispute that is not only political, but also moral and civilizational, highlighting the presence of religious disputes in the construction of projects for the country. Read the full article on the Religion and Power Platform.
Religion and elections under debate.
The Religion and Power Platform brings together analyses, data, and content about the presence of religion in electoral campaigns, in voters' choices, and in the trajectories of candidates with religious identities. The collection contributes to understanding how religion and politics relate, what disputes are underway, and how these relationships help consolidate the Brazilian public debate. Access the elections section of the Religion and Power Platform.
Expanding access to research, data, and analysis is also a way to strengthen democratic debate. It is from this perspective that ISER continues to produce knowledge and contribute to a more pluralistic and critical understanding of the relationships between religion, politics, and society.
🔎 Did you know?
United for democracy! ISER, through its Faith in Climate initiative, is part of the "I Have Faith in the Vote" campaign, conceived by the Ecumenical Service Coordination (CESE). The campaign operates in a non-partisan manner, committed exclusively to defending truth, ethics, democratic dialogue, and access to verified information. The initiative invites churches, faith communities, civil society organizations, communicators, educators, and all people committed to democracy to strengthen a culture of conscious voting, civic responsibility, and commitment to the truth. To learn more about the campaign, Visit the CESE website.
Strengthening public debate
“It is also surprising how much support they give to the need for sex education in schools,” even while rejecting abstract terms such as “gender ideology.”, "says Lívia Reis, coordinator of Religion and Politics, in an interview with Folha de S. Paulo about the research 'Evangelical Women, Politics and Daily Life'.". Read here!
“There are candidates who remove the word 'missionary' from the ballot, but activate and mobilize values such as 'woman of faith,' 'of God,' in a clear strategy to circumvent preconceived ideas among voters about the explicit meaning of what it would represent, in 2026, to self-identify as evangelical in the midst of an election campaign.‘. Ana Carolina Evangelista, researcher of Religion and Politics, in an interview for CartaCapital. Read the full article.
“We see this movement of candidates who used a religious term, which fulfilled its ideological role of showing voters the values they defend, but then this ceased to be necessary. This is especially true in Christianity, where there is a greater focus on Christian identity in a broad sense, which allows you to move between more or less conservative movements. The phenomenon of religious identity in elections today is much bigger than the name on the ballot.” Lívia Reis, coordinator of Religion and Politics, in an interview for the newspaper O Globo. Read the full article!
“Religion is a social marker, just like gender, race, and class. It helps construct our subjectivity, how we relate to the world. It's in people's lexicon. You walk through the Madureira Market and people call you: 'Hey, man', 'Hey, woman'.‘ Lívia Reis in an interview for the newspaper O Globo. Access here.
“"We also wanted to attract evangelical people who were open to dialogue, but who had never been to a Candomblé temple."” Carolina Rocha, a researcher at ISER, in an interview with Brasil de Fato. Read here.
Watch the campaign video. Brazilian faith has chosen democracy:
A hug,
ISER Team
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Thank you for reading this far.
Until next time,
ISER Team.
Analysis on religion, politics, rights and the environment every two weeks in your email.
Subscribe to the ISER Newsletter.