The Economic Roots of Evangelicalism in Brazil : Using Microeconomic Theory to Understand Religious Conversion at Scale

Since the 1990s, Evangelicalism has spread rapidly across Brazil, reshaping the country’s religious landscape. This transformation has captured media attention across the Americas, yet few works offer a structured and theory-based account of the phenomenon. The Economic Roots of Evangelicalism in Brazil provides a detailed and empirically grounded analysis of this expansion through the lens of microeconomic theory. Rather than attributing the rise of Evangelicalism only to its appeal among the poor, this book examines the “production technologies” of religion. The authors explore how Evangelical churches opened temples, scaled operations, and reached converts nationwide—within a regulatory environment broadly favorable to religious entrepreneurship. Drawing on data and analysis surrounding the microeconomics of consumers and firms, the authors demonstrate how Evangelical churches developed a dynamic organizational model that positioned them at the forefront of Brazil’s religious market. Bridging economics, sociology, political science, and religion, this book offers a rare interdisciplinary perspective on one of the most consequential social transformations in contemporary Latin America.