Stop Suffering! Economic Downturns and Pentecostal Upsurge

2022/06/15 by Francisco Costa, Angelo Marcantonio, Rudi Rocha · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Religion, Society, and Development #Religion and Society Interactions #Culture, Economy, and Development Studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/jeea/jvac034

openalex publication_date 2022/06/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15

Abstract

Abstract This paper estimates the effects of economic downturns on the expansion of Pentecostal Evangelicalism in Brazil. Regions more exposed to economic distress experienced a persistent rise both in Pentecostal affiliation and in the vote share of candidates connected to Pentecostal churches in national legislative elections. Once elected, these politicians carry out an agenda with greater emphasis on issues that are sensitive to fundamental religious principles. We, therefore, find that recessions led to the rise of religious fundamentalism in tandem with the transfer of political capital to elected Pentecostal leaders.

Citations

• Religious Conversion in 40 Countries
• Religion and Economy
• The Church versus the Mall: What Happens When Religion Faces Increased Secular Competition?*
• Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure
• The Trade Origins of Economic Nationalism: Import Competition and Voting Behavior in Western Europe
• Bartik Instruments: What, When, Why, and How
• People's opium? Religion and economic attitudes

Cited by

• Pentecostalism in Brazil [wikipedia]