Transmitting the Spirit

Transmitting the Spirit, volume 1, examines the rapid expansion of Pentecostalism within the favelas of Brazil. Martijn Oosterbaan investigates how this religious movement integrates politics, entertainment, and religion to establish a foothold in once predominantly Catholic regions. Through a decade of ethnographic fieldwork in Rio de Janeiro, this work explores the intersection of religious studies, anthropology, and media theory. The text analyzes how Pentecostal leaders appropriate secular media, including music, magazines, and telenovelas, to reshape cultural frameworks according to specific religious cosmologies.

This social science study provides an in-depth look at the relationship between religious practice and media influence in economically vulnerable urban areas. By studying the interaction between doctrine distribution and the reception of nonreligious messaging, the book offers insights into modern sociology and Latin American history. Transmitting the Spirit serves as a scholarly resource for those researching Christianity, Pentecostal and Charismatic movements, and the complex cultural landscape of 21st century South America.