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Research Article Volume 11 Issue 2
Weaving webs of meaning: an anthropological analysis of tensions in the Brazilian pentecostal field
João Dantas dos Anjos Neto
Received: September 02, 2026 | Published: September 24, 2026
Citation: Neto JDA. Weaving webs of meaning: an anthropological analysis of tensions in the Brazilian pentecostal field. J His Arch & Anthropol Sci. 2026;11(2):115-120. DOI: 10.15406/jhaas.2026.11.00348
Abstract
This article discusses the classification of the Pentecostal Church God Is Love (IPDA) within the Brazilian Pentecostal field. The discussion emerged from research on Neo- Pentecostal discourses directed toward trans and travesti people, in which the IPDA was initially classified as a Neo-Pentecostal denomination. The article aims to revisit Ricardo Mariano’s1 typology of Brazilian Pentecostalism and to examine the processes through which denominations belonging to different historical trajectories incorporate practices and discourses associated with Neo-Pentecostalism. Based on a bibliographical and theoretical discussion and on selected cases from the Brazilian religious field, the analysis draws on the contributions of Max Weber, Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Foucault and Byung-Chul Han. The article argues that the IPDA should be understood historically as a second-wave Pentecostal denomination, while its incorporation of elements associated with Neo-Pentecostalism reveals a process of hybridisation within a competitive religious field. The discussion therefore highlights the importance of distinguishing between denominational classification and processes of transformation, appropriation and interaction among different Pentecostal traditions in contemporary Brazil.
Keywords: anthropology of religion, pentecostalism, neopentecostalism, brazil, religious field, pentecostal church god is love
©2026 Neto. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.