Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Corporal Practices and Leisure of Young Brazilian Evangelicals

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
International Journal of Latin American Religions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A large part of Brazilian evangelicals, from traditional groups, have restrictions related to the body which drive them away from sporting activities, dancing, gymnastics, and other corporal practices. Nevertheless, many of them participate in activities during Physical Education classes, as this is a school discipline. Therefore, this research aims to analyze how and if experiences in corporal practices during Physical Education classes are capable of transforming the relations of evangelical students with these practices and the ‘use of the body’ in leisure practices. We carried out ethnographic research in two public schools in São Paulo state for a school year, in Secondary Education classes. The analyses presented are the fruit of our daily observations and the discourse of the students selected. The results suggested that churches have been attempted to govern their follower’s corporal practices. However, there are breaches during Physical Education classes that allow young evangelicals to experience secular activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The concept of ‘corporal practices’ is constituted in Brazil through contrast with the concept of ‘physical activity’ which, despite the lack of an absolute consensus, has been used since the 1990s by authors who think about PE through Human and Social Sciences. See: Lazzarotti filho, Ari., et al. The term bodily practices in Brazilian scientific literature and its impact on the Physical Education field. Movimento (2010), 11–29.

  2. The (native) term ‘mundane’ is frequently used by the evangelicals studied to refer to everything opposed to the sacred/divine.

  3. The ethnographic research was based on Clifford Geertz’s (1989) principles of ‘dense description’ and ‘interpretative analysis.’

  4. This research was approved by the Research Ethnics Committee.

  5. Online:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cegKntPZHnE&list=PLzhxYAii0R01qH_fHX9MDOsxB9xIMx90b&index=6.

  6. In relation to this debate see: Giumbelli, E. O fim da religião: dilemas da liberdade religiosa no Brasil e na França. Attar, 2002. and Pierucci, A. F. Religião como solvente – uma aula. Novos Estudos Cebrap, no. 75: (2006): 111–127.

  7. In the field of Sociology of Leisure in Brazil, there is a discussion about the concept of free time and available time, with the latter being more adopted in academic texts. We do not intend here to prepare a discussion about the concept. We use ‘free time,’ since it was the term used by natives (students studied).

  8. The examples cited here were consulted in blogs used by churches to evangelize their faithful. Each blog can be accessed through the links mentioned in the footnotes. Since the lessons are taken from the books of Casa Publicadora das Assembleias de Deus (CPAD) we do not have the reference to which version of the bible was used. The reference cited is: Revista Lições Bíblicas. SABEDORIA DE DEUS PARA UMA VIDA VITORIOSA, A atualidade de Provérbios e Eclesiastes. Lesson 13 – Fear God all the time. I – A truth that cannot be forgotten. 1. We are created. 2. There is a Creator. II – The two great moments in life. 1. Youth. 2. Old Age. III – The different dimensions of human existence. 1. Corporal. 2. Spiritual. IV – Taking care of everything. 1. Keeping the commandments. 2. Awaiting judgment. Conclusion. Editora CPAD. Rio de Janeiro – RJ. 4th Quarter of 2013

  9. Online:http://www.estudantesdabiblia.com.br/licoes_cpad/2013/2013-04-13.htm.

  10. Online:http://www.escola-dominical.com/2013/12/licao-13-tema-deus-em-todo-tempo-, slides.html

  11. The term ‘corporal culture’ or ‘culture of movement’ is used by researchers that were and still are part of the so-called ‘renewal movement’ of Brazilian Physical Education, which reached its peak in the 1980s and broke away from visions of the body and movement based solely on biological and anatomical visions.

References

  • Almeida R (2010) Religião em Transição. In: Horizontes das Ciências Sociais no Brasil: Antropologia. ANPOCS, São Paulo, pp 367–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Burity J (2018) A onda conservadora na política brasileira traz o fundamentalismo ao poder?. Conservadorismos, fascismos e fundamentalismos: análises conjunturais. Campinas: Editora da Unicamp, 15–66

  • Campos SL (2000) O quadro - Os dois caminhos - uma análise semiótica das mutações no consumo de imagens iconográficas entre protestantes brasileiros. In: X Jornadas Alternativas Religiosas en America Latina, 2000, Buenos Aires. X Jornadas Alternativas Religiosas en America Latina

  • Cuenca M (2000) Ocio humanista. Documentos de Estudios de Ocio, No. 16. Instituto de Estudios de Ocio/Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao

  • Daolio J (1994) Da cultura do corpo. Papirus, Campinas

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumazedier J (1976a) Lazer e cultura popular- Debates. Perspectiva, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumazedier J (1976b) Questionamento teórico do lazer. PUC, Porto Alegre

    Google Scholar 

  • Fonseca BA (2003) Fé na tela: características e ênfases de duas estratégias evangélicas na televisão. Religião & Sociedade, Rio de Janeiro, Iser, 23.2: 33–53

  • Foucault M (1999) Vigiar e punir: nascimento da prisão. Vozes, Petrópolis

    Google Scholar 

  • Freston P (1996) Nem anjos nem demônios: interpretações sociológicas do pentecostalismo. Vozes, Petrópolis

    Google Scholar 

  • Geertz C (1989) A interpretação das culturas. Rio de Janeiro, LTC

  • Geertz C (2001) Beliscão do destino: a religião como experiência, sentido, identidade e poder. In: Uma nova luz sobre a antropologia, Rio de Janeiro, Zahar

  • Geertz C (2006) La religion, sujet d’avenir. Le Monde, Paris

  • Graham E (2014) Between a rock and a hard place. Pract Theol 7(4):235–251. https://doi.org/10.1179/1756073X14Z.000000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoven M (2016) Faith informing competitive youth athletes in Christian schooling. J Res Christ Educ 253:273–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/10656219.2016.1237909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IBGE. Censo Demográfico 2010 (2010) Características gerais da população, religião e pessoas com deficiência. https://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/visualizacao/periodicos/94/cd_2010_religiao_deficiencia.pdf

  • James W (1902) The varieties of religious experience: A study in human nature. Modern Library, New York

  • Mara E, Barber H (2000) Reconciling aggression, moral reasoning, and Christian beliefs in sport. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71.1:A–102

  • Marcellino NC (1990) Lazer e educação, 2nd edn. Papirus, Campinas

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcellino NC (2006) Estudos do lazer: Uma introdução. Autores Associados, Campinas

    Google Scholar 

  • Mariano R (2003) Efeitos da secularização doEstado, do pluralismo e domercado religiosos sobre asigrejas pentecostais Civitas – Revista de Ciências Sociais v. 3, n 1, jun Montero, Paula. 2006. Religião, pluralismo e esfera pública no Brasil. Revista de Ciências Sociais (RCS) 74:47–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Montero P (2006) Religião, pluralismo e esfera pública no Brasil. Novos estudos CEBRAP, (74):47–65

  • Munne F (1980) Psicosociología del tiempo libre: Un enfoque crítico. Trillas, México

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigoni, AC (2008) Marcas da religião evangélica na educação do corpo feminino: implicações para a Educação Física Escolar, (Mestrado em Educação Física) - Faculdade de Educação Física. Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas. 160f

  • Rigoni, AC (2013) Corpos na escola: (des)compassos entre a educação física e a religião Campinas – São Paulo

  • Snyders G (2005) Alunos felizes: reflexão sobre a alegria na escola a partir de textos literários. Paz e Terra, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  • Stebbins RA (2008) Serious leisure: a perspective for our time. Transaction Publisher, New Jersey

  • Vago TM (2009) Pensar a Educação Física na escola: para uma formação cultural da infância e da juventude. Cadernos de Formação RBCE, 25-42

Download references

Funding

This article is the fruit of part of a research project funded by the Research Support Foundation of the State of São Paulo—FAPESP.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Physical Education and Sports, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Capellini Rigoni, Liana Abrão Romera, Talita Sajorato & Heloisa Heringer Freitas

Authors
  1. Ana Carolina Capellini Rigoni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liana Abrão Romera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Talita Sajorato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Heloisa Heringer Freitas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heloisa Heringer Freitas.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rigoni, A.C.C., Romera, L.A., Sajorato, T. et al. Corporal Practices and Leisure of Young Brazilian Evangelicals. Int J Lat Am Relig 5, 149–163 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41603-020-00104-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41603-020-00104-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation