Abstract:
The subject of this study is Dutch neo-Calvinism and its reception in Brazil, understanding the historical roots of the movement, the conceptual influences of its foundation, the theological evolution of its thought, and the contemporary portrayal of its presence in the country. The first part of the research sought to understand Dutch neo-Calvinism in its terminology, conceptualization and contextualization, as well as to identify its prominent representatives. The second part of the research intended to situate Dutch neo-Calvinism in its Calvinist incubator and to make explicit the first formulations of Abraham Kuyper on the occasion of his Stone Lectures at Princeton. The third part of the research sought to extract from Dutch neo-Calvinism what we can list as its central ideas, namely, the reliability of Scripture, the sovereignty of the Trinitarian God, and the instrumentality of the worldview. The fourth and last part of the research undertook a chronological mapping of the published works and organized institutions on Brazilian soil that, in some way, were inspired by Dutch neo-Calvinism. The study showed that although this reformed school of thought is relatively new in Brazil, and therefore needs more time to be decanted, it has in its tradition theoretical and practical instruments to help national Protestantism to deal with the most diverse ecclesiological, political and social issues.
