The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God as a Transnational Cultural Project

As the pioneer of neo-Pentecostalism, the Brazil-based Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG)/Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (IURD), founded by Edir Macedo, has intensified the main features of Pentecostalism: fear of the forces of evil and the practice of healing and exorcism have been placed front of stage; tithing has become central to membership on pain of being accused of “stealing from God,” and additional donations are noisily demanded. The IURD has brought about a revolution within Pentecostalism because of its transnational centralization, its involvement in Brazilian politics, and the scale of its investment in the media in Brazil and beyond. Uniformity is ensured in ritual and church design. Pastors must be married but, following the church’s guidance, very few have children. In Brazil the church’s leader is straining the guardrails of laïcité, blurring the lines between his church, his media empire, and his political involvements.