Decolonial Workshop in Brazil
From 30 April to 7 May 2025, Recife, Brazil, hosted a gathering supported by USPG as part of its strategic commitment to Rethinking Mission. The event brought together voices from across the Anglican Church in Brazil, including participants from the Dioceses of Brasília, Recife, and Amazônia, as well as the Missionary District in the western region.
The focus of the gathering was on theological education and leadership, with an emphasis on decoloniality and studying the Bible through the lens of culture and context. A vital aspect of this work was confronting the Anglican Church’s colonial past and exploring how that history continues to shape its present, paving the way for a reimagined and locally rooted faith. For many, learning about Anglicanism means confronting this history. As Gabriel from the Diocese of Recife explains,
This event is important for the evolution of my experience with the Anglican Church. Learning about Anglicanism means learning about coloniality. Now we have the opportunity to look at the past and look towards the future.
This set the tone for a week of deep reflection and hopeful imagination for what leadership can look like when shaped by local issues. Participants, who represented a diverse group, both in terms of gender and age, even had a go at lecturing and brain-stormed some ideas for theological projects that would respond directly to issues affecting local communities, such as droughts, extreme poverty, homelessness, gender-based violence, racism and the impact of the climate crisis.
The group from dioceses across Brazil also highlighted pressing challenges in the current theological education system, particularly around outdated curricula and the limited representation of local scholars. There was a strong call for investment in high-quality theological resources produced within Brazil and in Portuguese.
The challenge is, therefore, to rewrite tradition from the margins, where the Bible is read in urban settings, and the pulpit becomes a public square.
emphasised keynote speaker Dr Paulo Ueti, Theological Advisor and Regional Manager for the Americas and the Caribbean USPG.
This vision resonated deeply. Throughout the event, curiosity about Anglican theology and identity grew, with participants expressing a renewed desire to engage deeply with the tradition in ways that reflect and respond to their own contexts. As Rafael, from the Diocese of Recife, explains:
One of the things that I think is most important about this event is that we can think about ourselves in our own context; who we are as a Church and as a people… It is important to our people to make our church really ours — in a way that speaks [to] us, to our daily lives and our specific needs.
Reflecting on the event, Dr Paulo Ueti reaffirmed in the spirit of Romans 12:2 that “doing theology is not just an intellectual act, but a radical commitment to be open to transforming ourselves, others and the world.”
The gathering set the stage for building strong leadership and growing the Church as a true disciple of Jesus. With the support of USPG, the Anglican Alliance, and local ecumenical partners, this journey is only beginning.
Photos with thanks to: Eliel Rodrigues @elielri