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SAO PAULO, Brazil - Different Churches and Christian organizations are gearing up to celebrate the I Evangelical Black Awareness Week (I SENECON) from November 14-21. The activity is sponsored by the Fale Movement, World Vision and the Progressive Evangelical Movement and will include worship services, seminars, movies, round tables discussions and conferences. November is considered Black Awareness month, in memory of the death of Zumbi dos Palmares (1655-1695). Zumbi was the most important leader of Quilombo dos Palmares, a refuge for escaped slaves. Quilombo, in the state of Halagaos, in eastern Brazil had an estimated population of 30,000. It was eventually destroyed, after five years, by 11,000 soldiers sent by the King of Portugal on November 20, 1695. In the Black Evangelical Leaders Forum, held in October last year, Methodist Professor Jose Carlos Barbosa told an Evangelical Church conference that Pentecostal Churches have the highest percentage of members who are of African descent. However, they do not carry out any activity specifically aimed at Black people. Barboso is coordinator of the Methodist Investigations Center and author of the book "El Negro no entra a la iglesia, espma del lado de afuera." In neo-Pentecostal Churches the situation is even more complex, not only because there is no activity related to Black people but because the structure does not allow any such initiative to emerge, said Barbosa. For its part, the United Presbyterian Church has included the celebration of the Day of Black Awareness in its activities program and has a specific Project to combat racism. Black Evangelicals are trying to consolidate an articulated movement that is visible and legitimate. However, in the Evangelical world there are some sectors that demonize everything that is "black" -related. Progressive sectors believe that the next step is to raise the awareness of pastors so that the issue reaches Church members. |
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