“Evangelical Psychologists”: religion and psychological professional activity in Brazil

Abstract

My aim in the following paper was to analyze the relations evangelical psychologists make between their spirituality and professional practice and the appropriation of the psychological discourse by churches and ministries. The empirical research is realized in two stages; first 104 psychologists who are also evangelical Christians answered an electronic questionnaire; and then, five of them were selected to be interviewed. The results show that the influence of the evangelical faith varies from a total influence to a so called strict neutrality. Between these polarized positions, there are a variety of ambivalences that, in general, point out to a inseparability between a world view that is influenced by religion and the professional practice. Nevertheless, the professionals always highlight a need to suspend the judgment in order that the psychologist beliefs be not imposed to the patients.