From “Conselheiro” to “Gentileza”: messianism as a rupture of everyday social structures

Abstract

The article makes a synchronic and comparative analysis of the biographies and sermons of Antônio Vicente Mendes Maciel (the so-called “Conselheiro”) and José Datrino (also known as “Gentileza”, an urban prophet who lived in Rio de Janeiro and was a contemporary of Conselheiro). It tries to identify the elements that are disruptive of the daily structure in the biography of these two “prophets” and led to the configuration of their messianic worldviews. On the basis of this analysis, it discusses the passage from the collective assumptions to individualistic ideology, not only in the modern religious discourse but in its social repercussions as well, describing these two “prophets” as examples of the transformations that were underway. It also emphasizes the importance of the biographical study of religious leaders for the discussion of the concept of messianism, which is crucial for the issue of the urban context of religiosity in the present.

Key words: prophets, messianic discourse, worldviews, contemporary religiosity.