D. Romualdo Antônio de Seixas e o poder: entre a fé e a política

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the pastoral work and parliamentary political participation of the Archbishop of Bahia, D. RomualdoAntônio de Seixas (1787-1860). A leader between bishops of the Catholic Reform Movement in Brazil, the archbishop stood out, at church and the legislative sphere, for his innovative political positioning in putting himself against the slave trade and slavery system. His knowledge on the Amazon was also a distinguishing trait for he defended several public policies that favored Indians and the surrounding region. He became a notable figure, in Brazil, for his ecclesiastical and political importance, which led him to occupy important positions both locally and internationally, being graced with multiple accolades for his cultural relevance. The central hypothesis of this thesis is to verify in the restorative piece in Brazil while the adequation of Brazilian Catholicism to the dictates of Rome and in opposition to the advancement of liberal ideas, traces of a catholic-European vanguard defined as Social Catholicism. The work is organizated through Political and Culture line of research for to consider the religious forces as part of the political fabric, investigating the intimate relationships between religion and politics in the Brazilian Empire. Our contribution resides, therefore, in situating the force of religious power throughout Political History. We extend as important the work and personality of D. RomualdoSeixas for the evidencing of a catholic perspective of social reformism.