A reading of the relationship between Christian faith and public life in José de Souza Marques' political thinking on education in Rio de Janeiro newspapers between the 1920s and 1950s

Abstract

The trajectory of José de Souza Marques (1894-1974), a Baptist pastor, educator, and politician, is marked by the challenges of social integration for blacks at the beginning of the twentieth century and, precisely for this reason, stands out for its sensitivity to the injustices and processes of vulnerability experienced by the poor. Conversion to Protestantism and access to education, fundamental elements in his biography, are decisive reasons for his social rise, characteristics present in his public performance. This study analyses articles, interviews, and reports about Souza Marques in newspapers published in Rio de Janeiro between 1928 and 1952 before his first political mandate began in 1960. The analysis of these texts reveals the centrality of education in his thinking and public engagement, based on the intersection of the Protestant faith with American influence, social sensitivity, and a broad defense of access to education as a path to social advancement and national development. The study of Souza Marques thus makes it possible to reflect on the reconfiguration of the Brazilian public space and the public presence of Protestantism, which is very much in the minority but active above all in the educational sphere.