Daniel Silva Mendanha
Puritan Board Freshman
1. Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 649,510 members and 5,058 churches (2016).
Trend: Rapid growth (Between 2004 and 2016, the denomination grew by 37.14%. In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 10.69%).
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: World Reformed Fellowship (WRF).
2. Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 96,396 members and 553 churches (2019).
Trend: Stable. Between 2008 and 2017, the denomination showed steady growth. In 2018 it declined and in 2019 it grew again.
Positioning: Evangelical, ordaining women and not supporting same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: World Council of Churches (WCC) and World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).
3. Conservative Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 4,371 members and 92 churches (2018).
Trend: Rapid growth (Between 2006 and 2018, the denomination grew by 22.16%. In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 11.31%).
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
4. Evangelical Reformed Churches in Brazil:
Statistics: 2,700 members and 13 churches (2015).
Trend: Unknown.
Positioning: Ordain women and does not supporting same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: WCRC.
5. United Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 2,350 members and 44 churches (2020).
Trend: Rapid decline. In 2011 it had 3,466 members and 48 churches.
Positioning: Liberal, ordain women and does not celebrate same-sex marriage (yet), but supports state permission to do so and has a relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and campaigns in favor of leftist politicians. One of his churches openly advocated the acceptance of same-sex marriage in previous decades.
Affiliations: WCC and WCRC.
6. Fundamentalist Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 1,639 members and 37 churches (2020).
Trend: Rapid growth (Between 2008 and 2017, the denomination grew by 30,5%. In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 11.16%).
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
7. Reformed Churches of Brazil:
Statistics: 1,038 members and 19 churches (2020).
Trend: Growth.
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
8. Presbyterian Indigenous Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 873 members and 37 churches (2020).
Trend: Stable. It peaked in membership in 2014. It declined in 2017 but has grown since then.
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
9. Presbyterian Church in Taiwan:
Statistics: 12 churches in Brazil (2017).
Trend: Unknown.
Positioning: Ordain women and does not supporting same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: WCC and WCRC.
10. Reformed Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 7 churches (2018).
Trend: Unknown.
Positioning: Unknown. This denomination was formed by former members of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, for unknown reasons.
11. Korean-American Presbyterian Church:
Statistics:3 churches in Brazil (2021).
Trend: Growth, since foundation.
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women, and does not support same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: NAPARC.
12. Cumberland Presbyterian Church:
Statistics: 1 chuch in Brazil (2018).
Trend: Unknown.
Positionings: Evangelical, ordained women and does not support same-sex marriage. The denomination does not subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith and is Arminian.
Affiliations: WCRC.
Note: In Brazil (the country with the largest number of Pentecostals in the world), there are several denominations that are called "Presbyterian" because they came from one of the traditional Presbyterian denominations or just because they adopt the Presbyterian system of government, but do not subscribe to the Confession of Westminster Faith, they are Credobaptist, Arminian, Dispensationalist, generally ordaining women, and in no way different from the assemblies of God. And others are neo-Pentecostals who adopt the name "Presbyterian" because they find it beautiful.
Among them we can mention:
1. Renewed Presbyterian Church in Brazil:
Statistics: 154,048 members and 1,140 churches (2016).
Trend: Rapid growth.
2. Living Presbyterian Church.
Statistics: 130 churches (2015).
Trend: Growth.
3. Revived Reformed Presbyterian Church of Brazil.
Statistics: 24 churches (2009).
Trend: Unknow.
4. Grace Presbyterian Church:
Statistics: 21 churches (2016).
Trend: Unknow.
5. Pentecostal Presbyterian Christian Church:
Statistics: 17 churches (2011).
Trend: Unknow.
6. Evangelical Presbyterian Christian Church:
Statistics: 12 churches (2016).
Trend: Unknow.
7. Pentecostal Presbyterian Church:
Statistics: Unknow. There is at least 1 church in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Trend: Unknow.
Statistics: 649,510 members and 5,058 churches (2016).
Trend: Rapid growth (Between 2004 and 2016, the denomination grew by 37.14%. In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 10.69%).
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: World Reformed Fellowship (WRF).
2. Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 96,396 members and 553 churches (2019).
Trend: Stable. Between 2008 and 2017, the denomination showed steady growth. In 2018 it declined and in 2019 it grew again.
Positioning: Evangelical, ordaining women and not supporting same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: World Council of Churches (WCC) and World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).
3. Conservative Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 4,371 members and 92 churches (2018).
Trend: Rapid growth (Between 2006 and 2018, the denomination grew by 22.16%. In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 11.31%).
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
4. Evangelical Reformed Churches in Brazil:
Statistics: 2,700 members and 13 churches (2015).
Trend: Unknown.
Positioning: Ordain women and does not supporting same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: WCRC.
5. United Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 2,350 members and 44 churches (2020).
Trend: Rapid decline. In 2011 it had 3,466 members and 48 churches.
Positioning: Liberal, ordain women and does not celebrate same-sex marriage (yet), but supports state permission to do so and has a relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and campaigns in favor of leftist politicians. One of his churches openly advocated the acceptance of same-sex marriage in previous decades.
Affiliations: WCC and WCRC.
6. Fundamentalist Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 1,639 members and 37 churches (2020).
Trend: Rapid growth (Between 2008 and 2017, the denomination grew by 30,5%. In the same period, the Brazilian population grew 11.16%).
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
7. Reformed Churches of Brazil:
Statistics: 1,038 members and 19 churches (2020).
Trend: Growth.
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
8. Presbyterian Indigenous Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 873 members and 37 churches (2020).
Trend: Stable. It peaked in membership in 2014. It declined in 2017 but has grown since then.
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women and does not support same-sex marriage.
9. Presbyterian Church in Taiwan:
Statistics: 12 churches in Brazil (2017).
Trend: Unknown.
Positioning: Ordain women and does not supporting same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: WCC and WCRC.
10. Reformed Presbyterian Church of Brazil:
Statistics: 7 churches (2018).
Trend: Unknown.
Positioning: Unknown. This denomination was formed by former members of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, for unknown reasons.
11. Korean-American Presbyterian Church:
Statistics:3 churches in Brazil (2021).
Trend: Growth, since foundation.
Positioning: Evangelical, conservative, does not ordain women, and does not support same-sex marriage.
Affiliations: NAPARC.
12. Cumberland Presbyterian Church:
Statistics: 1 chuch in Brazil (2018).
Trend: Unknown.
Positionings: Evangelical, ordained women and does not support same-sex marriage. The denomination does not subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith and is Arminian.
Affiliations: WCRC.
Note: In Brazil (the country with the largest number of Pentecostals in the world), there are several denominations that are called "Presbyterian" because they came from one of the traditional Presbyterian denominations or just because they adopt the Presbyterian system of government, but do not subscribe to the Confession of Westminster Faith, they are Credobaptist, Arminian, Dispensationalist, generally ordaining women, and in no way different from the assemblies of God. And others are neo-Pentecostals who adopt the name "Presbyterian" because they find it beautiful.
Among them we can mention:
1. Renewed Presbyterian Church in Brazil:
Statistics: 154,048 members and 1,140 churches (2016).
Trend: Rapid growth.
2. Living Presbyterian Church.
Statistics: 130 churches (2015).
Trend: Growth.
3. Revived Reformed Presbyterian Church of Brazil.
Statistics: 24 churches (2009).
Trend: Unknow.
4. Grace Presbyterian Church:
Statistics: 21 churches (2016).
Trend: Unknow.
5. Pentecostal Presbyterian Christian Church:
Statistics: 17 churches (2011).
Trend: Unknow.
6. Evangelical Presbyterian Christian Church:
Statistics: 12 churches (2016).
Trend: Unknow.
7. Pentecostal Presbyterian Church:
Statistics: Unknow. There is at least 1 church in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Trend: Unknow.