BRAZIL
Folha de Sao Paulo
08/09/2017
ANA ESTELA OF SOUSA PINTO
FROM SÃO PAULO
The Labor Prosecutor’s Office of São Paulo heard pastors Juarez and Solange Oliveira, founders of the Rhema Community Evangelical Ministry (Ministerio Evangelico Comunidade Rhema), regarding a forced labor investigation, on Tuesday (8).
In July, Associated Press news agency published statements from former members of the Rhema Community claiming they were forced to work in the American church Word of Faith Fellowship, in Spindale, North Carolina.
The churches deny the allegations.
CORRECTIONS
Evangelical churches encourage members to pitch in, according to researchers who study the subject. However, lack of material or psychological support and the emphasis on supernatural forces may make it easier to explore followers.
According to Mr. Corrêa (pseudonym), who left Rhema a year ago, the influence of Americans changed the Brazilian church. “It was a normal, pleasant Evangelical church. Then, they began to adopt harsh procedures.”
According to him, it was then that the “corrections” began: scolding and public or private humiliation, including physical aggression.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.