Since the early 1980s, the Progressive Church in Brazil has organised and influenced Brazilian civil society practices, ideas and goals. This paper proposes to study the different ways which the Brazilian Progressive Church has influenced the World Social Forum (WSF). The two principle axes of influence include: its principles, world vision and methodology on individuals and civil society organisations who have been involved in the conception and realization of the WSF; and its participation through Church related organisations in the WSF that push to include the Progressive Church's agenda within that of the WSF. This paper analyses why and how the Brazilian Liberation Theology and Popular Church have influenced the ideas that lead to the conception and organisation of the WSF and details the participation of the Brazilian Progressive Church in the WSFs.
Social movement; Transnational movement; Catholic Church; alterglobalisation actors; Liberation theology; religion