The search for integral health through pastoral work and community workers in a slum in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This research focus in some ministers of evangelical churches who live,or are sociable, in the communities where they act. The radical gesture of livingamong slum inhabitants is easily understood if we take a close look at other radicalpractices of the presbyterian religion. When Richard Shaull, considered the liberationtheology’s “grandfather”, came to Brazil, he brought this proposal to the seminarists,taking Jesus Crist’s life as the foundation of his motion. We have been questioningif living with poor people would contribute to improve their life conditions, and ifpastoral work have a direct relation with the work developed by healthcommunitarian agents. The purpose of this article consists in identifying the possibleanalogies that can be established between the works of the presbyterian ministersand of the communitarian agents in the construction of an integral health in thecontemporary society, and also discuss how this sociability influences the healthcare offered to the poor classes.