The Netflix Documentary on Dominionism in Brazil

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-end-of-road-for-bolsonaro.html

As a follow-up to the recent piece I wrote concerning Bolsonaro, I decided to temporarily subscribe to Netflix - basically so I could watch a couple of documentaries, at which point I'll dump the otherwise worthless subscription. Netflix was helpful back in the day when I could receive all manner of foreign and obscure films via their DVD in the mail service. The rise of other subscription services led to a decline in the Netflix library and over time I found the platform to be of decreasing value. Once every couple of years I'll turn it on for a month, get caught up on some documentaries and then shut it off again.

I wanted to watch Apocalypse in the Tropics, a 2024 film dealing with Jair Bolsonaro, but on a greater level with the Evangelical influence behind him and the rise of that movement within Brazil. It focuses primarily on Silas Malafaia, a Pentecostal Prosperity Gospel preacher that is definitely part of Bolsonaro's inside circle. He is to put it in blunt terms - nefarious. Just as Bolsonaro is rightly called the Brazilian Trump, Malafaia's style is very reminiscent of the FOX channel and Christian Right demagogues in the United States. He lies, manipulates, and utilizes fear. And like not a few American Evangelicals he played a role in trying to overturn the presidential election in 2022 - openly calling for the military to intervene. This is in a country that was ruled by a US-backed military dictatorship from the 1960's to the 1980's.

The film is worth seeing. This is without a doubt, but the film fails at certain points. The film's director Petra Costa struggles to understand and explain some of the theology. It's understandable as the dynamics of Dispensational and Dominionist theology are not always clear and frankly don't always make a lot of sense. An unbeliever, she struggles to reconcile not only the teachings of Jesus with these Dominionists but the teachings of Jesus with other parts of the Scripture such as the book of Revelation. As such, the film (from a Christian standpoint) loses some of its potency. But make no mistake, Malafaia is a Dominionist. It's clear the contemporary teaching (which finds its origins in the United States) continues to spread around the world and rot the Church from within.

She tries at one point to draw connections to figures like Billy Graham but fails to convince. This is not to say Graham didn't play a role in bringing Right-wing Christianity to the rest of the world and Brazil in particular. He did, but it's more complicated than what was presented and while Graham got the ball rolling (as they say), he faded from the scene and was replaced by more potent and determined actors.

Also, I would contend that Costa fails to outline and demonstrate the quality and nature of Bolsonaro's politics and policies while in power. Only briefly does she touch on the role he played during the Covid pandemic, leading Brazil to the second highest death toll in the world. I would imagine she would wish viewers to watch her earlier documentary on Brazilian politics (The End of Democracy) which would undoubtedly touch on these points to a great degree. But as a stand-alone film, Apocalypse in the Tropics will leave some viewers (those unfamiliar with the broad strokes of Brazilian politics) somewhat confused.

That said, the pernicious influence of Dominion Theology and the role played by men like Malafaia are clear and disturbing.