Silas Lima Malafaia (14 September 1958) is a Brazilian

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

televangelist Televangelism ( tele- "distance" and " evangelism," meaning " ministry," sometimes called teleministry) is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity. Televangelists are ministers, whether official or self-p ...

, who also has a degree in

Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

. He is the leader of the

Pentecostal church Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

''Assembleia de Deus Vitória em Cristo'' (Assembly of God Victory in Christ), a branch of the broader

Assembleias de Deus The Assembleias de Deus () are a group of Pentecostal denominations in Brazil founded by Daniel Berg and Gunnar Vingren, who came to Brazil as missionaries from the Swedish Pentecostal movement. The Assembleias de Deus are related to the world ...

movement of Pentecostal churches in Brazil. He is also the CEO of the publishing company, and vice president of the Interdenominational Council of Evangelical Ministers of Brazil (CIMEB), which is made up of approximately 8.500 ministers and leaders from almost all Brazilian evangelical denominations. Malafaia was born in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of the same name, Brazil's List of Brazilian states by population, third-most populous state, and the List of largest citi ...

. He is well known for his political work and strong opposition to the promotion of homosexuality in society and

Abortion Law Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Such laws range from abortion being freely available on request, to regulation or restrictions of various kinds, to outright prohibition in all circumstances ...

, as well as for defending the

Prosperity theology Prosperity theology (sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel, the health and wealth gospel, the gospel of success, or seed faith) is a religious belief among some Protestant Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are ...

. In the elections of 2012, he was the evangelical political canvasser of the candidate

José Serra José Serra Chirico (; born 19 March 1942) is a Brazilian politician who has served as a Congressman, Senator, Minister of Planning, Minister of Health, Mayor of São Paulo, Governor of São Paulo state, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bra ...

to the city council of

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

and helped to elect 24 mayors and 16 city councilmen in seven states. In the elections of 2014, Malafaia campaigned for

Aécio Neves Aécio Neves da Cunha (; born 10 March 1960) is a Brazilian economist, politician and former president of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). He was the 17th Governor of Minas Gerais from 1 January 2003 to 31 March 2010, and is curren ...

to the Presidency of Brazil. In the 2018 election Malafaia endorsed eventual winner

Jair Bolsonaro Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and retired military officer who has been the 38th president of Brazil since 1 January 2019. He was elected in 2018 as a member of the Social Liberal Party, which he turn ...

. According to a 2013 ''

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'' magazine publication, his total net worth is estimated at US$150 million. However, he denied the information in the talkshow ', in which he affirmed that his wealth revolved around R$6 million (approximately US$1.6 million). Viewed as a staunch

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

, Malafaia is a polarizing and controversial figure in Brazil. He is often accused of fomenting hate speech, being known for his strong opposition to

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...

and

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

. His critics accuse him of being a bigot and a homophobe, which he denies.

List of publications

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References

1958 births Living people Brazilian Assemblies of God pastors Brazilian anti-communists Brazilian anti-same-sex-marriage activists Brazilian evangelicals Brazilian Pentecostals Brazilian television evangelists Christian religious leaders in Brazil Brazilian anti-abortion activists Conservatism in Brazil Protestantism in Brazil Prosperity theologians {{Brazil-reli-bio-stub