Spiritism in Brazil

Abstract

The Spiritism began in France with the Encode written by Allan Kardec through a dialogue with the Spirits. From this dialogue resulted 'The Spirits' Book". The Spiritism has quickly disseminated in Europe, and in the same century came to Brazil. Kardecist Spiritism is a science, a philosophy and a religion, and as a religion it is a mediunic one. These reflections are based on a research to build the spiritist leader Rino Curti's (1922-2003) biography and to delineate the historic development and activities of the spiritist center created by him, named Coligação Espírita Progressista. Oral history methodology was used as well as documentary and bibliographic analysis and observation. This analysis pointed to the "not said", the "not asked" and the "not undersatood" at that moment. Advantages and disadvantages, facilities and difficulties are discussed, involved in a study of a religious belief, made out by a researcher who can be member of the studied faith or be only an observer. Trying to understand Spiritism, we considered the relational concepts proposed by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, especially the concepts of 'field' and 'capital'. We suggest an extension of the concept of 'field', including the social positions occupied by people who are alive, and also by spirits.