| Furthermore, none of our hypotheses is in any sense concerned with theological propositions, and the outcome of our inquiry is not to be construed as an implicit endorsement of any theological doctrine. "No religions are false; all answer, though in different ways, to given conditions of human existence." These well-known words by Emile Durkheim reflect the position of the author facing a religious system as an object of research. |
| It would be invidious and misleading to present this study as a confrontation between Protestantism and Catholicism. That portion of the Brazilian and Chilean population reported as "Catholic" by the national censuses shows such variation in the practice of religion as prescribed by the Catholic church that, in the present context, it can only be described as non-Protestant. The Latin American habit of classifying oneself as "Catholic," whether pious or lax, agnostic or openly anticlerical, sharply contrasts to the Protestant self-classification which is based predominantly on active church membership and communicant status. Thus, to the extent that comparisons are made, they refer to Protestants and non-Protestants. |
| A variety of research techniques has been used. The use of secondary materials, although extensive, was preceded by a critical evaluation of the sources as well as the methodological aspects of the various publications quoted in the text. Description of such activities as street-corner proselytism, religious services, the manifestations of spirit possession, performance of healing rites, meetings of religious leaders, and the like is always based on direct observation of these events, either by the author himself or by one or several of his research assistants. Whenever feasible, attendance of or participation in those activities was repeated and observations cross-checked with previous ones to obtain a reasonably accurate picture of the occurrences. The extensive use of informants constitutes another important source of information. Since nearly fifteen months were spent in the field, it was possible, not only to interview the same informants several times, but also to add new informants and to change interviewers. |
| The use of informants, prime source of data in anthropological field work, raises an interesting question. Although considered sound in studies of small communities, it becomes increasingly unreliable as the aggregate under scrutiny increases in size and complexity. While resort to direct observation and informants may be considered routine |
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