Religious incidence in Brazilian public space is a widespread fact that has been gaining new visibility in pandemic times. Responsibility in liminal situations represents specific theological hermeneutics, as well as what matters for the respective religious agents. Thus, based on a bibliographical review connected to an analysis of websites, this article aims to reflect on the current Brazilian context, the challenges to doing theology in Brazil today and points to some possible responses. “Pandemic religion”, as we call it, is the synthesis of theologies and religious practices that legitimise irresponsible approaches to life, vulnerabilising the other instead of assuming care-based ethics. Firstly, we briefly describe current theological trends, followed by an analysis of the Brazilian scenario by way of three representative scenes of public religious incidence that reflect a lack of responsibility in view of the pandemic challenges caused by COVID-19. Subsequently, we look back into history for alternative responses to public health crises that required theological positioning. In a Brazilian perspective of a public theology, we finally reflect on a responsible ethics that may help respond to the current challenges, particularly for pandemic religion.

In view of current challenges in the Brazilian public sphere, discussion on the presence of crucifixes in courthouses in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, as well as on the activities of evangélico congressmen, this article offers a first overview of the reflection on a public theology in Brazil. It presents four lines of thought in the emerging Brazilian discussion, starting in 2001 and getting new energy with the creation of the Global Network of Public Theology in 2007. The first tendency focuses on the academic citizenship of theology, the second seeks to recover a liberal Protestant tradition in contrast to the dominant fundamentalisms, while the third, situated in Latin American left-wing evangelicalism, promotes a dialogue with post-metaphysical and post-secular thinkers, namely Jürgen Habermas. The fourth tendency is being presented more at large, a public theology as theology of citizenship, stemming from Hugo Assmann, incorporating central elements of liberation theology and theological assets from the Lutheran tradition. Finally, the article seeks to show the pertinence and potential of a public theology in Brazil-both with boldness and humility. Underlying is the constant question, what is public theology? The article seeks to answer it, but not with a clear-cut and uniform definition. Rather, it explores opportunities, reviewing concrete challenges and current trends, and tries to argue why a public theology is relevant to and fruitful for the Brazilian context-and probably beyond it.What is ''public theology''? This is the continuous question being asked and that I intend to discuss in this article. Generally, public theology seeks to analyze, interpret, and evaluate the presence of religion, in this case the Christian religion, in the public sphere. For this purpose it is necessary to consider the specific context, in this case Brazil, and its specific configuration of the public sphere, which cannot be done here. 2 At the same time one has to consider the biblical text in its tradition over the centuries and around the world, and, for instance, confessional interpretations that were historically made and are also made today. As all theology, public theology is located in the hermeneutic circle between contextuality and Catholicity, relevance and identity, situation and message, particularity and universality. 3 These concepts all

Brazil is, today, the most Catholic, but also the most Pentecostal country in the world. The Pentecostal churches, namely the Assemblies of God, have been particularly successful among the poorest of the poor. There is little discourse on citizenship in Pentecostal churches, and its theological bases still seem to foster escapism; yet, believers regain a sense of dignity and respect for themselves and for others as they discover themselves as bearers of the Holy Spirit. In addition, contrary to the general perception, there are signs of a sense of responsibility for the whole human being, the environment and the common good. However, the relatively recent principle of ‘brother votes for brother’ tends to narrow down internal and external attention in terms of politics to the election of Pentecostal politicians, with all its ambivalences and a danger to seek dominance. This article argues that a third way between escapism and dominance, guided by a public theology, is possible.

Ao se ocupar da pesquisa acerca da teoria teológica da religião formulada a partir do pensamento do teólogo jesuíta estadunidense David Tracy, o presente texto objetiva recolher impulsos para o estudo teológico da religião. Para tanto, examinam-se as obras Blessed Rage for Order: the new pluralism in Theology (1975), A imaginação analógica: a teologia cristã e a cultura do pluralismo (texto original de 1981) e Plurality and ambiguity: hermeneutics, religion, hope (primeira edição de 1987) no que tange à definição de religião. Como resultado das contribuições tracyanas ao estudo teológico da religião destacam-se: 1. Uma abordagem não totalizante da religião; 2. A percepção das pluralidades e ambiguidades que envolvem a investigação da religião e das interpretações da religião; 3. A imaginação analógica entre os estudos da religião e os estudos da arte. 4. A conversação com os clássicos religiosos; 5. Uma dimensão profética das religiões e dos estudos da religião.

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