Contemporary Afro-Brazilian Theologies: Reinterpreting Afro-Diasporic Devotions at the Crossroads of a Decolonizing Epistemology

Contemporary Afro-Brazilian theologians are challenging Western stigmatizations of their divinities by reinterpreting historically marginalized devotions through antiracist and decolonial perspectives. In Candomblé and Umbanda, the reimagining of Exu and Pombagira decolonizes theological, sociological, and pedagogical discourses, emphasizing their polysemic nature. These devotions serve as liberating narratives that empower marginalized communities by sacralizing their survival, independence, and resistance. This presentation explores three examples of Afro-theologians reworking colonial legacies. First, Hendrix Silveira (2012, 2024) reinterprets Exu as Hermes and develops exunêutica to center Black epistemologies. Second, Luis Rufino’s Pedagogia das Encruzilhadas presents Exu as a disruptor of intellectual arrogance, essential for education resisting cognitive and social injustices. Lastly, Alexandre Cumino’s Pombagira A Deusa: Mulher Igual Você (2023) reinterprets Pombagira through Black feminist thought, portraying her as a symbol of women’s self-empowerment and resistance, challenging patriarchal, racist, and sexist structures while promoting decolonial and social justice struggles.