Long Road to Obsolescence

A North American Mission to Brazil

In the nineteenth century American Presbyterians were among the many Western denominations that sent missionaries to countries around the world. They established foreign Missions as bases in those lands with the intention of starting indigenous churches there. Although the Mission structures were designed to function like scaffolding during the construction of a building, to be removed when the building is complete, the Presbyterian Mission structure in Brazil remained in place for 126 years, long after the Brazilian Presbyterian Church it founded became independent and self-supporting. It was the last of the Presbyterian Missions in the world to be dissolved. The story told here documents the contributions made by North American Presbyterians in Brazil and tackles the missiological question of just why it remained in place so long, and whether it should have.