This paper analyzes the forms of recognition of religion by the State in Brazil in the framework defined by the Republican regime. In other words, considering the secular nature of government and because or despite it it analyzes how the State gave legitimacy to a religious presence in public space. In the case of the Catholic Church, this initially took place by means of a symbolic and material alliance and with the help of a legal regime with low government control. In the case of Spiritism, it took place amid the battle for legitimacy of practices with some therapeutic element. In the case of African cults, it involved the acceptance of a culturalist argument. Based on the historic delineation of different modalities of recognition, it seeks to characterize current actions, considering the presence of Protestants in public space. In general, it involves analyzing the definition of frontiers within the religious field and the relations between religion, society and State in Brazil.
secularism; Brazilian religious field; public space