This 1974 book provides an institutional and historical analysis of the Brazilian Church, focusing in particular on its political role in relation to the state and society. There is a great interest in the Catholic Church in Latin America, both as an institution and as a progressive social force. The author pays special attention to the part played by the Church in the 'Brazilian Revolution' before 1964. By analyzing its internal reactions to changes in the external political order, he explains why the Church regressed after 1964 and from this develops an explanation of how change took place in the Church. The various threads of Professor Bruneau's analysis are brought together in the final section of the book. Here, it is shown that conflicts between Church and state are inevitable, and that they promise to change the whole system of which the Church has always been an integral part.