The confession as a dilemma: new-Christian scholars of the Rio de Janeiro – XVIII century

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to know the History of the new Christians who were born or lived in Rio de Janeiro and who have studied at the University of Coimbra between 1600 and 1730. The main sources of documents used are their processes when they were arrested by the Trial of Inquisition of the Holy Office in Lisbon. The “voices” we hear by means of the inquisitorial documents tell us about how hard some tried to produce a rhetoric before the Holy Office officials, as they started their confessions. Most of these literate men had graduated in Canon Law, nevertheless, instead of preparing complex theological discussions, they created practical problem solving methods, thus trying to go on with their lives, their studies and to recover their liberties, even after having become impoverished.