Editing Edir Macedo (section)

==Career==
Macedo was raised [[Catholic]], but by 1965 converted to [[Pentecostalism]], after an invitation from his sister to [[Igreja Cristã de Nova Vida]].<ref>CORTEN André, DOZON Jean-Pierre, ORO Ari Pedro, ''Les nouveaux conquérants de la foi-L'Eglise universelle du royaume de Dieu (Brésil)'', KARTHALA Editions, France, 2003, p. 46</ref><ref name=UCKG>{{Cite book|last1=Leonard|first1=Jim|url=http://www.comingstobrazil.com/blog/UNIVERSAL%20CHURCH%20OF%20THE%20KINGDOM%20OF%20GOD.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104041/http://www.comingstobrazil.com/blog/UNIVERSAL%20CHURCH%20OF%20THE%20KINGDOM%20OF%20GOD.pdf|archive-date=March 4, 2016|title=Universal Church of the Kingdom of God|publisher=[[Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary|Faith Baptist Theological Seminary]]|location=[[Ankeny, Iowa]]|date=May 8, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1975, Macedo founded a Pentecostal church with [[Romildo Ribeiro Soares]], Cruzada do Caminho Eterno. After an argument, the two separated.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}

In 1977, Macedo founded with others the [[Universal Church of the Kingdom of God]] in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.<ref>Patrice de Plunkett, ''Les évangéliques à la conquête du monde'', Éditions Perrin, France, 2009, p. 110</ref>

In 1989 he bought the [[free-to-air]] commercial television network Record and in the same year he founded Grupo Record. In 2007 he founded the 24-hour free-to-air news channel Record News.

Macedo’s rapidly expanding religious movement and his promotion of prosperity theology have been controversial. His sermons often focus on the idea that followers may be oppressed by unclean spirits, which he teaches can manifest in individuals and be expelled in the name of Jesus in order to overcome personal problems.<ref name="Pastor misusing funds">{{cite news|last1=Preston|first1=Julia|title=Brazil's Pastor of Prosperity Accused of Misusing Funds|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 3, 1991}}</ref>

His views on other religions, particularly Catholicism, have also been a source of controversy. In 1992, Macedo spent eleven days in jail on accusations of charlatanism. According to his autobiography ''Nothing to Lose'', several protests took place during this time, and supporters camped outside the police station where he was being held.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uckg.org/uk/?p=49898|title=uk – UCKG HelpCentre|website=uckg.org|access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref>

Macedo’s prosperity theology has also been cited by church leaders in discussions of his lifestyle. One reported statement attributed to him is: “If I preach prosperity and my clothes are ragged, who will follow me?”<ref name="Pastor misusing funds" />

From March 2013 to 2015, Macedo was on the [[Forbes billionaires list]] with a reported US$1.1&nbsp;billion, and $1.24&nbsp;b for Macedo and family, making him by far the richest pastor in Brazil and the world.<ref name=forbes>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2013/01/17/the-richest-pastors-in-brazil/|title=The Richest Pastors in Brazil|first=Anderson|last=Antunes|website=Forbes|date=17 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="Forbes profile"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/andersonantunes/2015/03/02/brazils-richest-people-facts-and-figures/ |title=Brazil's Richest People: Facts and Figures |newspaper=Forbes |date=March 2, 2015 |author=Anderson Antunes |access-date= August 22, 2017}}</ref> He was not on the list for 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2016/07/17/who-wants-to-be-a-brazilian-billionaire/ |title=Who Wants To Be A Brazilian Billionaire? |newspaper=Forbes |date=July 17, 2016 |author=Kenneth Rapoza |access-date= August 22, 2017}}</ref> or later years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forbes Billionaires 2022: The Richest People In The World |website=Forbes |date= |access-date=29 July 2022 |url= https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/}} List updated annually.</ref>

The UCKG built a [[Temple of Solomon (São Paulo)|US$300&nbsp;million replica]] in São Paulo of [[Solomon's Temple]] in [[History of Jerusalem#Israelite period|Jerusalem]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ariquemesonline.com.br/noticia.asp?cod=292351&codDep=30 |title=Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus inaugura empreendimento faraônico de R$685 milhões|language=pt|trans-title=Universal Church of the Kingdom of God inaugurates R$685&nbsp;million Pharaonic enterprise|website=Ariquemes Online |date=August 1, 2014 |access-date= August 19, 2019}}</ref> with an $8&nbsp;million contract to import stones from Jerusalem like those used to build the 3,000-year-old original.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/International/First-Temple-replica-to-be-built-in-Sao-Paulo |title=First Temple replica to be built in Sao Paulo |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |date=July 27, 2010  |author=GIL STERN STERN SHEFLER |access-date= August 19, 2019}}</ref>