Religious Education in Brazil: from confessionality to laicity?

Abstract

This article discusses the historical trajectory of Religious Education in Brazil, and its alignment with a project of nation and with the public policies of education. To achieve this goal, we opted for bibliographic research. In addition to legislation and official curriculum documents, we consulted authors who assist in understanding these texts and the history of Brazilian education. The results were presented through four topics: definition of laicity and its expression in Brazil; history of Religious Education from colonization to the Military Period; the development of the discipline in the post-democratization period; and its curricular definitions after the promulgation of the Common National Curricular Base. We conclude that the epistemological development experienced by Religious Education has brought it closer to the ideals of laicity and appreciation of religious diversity expressed in Brazilian legislation.

Religious Education; Religion and Education; Curriculum; Public Policies in Education; Democracy; Education for Diversity