Religious diversity and laity in Brazil: questions about religious education in schools

Abstract

Since 1997 the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education guarantees the discipline of Religious Education (RE) in non-proselytizing format, respecting the religious cultural diversity of the country. However, because of the history of a catechetical RE in Brazil, some authors militate against discipline, defending the "laicity" of the State. However, there are researchers and educators who defend the RE, based on the Science of Religion, where the religious phenomenon is worked in a holistic, non-confessional, and nonproselytizing way, understanding religion as a cultural phenomenon, historical, integral part of Brazilian society. In this sense, it would not be a problem for the State to subsidize this teaching, since it does not harm state laicity. Thus, this article seeks to understand the relationship between the way the Brazilian state was constituted, the type of laicity exercised here and the importance of an RE that preserves the laity of the state and guarantees the students access to the diversity of their cultural religious-heritage.