A história do ensino religioso no Estado da Paraíba: mudanças e implicações (1984-2004)

Abstract

This work describes the history of Religious Education in the state of Paraíba from 1984 to 2004 through bibliographic and documentary research in which a qualitative approach was applied. It sought to answer the following questions: why Religious Education at school? Why the necessity of training on the part of the professionals involved with this curriculum component? What are the Brazilian states which offer courses on the subject? Why the society engaged in such contexts require explanation to their doubts from the discipline professionals? In order to answer these questions the following objectives were specified: to analyse the history of Religious teaching in the state of Paraíba; and as specific objectives we endeavored i) to define religion, religion lesson, and Religious teaching, ii) to contextualise the history of education in Brazil, iii) to analyse the Religious teaching in the state of Paraíba, iv) to analyse the resolutions so as to verify the changes and implications of the Religious teaching at Paraíba. The data collected and analysed elucidated that Religious Education is under resolution n° 119/2004 which declares how it should be employed, as wells as the existence of a primer that supports the teacher and helps those people who are interested in Religion Education to perceive what it is and how it works in Paraíba. The research made it possible to evidence that RE is neither a religion, nor a religion class, but a class of Religious Education; and that the current teaching of the subject has been undergoing significant changes.