Education, religious education and teacher training:

a critical look at the need for secular and non-proselytizing religious education

Abstract

Religious education in Brazilian public schools has generated intense debates, especially regarding the secularity of the State and the promotion of inclusive and plural education. Based on the guidelines of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) and new pedagogical approaches, such as those proposed by Vasconcelos (2023) and Evangelista & Aragão (2023), religious education should be secular and non-proselytizing, valuing the country's religious and cultural diversity. This change seeks to ensure civic education without favoring a specific belief. The objective of this research is to discuss and substantiate the need for religious education that respects the principle of a secular State, promoting diversity and respect in educational environments, without proselytizing. The methodology adopted was a critical analysis and a bibliographic survey, based on studies by authors such as Vasconcelos (2023), Evangelista & Aragão (2023), and others who discuss the implementation of secular religious education in Brazil. The final considerations highlight the urgent need to review teacher training and pedagogical practices, to ensure religious education that respects plurality and is aligned with the principles of secularism and democracy, promoting respectful coexistence between different religious traditions.