ENSINO RELIGIOSO E A FORMAÇÃO DO SER HUMANO: Contribuições de Wolfgang Gruen

Abstract

This dissertation, titled "Religious Education and Human Formation: Contributions of Wolfgang Gruen," investigates religious education within the context of Brazil's National Com- mon Curricular Base (BNCC), focusing on the contributions of the thinker Wolfgang Gruen to the integral formation of the human being. The research starts with an analysis of the misun- derstandings and challenges that pervade the national debate on religious education, exploring fundamental epistemological and methodological aspects. The dissertation examines how Gru- en's thought, influenced by Paul Tillich, has significantly promoted a shift in the approach to religious education in Brazil. Gruen proposes an approach that transcends traditional catechesis, integrating religiosity more deeply and reflectively into the school curriculum. The research explores the impact of Gruen's ideas before and after his contributions, discussing how religious education can evolve to address not only the transmission of factual knowledge about religions but also the promotion of a deeper understanding of religious experience and civic formation. Utilizing a qualitative and exploratory methodology, the research is based on an extensive analysis of relevant literature, including books, articles, journals, and electronic documents, as well as interviews with Wolfgang Gruen. The dissertation aligns with the "Religion and Edu- cation" project of the Faculdade Unida de Vitória, aiming to understand human formation from the perspective of religiosity and its contributions to contemporary society. The main objectives of the dissertation are to investigate Gruen's publications, examine religiosity within religious education, and verify the paradigmatic shifts in the author's thinking. The research proposes that religious education, mediated by cultural, racial, and sexual factors, as suggested by Gruen, can educate students to be agents of social transformation. The dissertation concludes that reli- gious education, when approached inclusively and respectfully, can play a crucial role in the integral formation of students, promoting diversity, mutual respect, and Mutual Acceptance.