When Paulo Freire Comes: Pedagogy Of The Oppressed, Holy Cross And Religion

Abstract

This article seeks to understand two works and contexts, the Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968), by philosopher and educator Paulo Freire, and the documentary Santa Cruz (2000), by filmmaker João Moreira Salles and journalist Marcos Sá Corrêa. The first work criticizes traditional education, proposes problematizing education and radical social change. The second shows the daily life of Pentecostal evangelicals in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro during the construction of their small temple. A parallel was drawn between the works and, in the socio-historical contexts, tangents. It is understood that a socio-critical reflection is essential in face of the evangelical growth and its strong impact on politics, education, and Brazilian society. The qualitative-theoretical methodology, based on a historical-anthropological perspective, will guide the discursive-textual construction of this article. Based on the summarized exposition of the works and the selection of key passages, three results are sought: the importance of re-reading Paulo Freire´s ideas to better understand the contemporary world; the critique of romantic-phenomenological approaches; and, finally, the invitation to social transformation based on the Paulo Freire’s critiques of sectarianism and non-critical education.