Seja feita a vossa vontade: a religião na política do Estado “laico” brasileiro

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the current meaning and the scope of secularism in Brazil. Although the secular State is a reality that has been consolidating itself in Brazil since the First Republic, the intensification of discussions regarding what secularism actually means in Brazil indicates that there is still room for further analysis. The fact that the Constitutions never made an express reference to the term “secularism”, leaving several questions about the relationship between the State and religion without answer, together with the advent of pluralism, has driven a series of discussions regarding how the State should position itself in the face of conflicts related to religions. One of the major problems arising from these investigations is portrayed by the multiplicity of interpretations regarding what secularity means and its limits by the various actors in society, especially in politics. These complex questions have been seeking for a solution in the Judiciary. Therefore, this thesis seeks to investigate and understand the reasons why such issues have been intensifying in order to, in the light of pluralism, present some ways to harmonize the relationship between State and religion.