Educação popular na vida e obra de Frei Betto: contribuições para o pensamento latino-americano

Abstract

In this research, the objective was to characterize the Popular Education based on the life and work of Frei Betto. The theoretical-reflexive hermeneutics that accompanies this research proposal made use of the bibliographic and documentary procedure, based on a theoretical foundation guided by Agostini (2007, 2019), Brandão (1982), Dardot and Laval (2016), Demo (1995), Freire and Sydow (2016), Freire (1989, 1998, 2015), Ianni (2002), among other authors. In addition, it was necessary to perform an exegesis of the documents from the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Conference (CELAM), which elucidate a thought based on human promotion and authentic liberation. Furthermore, to corroborate with the analysis, it was argued in this study that Popular Education is the result of the consolidation of Latin American thought, as well as a polysemic concept, being subject to definition according to the experience of Frei Betto in the Dominican Congregation during the time he was imprisoned and in his considerations regarding pastoral actions carried out in the Ecclesial Base Communities (CEBs). Popular Education can also be grounded in a humanistic thought, with philosophical, pedagogical, and theological roots present in the literature of Frei Betto, and that reverberates in educational activities of everyday school life, as seen and analyzed in the documents of the Dominican Archive in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. It was concluded that in the thought of Frei Betto, there is an extensive theory and practice regarding Popular Education, which contributes with liberating actions, assurers of human dignity and the fulfilling life of society.