Concordat of 2008
Encyclopedia
The Concordat of 2008 was an agreement between the Catholic Church and Brazil, signed secretly in the Vatican
in the presence of the President of Brazil, Luiz da Silva
on 13 November 2008.
Some congressmen wanted to change the concordat
, however, as with any other international treaty, once it had been signed, it could not be modified by Brazil without Vatican approval, only accepted or rejected as a whole.
After much controversy it was ratified on 7 October 2009. The Association of Brazilian Magistrates opposed the concordat, as did some congressmen and Protestant groups. They objected that Brazil's constitution
enshrines separation of church and state
and forbids the creation of “distinctions between Brazilians or preferences favoring some.” An atheist spokesman called the concordat “an instrument of evangelization at the expense of the state and all Brazilian citizens.” The Catholic Bishops, however, denied that there was any conflict between the concordat and the constitution.
It was the clause on religious instruction that aroused the greatest controversy. Instead of non-sectarian religious education regulated by the educational authorities, which was laid down by the Education Act (LDB), Article 11 of the concordat permits the introduction into state schools of Catholic catechism
under the control of the Church. This encountered opposition because Brazil has a diverse religious landscape, which includes not only the major world religions, but also Afro-Brazilian ones like Candomblé
and the indigenous religions of the Amazon rainforest. The Ministry of Education feared that introduction of sectarian religious instruction in state schools could jeopardize the Brazilian policy of religious inclusiveness.
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in the presence of the President of Brazil, Luiz da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
on 13 November 2008.
Some congressmen wanted to change the concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
, however, as with any other international treaty, once it had been signed, it could not be modified by Brazil without Vatican approval, only accepted or rejected as a whole.
After much controversy it was ratified on 7 October 2009. The Association of Brazilian Magistrates opposed the concordat, as did some congressmen and Protestant groups. They objected that Brazil's constitution
Constitution of Brazil
During its independent political history, Brazil has had seven constitutions. The most recent was ratified on October 5, 1988.-Imperial Constitution :Background...
enshrines separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
and forbids the creation of “distinctions between Brazilians or preferences favoring some.” An atheist spokesman called the concordat “an instrument of evangelization at the expense of the state and all Brazilian citizens.” The Catholic Bishops, however, denied that there was any conflict between the concordat and the constitution.
It was the clause on religious instruction that aroused the greatest controversy. Instead of non-sectarian religious education regulated by the educational authorities, which was laid down by the Education Act (LDB), Article 11 of the concordat permits the introduction into state schools of Catholic catechism
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
under the control of the Church. This encountered opposition because Brazil has a diverse religious landscape, which includes not only the major world religions, but also Afro-Brazilian ones like Candomblé
Candomblé
Candomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practised chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . It originated in the cities of Salvador, the capital of Bahia and Cachoeira, at the time one of the main commercial crossroads for the distribution of products and slave trade to...
and the indigenous religions of the Amazon rainforest. The Ministry of Education feared that introduction of sectarian religious instruction in state schools could jeopardize the Brazilian policy of religious inclusiveness.