A versão portuguesa do Catecismo de Montpellier: dinâmicas de ensino e poder (Século XVIII)

Abstract

Situated within the field of the History of Education, this dissertation analyzes the historical trajectory and pedagogical role of the Catechism of Montpellier in the context of the eighteenth-century Portuguese Empire, understanding it as both an artifact of print culture and an educational device aimed at the moral, religious, and social formation of subjects. The investigation takes as its object the work printed by order of Bishop Carlos Joaquim Colbert, translated into the Portuguese language to teach Christian Doctrine to boys in the schools of the Kingdoms and Dominions of Portugal, tracing its trajectory from its elaboration in absolutist France under Louis XIV to its appropriation and normative regulation within the context of the Pombaline reforms. The study examines the historical, political, and discursive conditions that enabled its circulation, officialization, and use in schooling, situating the catechism within the disputes between ultramontanism, Gallicanism, and Jansenism. Within this framework, the manual is interpreted as a strategic instrument for the reorganization of relations between Church and State, aimed at strengthening royal authority and containing Roman influence. Methodologically, this is a qualitative historical-documentary study, grounded in the systematic analysis of the Portuguese pedagogical version of the catechism, in dialogue with normative sources and complementary texts from the period. The theoretical framework articulates contributions from Cultural History, the History of Education, and studies on print culture, drawing on authors such as Pierre Bourdieu, Jean-Claude Passeron, and Fernand Braudel. The results demonstrate that the Catechism of Montpellier went beyond the function of religious instruction, operating as a pedagogical technology and a mechanism of symbolic regulation of children’s conduct, contributing to the production of subjectivities aligned with the political and moral interests of the Portuguese State. By elucidating the articulations between religion, education, and power, the research broadens the understanding of the role of pedagogical printed materials in the formation of Luso-Brazilian society.