Science and religion in the classroom

a dialogue in favor of interculturality and in defense of critical thinking

Abstract

Immersed in the context that students bring their beliefs and cultural practices to the school environment, this article intends to offer some elements that show the importance of dialogue and the intercultural perspective as possible resources when dealing with topics in the classroom that can generate conflicts of ideas, especially when the student's religious beliefs are at stake. Understanding dialogue and interculturality as methods that allow conflict resolution and respect between different cultural groups and their worldviews, it was possible to  hear the students' opinions on controversial topics, such as darwinian evolutionarytheoryand the origin of biological life on Earth, without registering conflicts. However, while recognizing the value of scientific explanation, religion continues to take place prominently in the lives of many of these students.