Jean-Jacques Rousseau: education for religious tolerance

Abstract

Theoretical research on Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), whose aim is to demonstrate that his ideas are fruitful in the reflection on education for religious tolerance. The justification of this investigation is supported by the fact that religions have strongly influenced the way of thinking, feeling and acting of large portions of humanity throughout its history; although not necessarily its purpose, religions inevitably become excuses for some of their adherents to develop intolerant positions towards those who do not share their beliefs. In Emily or On Education (Rousseau, 2004), there is a pamphlet (‘Profession of faith of the Savoyard vicar’); in it, one discusses difficulties raised by conceptions about divinity and some of its correlates; in view of the indissolubility of these problems, there remains the practice of tolerance, and it is up to individuals to respect each other as regards what each one on religion; the Savoyard vicar is the allegory by which Rousseau expresses his ideas about tolerance in religious matters. Here is the question in order to be answered: What propositions made by the Savoyard vicar allow to support education for tolerance in matters of beliefs, on which religions are based? It was verified that the education based on that profession of faith propitiates the religious tolerance, since it confers to each human being the freedom of the internal conviction in relation to beliefs to be adhered, instead of the external imposition; the Savoy vicar is the personification of the point of balance between such extremes, which, whether by lack or by excess, do not contribute to the cultivation of personal spirituality, whose core must be conscience. What underlies beliefs is the conviction that each individual carries within his inner forum, not his coercion, made by secular or religious authorities.