Vida e obra de Ruy de Ayres Bello (1904-1980), conectadas a defesa da fé católica em Pernambuco, PE

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This thesis, linked to the “History and Historiography of Education” research line of the Postgraduate Program in Education at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), investigates Ruy de Ayres Bello's contributions to education, especially in the context of Catholic ideology. It explores the defense of a finalist, spiritual and supernatural education in his works aimed at training primary teachers. The analysis based on the trajectory of his life, moral and professional formation influenced his pedagogical ideas and his adherence to Catholicism. Thus, the research problem was based on the following question: Did Ruy de Ayres Bello defend a finalist, spiritual and supernatural education in his works aimed at training primary teachers? Ruy de Ayres Bello was born in 1904 and died in 1997. He was an educator from Pernambuco who participated directly in educational and political spaces. He was always linked to the trinomial: Catholic faith, intellectuals and education. The research used a variety of sources, including legislation, newspapers, memoirs, encyclicals and didactic works, to understand his convictions and militant Catholic identity over time. Based on the contributions of authors such as Prost (2008), Goldmann (1967), Saviani (2011), Certeau (1982), Ginzburg (1987), Chartier (2012), Choppin (2004), Magalhães (2021), among others, the theoretical-methodological procedures that underpinned the critical analysis of the sources obtained through bibliographical and documentary research were developed. The time frame was divided into two periods, 1904-1990, covering his birth and death, and 1940-1980, marked by his main publications. The research highlights the thematic versatility of his writings and his Christian worldview. Ruy Bello is seen as a Catholic intellectual, a writer of manuals, whose works circulated nationally and were widely used in primary teacher training courses. Although he had no formal schooling, his interpersonal skills enabled him to form publishing partnerships, including with foreign authors. His works, which reflect a traditional Christian vision, were valued for preserving the values of Christian society in the midst of social and educational changes, particularly after the Scholastic movement. The basis of his writing reflects the Thomist discourse, in the link between faith and human reason, and he attributes the essence of true pedagogy to God. Education is conceived as an essential, conscious and voluntary human act, in line with Catholic principles and Thomist thought. In short, the research examines Ruy de Ayres Bello's legacy as a conservative Catholic educator whose contributions profoundly influenced teacher training and education in Brazil, keeping the Christian worldview alive in the midst of educational and social changes. Ruy de Ayres Bello defended his convictions and his militant Catholic identity in all the organizations he joined.

Keywords: Ruy de Ayres Bello; school textbooks; Catholic Church; Christian education.