A revista “O Jovem Luterano”: educação, doutrinação e sociabilidade na identidade juvenil do Sínodo de Missouri (1929-1971)

Abstract

This dissertation aims to discuss how the magazine “O Jovem Luterano” (The Lutheran Youth Teen), created under the coordination of Missouri Synod, current Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil - IELB (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil), affected social and religious education of the young adults pertaining to that religious institution. The timeline in this case comprehends the period of the magazine circulation, from 1929 to 1971. The research mobilizes the journal as source and object under the perspective of documentary analysis (Bacellar, 2008; Luca, 2008) and refers particularly to seven narratives of its readers, gathered by the methodology of Oral history (Alberti, 2005). The study therefore is inserted in the field of History of education and analyzed under the theoretical perspective of Cultural history. It rests upon the concepts of culture, civilization and social structure of Norbert Elias (1993 and 2011), aiming to mark the civilizing processes of ritual, tradition and social network formalization within communities, designing the youth as a cultural construction according to Stuart Hall (2014), which emphasizes the fluid, constructed and negotiated nature of identity. The precepts of Michael de Certeau (2011) give necessary support to decode strategies as well as educational and training tools designed and used by the Lutheran institution, provider of the publication, and the young readers of the magazine. The materiality, circulation and ownership of the magazine had been considered under the perspective of Roger Chartier (1990, 1999, 2001 and 2002) and according to the transnational theory and intersecting stories (Werner; Zimmermann, 2003; Schwriewer; Caruso, 2005) in order to understand the cross-border circulation. There is a proposition that stands for the “O Jovem Luterano” magazine as a space for learning, guidance and social integration created for the purpose of strengthening the Lutheran identity among the youths within the Missouri Synod community. It was consolidated as a complementary learning, aiming to enhance and expand family and student skills, improving the experiences of religious education during the stage of confirmation. Its goal was to contribute for full vocational training of young Lutherans, offering opportunities to improve the understanding of Lutheran doctrine, interpersonal relations and ethical and moral issues, whereas its readers had been developing reading, writing and interpretive skills. Besides, it pursued to provide a social and cultural knowledge base, encouraging interaction among the youths, without losing reference to the doctrinal principles of Missouri Synod. Lastly, it came to the conclusion that the educational, doctrinal and socializing purposes of “O Jovem Luterano” magazine mirrored the publication commitment in promoting identity formation of young Lutherans, who, by the means of its pages, had the opportunity to connect and share experiences, exchange information and strengthen bonds of solidarity and fraternity that united them as members of a same religious tradition.