Sexta feria, XII Octobris, Anno Domini MMXVIII
Greetings, my brothers in Christ.
I am interested to know how different nations approach science. Is science considered an important subject, or is it not a priority? Are science classes mandatory in school, and which ones (chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy) to be exact? What are the attitudes of the major religions towards science? And how do you deal with conflicts between religious teaching and scientific theories?
In the Catholic State of Portugal, science education is somewhat low on the agenda. We believe that teaching citizens to be faithful Christians and productive members of society is more important. Unless wanting to enter the medical profession, science classes are not mandatory past the primary school level. The majority of Portuguese school children only receive basic instruction in the natural sciences: plants, animals, weather, the Earth and phases of matter. Most will never learn the more advanced ideas such as chemical reactions or cell division, because that knowledge is not necessary here.
The state religion of Portugal is Catholic Christianity, and that has a large influence on how science is taught. Unless it is undeniably proven to be true, a scientific theory may not deny or challenge biblical events like Genesis. To ensure compatibility with Catholic teachings, every book about a restricted subject – in this case, astronomy and evolution – must receive approval from the Ministry of Religion and Culture before it can be published in the Catholic State. For example, maps of the Solar System must place the Earth in the centre like this one:
If you are not sure a book is approved or not, simply check the back cover. Books approved by the Ministry of Religion and Culture will have a Número de Controle (control number) in addition to or instead of the ISBN. This number is stored in a database to allow authorities to quickly check if a book is legal or not. There are serious penalties for publishing an unapproved book, especially if the contents are judged to be heretical or blasphemous.
Blessed day to all,
Afonso Salazar
Lord Protector of the Catholic State