Secularism in questions. Always useful exhibition of the BNF

Last updated on 12 February 2025

The title of the exhibition that the Bibliothèque Nationale de France devoted in 2015 to the theme of secularism has been resonating sadly for a few days in the country after the drama of Conflans.

Secularism in Questions is a great work of the BNF and a useful resource for all those who have to deal with the subject with their students. An online exhibition with many educational resources ready to be used.

Ten questions about the cruel topicality of secularism

This virtual exhibition of the BNF is structured around ten questions. Among them: Is secularism the enemy of religions? What limits to freedom of expression? or can we laugh at everything? and …Kill in the name of God?

Each of these questions is analysed from a historical and philosophical point of view. Each question is also richly illustrated by a quality iconography with works extracted from the shelves of the BNF.

The BNF also offers two albums with carefully chosen illustrations on the representation of the republic and on the caricatures.

Pedagogical tracks for classroom work

The website of the Bibliothèque nationale de France also offers a complete file on secularism and three complete pedagogical sequences. Enemy secularism of religions? Limiting freedom? and can we laugh at everything?

Pedagogical tracks feed each question by relying on many iconographic documents and literary texts. All this is enriched by a solid chapter of useful references. Here again many illustrations can be used as pedagogical support.

A mobile exhibition on secularism to download

The BNF exhibition also features a set of ten posters in a beautiful layout. Signs that answer the initial ten questions in simple and direct language. Documents from the collections of the BnF (prints, … press drawings), old and contemporary, have been selected to contribute to the reflection of young people.

A beautiful realization of the BNF and useful work in these dark times.

The BNF that through its Retronews Service A few days ago, Jules Ferry wrote a letter to all French teachers on 17 November 1883, a few months after he had made the school free and secular.

Retronews publishes the original text of the Official Journal of that particular day. It reads:

“[…] What you are going to communicate to the child is not your own wisdom, it is the wisdom of the human race, it is one of those universal ideas that centuries of civilization have brought into the heritage of humanity.”

Please also read: The teaching league and the Milan editions were released in 2015 a poster explaining the Charter of Secularism to the youngest.