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THE QUESTION
Is religious literacy important?
In a Pew Forum survey released Tuesday, atheists and agnostic surpass all other groups in their knowledge of religion. How do you explain this? Educational level? That they have given more consideration to the religions they have rejected?
Is knowledge of religion important? Why?
Posted by
Elizabeth Tenety on September 28, 2010 11:49 AM
FROM THE PANEL
Knowing God vs. knowing about God
The Pew poll of religious knowledge, in which atheists/agnostics scored ever-so-slightly higher than Jews and Mormons demonstrates at least four significant facts about what we know and why we know it. Appreciating these facts would go a long way toward ending the ugly fighting between theists and atheists.
Posted by Brad Hirschfield, on October 3, 2010 3:39 PM
Religious literacy not merely philosophical
It is imperative to encourage a multi-faith education, not merely philosophical or academic but one that results in a broader understanding of society.
Posted by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on October 1, 2010 6:45 PM
Knowing beliefs of "others" important in global community
Life is getting complex and distractions are mounting, so religion appears to be slipping away from the priority list of many.
Posted by Rajan Zed, on October 1, 2010 3:54 PM
Catholicism's scandal of ignorance
As odd as it is to say such a thing, professed atheists tend to be passionate "non-believers." I wish everyone who calls himself "Catholic" would be as passionate.
Posted by Danielle Bean, on October 1, 2010 12:58 PM
Taste and See
The meaning of religion is not the ability to regurgitate facts, the meaning of religion is the ability to enter into an I-Thou relationship with the Divine and with the world around us.
Posted by Valerie Elverton Dixon, on September 30, 2010 12:08 PM
Religious illiteracy's win is pluralism's loss
Illiteracy has consequences. Academic illiteracy dulls a society's future; religious illiteracy stunts pluralism that is the cornerstone of a multi-religious society. And the nightmare scenario is with us today: witness the recent spate of violence against Muslims, Siikhs and Hindus.
Posted by Aseem Shukla, on September 30, 2010 8:38 AM
Atheism and ignorance
To be fair, active atheists and agnostics like Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris (both of Jewish descent) present in fact quite the opposite of Jon Stewarts antics, indeed taking their studies of G-d very seriously.
Posted by Shmully Hecht, on September 29, 2010 4:43 PM
Trivia kings, but bad thinkers: understanding over facts
Pew has released a study that shows if the average atheist and the average theist appear on religious Jeopardy, the theist is in trouble. However, wisdom and understanding are different from "just the facts." It is good to know facts, but that doesn't mean you get it.
Posted by John Mark Reynolds, on September 29, 2010 2:43 PM
Lack of religious knowledge prevents true diversity
Lack of knowledge who the other keeps us bound by fear and ignorance, which are the fuel for hatred.
Posted by Susan K. Smith, on September 29, 2010 2:37 PM
Knowledge not the same as religious experience
Knowing about something isn't the same thing as experiencing it.
Posted by Michael Otterson, on September 29, 2010 11:27 AM
"The ignorant cannot be pious"
The decline in religious literacy may be symptomatic of other declines, but no less sad for that. Judaism elevates the ideal of study; indeed it is probably the only religious tradition that envisages God studying. A rabbinic legend has it that in heaven the blessed sit around God and study together.
Posted by David Wolpe, on September 28, 2010 7:02 PM
Ignorance and faith
Having faith in faith, as Eisenhower promoted, can be quite dangerous.
Posted by Herb Silverman, on September 28, 2010 6:15 PM
Studying about religion can help us all
Nearly everyone in America today understands the value and importance of education, but far too few of us understand the value and importance of studying about religion using a scholarly approach
Posted by Ramdas Lamb, on September 28, 2010 6:06 PM
Atheists: know thy enemy
Research suggests that conversions from religion to atheism are disproportionately likely to be largely cognitive in nature, while conversions from atheism to religion tend to be more emotional. In addition, as adherents of an often-unpopular worldview, atheists and agnostics are frequently challenged to defend their position.
Posted by Tom Flynn, on September 28, 2010 5:42 PM
Ignorance is not bliss
Over the years, I have come to believe that the study of religion is a way to seek God, though not always to find God. Of course, I include agnosticism and atheism as part of the uniquely human search for God that sometimes, even for a life-time, entails silence and not communion. It is all one journey.
Posted by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, on September 28, 2010 4:57 PM
Why the God I pray to gets me rounded up with the atheists
Given that we share a similar level of religious literacy--and given also that I don't believe most of the same things they don't believe--nowadays I find myself wondering, what is my argument with atheists supposed to be?
Posted by Clark Strand, on September 28, 2010 4:04 PM
Knowing differently
Since I am a professor of religious studies, my default position is always to emphasize the importance of religious literacy--after all, my livelihood depends on it. For me, the real issue is that there are different ways to "know religion."
Posted by Mathew N. Schmalz, on September 28, 2010 3:58 PM
Experience G-d to know G-d
Limiting knowledge of and inquiry into other religious traditions - or into all fields of knowledge, for that matter - limits our understanding of G-d.
Posted by Max Carter, on September 28, 2010 2:40 PM
