TruthBook Religious News Blog

November 13, 2006

A course in world religions gives students an understanding of divergent cultures

By Paris Achen

From a classroom in Medford's most prominent Catholic school, Patrick Naumes quizzes his pupils on the tenets of Hinduism and Buddhism.

A course in world religions is required for high school graduation at the independent college-preparatory school of nearly 400 students on Black Oak Drive.
During the year-long survey, pupils learn in depth about all the major religions from Judaism to Islam.

Knowledge of other religions gives pupils a cultural and political insight into historic and current world events and improves intercultural and interdenominational relations, even within the school, where not all of the students are Catholic, said teachers and students from world religions classes.

"In this global society, it's important to understand how the world operates, and part of the way the world operates is religion," said Jim Meyer, head of St. Mary's upper school. "Colleges will see these students are people who want to know and understand the world around them."

A Harvard University curriculum committee last month recommended requiring at least one course in religion for graduation, noting the significant role faith plays in shaping domestic and international politics and events.

The committee found religious education is lacking in most institutions of higher education.

"It's important to teach religion because it's such a huge part of life," said Kelsey Gross, a St. Mary's sophomore who is not religious. "If you're not learning the beliefs of other religions when you are learning history, you are lacking a huge source of what is causing the conflict" or other event..

Yet, public school administrators tend to shy away from such classes, as they can stir controversy and potentially cause conflict among parents, Bloomquist said.
Meanwhile, under the No Child Left Behind Act, teachers in public schools spend more and more time prodding students to master just the basics such as reading, writing and math, leaving less time for other subjects.

While the fear that teaching religion could alienate some students has prevailed in some public schools, non-Catholic students at St. Mary's say the world religions class there has the opposite effect.

"I think talking about different religions actually brings more awareness to everyone instead of isolating anyone because we not only hear the Catholic side, we also hear the Jewish side, the Muslim side, the Hindu side," Kelsey said.

In the spring each year, students have the option of going on a class trip to San Francisco, where they see religion in practice, from a Jewish synagogue to an Egyptian Coptic Christian church.

By giving equal time to each major religion, religious schools could end up sending the message that all religions are equal, which some parents who send their children to private schools to help solidify knowledge and beliefs in their own faith might oppose, said Paul Hammer, headmaster of the Catholic Guadalupe Education Center in Medford.

"You can't live with blinders on in your life," Meyer said. "Our students have a firm Catholic foundation, but they also understand the reality that other cultures and religions exist in the world."

That is especially true during a time when the world has become more global, he said.
"I think the class broadens people's perspective in being able to accept people for what they are and not using stereotypes," such as all Muslims are terrorists, said Bryan Bolint, a junior who comes from a Lutheran family. "It helps you meet people of all different religions without drawing conclusions right away."