Religious Literacy

As a good follow-up to my earlier post on Youths Fear Winding Up Alone, take a look at this New York Times piece of Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus.

Peter Gomes who's spent 37 years at Harvard where  being seen as religious often meant being dismissed as not very bright
There is probably more active religious life now than there has been in 100 years.
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A survey on the spiritual lives of college students, the first of its kind, showed in 2004 that more than two-thirds of 112,000 freshmen surveyed said they prayed, and that almost 80 percent believed in God. Nearly half of the freshmen said they were seeking opportunities to grow spiritually, according to the survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Compared with 10 or 15 years ago, “there is a greater interest in religion on campus, both intellectually and spiritually,” said Charles L. Cohen, a professor of history and religious studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison

While students may be learning more, Stephen Prothero, chairman of the religion department at Boston University says the deep ignorance of Americans about the world's religions is dangerous.

"If you think Sunni and Shia are the same because they're both Muslim, and you've been told Islam is about peace, you won't understand what's happening in Iraq. If you get into an argument about gay rights or capital punishment and someone claims to quote the Bible or the Quran, do you know it's so?

Americans get an 'F' in religion.

Sixty percent of Americans can't name five of the Ten Commandments, and 50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married.

Knowledge about the basics of the Bible and the core beliefs and stories of other religions are necessary, he says if you are to be an 'empowered citizen' and understand what's going on in the world.

Prothero's solution is to require middle-schoolers to take a course in world religions and high schoolers to take one on the Bible. Biblical knowledge also should be melded into history and literature courses where relevant. He wants all college undergrads to take at least one course in religious studies.

Or if you are pressed for time, you could read his book

"Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't" (Stephen Prothero)