Developing Religious Literacies: Definitions, Applications, and Challenges

Kate Soules, PhD, Executive Director of the Religion and Education Collaborative

Are you religiously literate? Do you need to be? What does it mean to be religiously literate? While religious literacy has been discussed in education and religious studies for more than a decade, it is not widely understood by the broader public despite the salience of religion in contemporary U.S. and global societies. A quick look at the headlines makes it clear that religion is an active and dynamic force in U.S culture and politics. Literature is filled with references to religion. Religious identity is a protected class under U.S. law and freedom of religion is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. In these contexts, what does it mean to be religiously literate? How does religious literacy compare to other forms of literacy, such as media literacy, scientific literacy, or economic literacy? This talk will explore definitions and parameters of religious literacy in multiple contexts and consider the challenges of promoting religious literacies.