The American Academy of Religion (AAR) hosted four online workshops, initiating conversations about the fostering of religious literacy on college campuses. Based on the AAR’s “Religious Literacy Guidelines: What U.S. College Graduates Need to Understand about Religion,” the workshops examine elements of religious literacy that contribute to a basic level of cultural competency in a religiously diverse society and show how these elements apply to everyday life, on campus and in professional contexts.
The Religious Literacy Workshops help faculty, staff, administrators, and students examine existing courses, programs, and learning objectives to reflect on how religious literacy can be an integrated component of learning across the curriculum and campus life.
Dr. Kate Soules, an education researcher and curriculum developer, who specializes in religious literacy and teacher education, facilitated the workshops. Soules is co-founder and Executive Director of the Religion and Education Collaborative (REC), an interdisciplinary network of scholars and practitioners working at the intersections of religion and schooling. She believes that religious literacy starts with self-reflection.