Religious literacy what every american needs to knowand doesnt do you get tonguetied when asked to name the twelve apostles. Stephen prothero believes that religion should be taught in the public schools. He seems like a relatively dispassionate observermore of a tame, cultural christian than any sort of fervent disciple of jesusand so, he is wellsuited to. Religious literacy stephen prothero ebook login palpriority. Religious literacy by stephen prothero houston chronicle. Analysis of religious literacy in stephen prothero s religious literacy.
We have a major civics education problem today, says religion scholar stephen prothero. His work has been featured on the cover of time magazine, the oprah winfrey show, the daily show with jon stewart, national. Religious literacy what every american needs to knowand doesnt stephen prothero to my daughters, molly and lucy pro. Free new vic theatre, 33 w victoria street, santa barbara su m m a r y fa c ts stephen prothero, author of new york times bestseller religious literacy and professor of religion, boston university. These are just two of the depressing statistics in stephen prothero s provocative and timely religious literacy. Essay analysis of religious literacy by stephen prothero. What every american needs to know aboutand doesnt, by stephen prothero. Stephen prothero, professor of religion at boston university, author and commentator on the importance of religious literacy in cultural and political matters, will speak about religious literacy. Stephen protheros religious literacy quiz part i 1. Stephen prothero s religious literacy quiz part ii adapted from stephen prothero, religious literacy n. An introduction to god is not one, by stephen prothero. He argues that we can make a concerted effort to learn about religious traditions without having to accept or believe them prothero, 2007. Stephen prothero is a professor of religious studies, and in the introduction to religious literacy, he makes very clear the difference between engaging in religious studies, and preaching.
He makes the provocative case that to remedy this, we should return to teaching religion in the public schools. Resources and tools for religious literacy and competency. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading religious literacy. Most of stephen protheros college introductory religion course students failed this quiz. The united states is one of the most religious places on earth, but it is also a nation of religious illiterates. He is a professor of religion at boston university and the author of eight books on religion in america, including the new york times bestseller religious literacy. In one of the great ironies of american religious history, prothero writes, it was the nations most fervent people of faith who steered us down the road to religious illiteracy. What is clear from the outset, are the sheer complexities referred to by the religious literacy idea, and. How strange then that a significant fraction of the book reads much like a sermon. Author stephen prothero, who chairs the religion department. Stephen protheros recent book, in which he develops a concept of religious literacy and argues for its importance in america, can be summarized as follows. Download it once and read it on your kindle device. What every american needs to know and doesnt new york. George bush spoke in his first inaugural of the jericho road.
Does the acquisition of factual knowledge about religion lead to an understanding of religion. Despite this lack of basic knowledge, politicians and pundits continue to root public policy arguments in religious rhetoric whose meanings are missedor misinterpretedby the vast majority of americans. What every american needs to know and doesnt, harpercollins, 2007. Religious literacy by stephen prothero 2245 words cram. American scholar of religion, stephen prothero, suggests that all individuals should know the basic beliefs of all the major religions. Only 10 percent of american teenagers can name all five major world religions and 15 percent cannot name any. Religious literacy by stephen prothero book read online scribd. Prothero s emphasis on religious differences can give the false impression that religious diversity is a problem. He is the author of god is not one 2010 and the new york times bestseller religious literacy 2007.
In this book, stephen prothero campaigns against religious illiteracy and offers some solutions to this pervasive problem in the united states. Stephen prothero is one of americas leading scholars on the relationship between religion and politics. We last talked with stephen in 2008, when he published his religious literacy a wakeup call to americans about how little we know even about our own individual faiths. The eight rival religions that run the world, new york times bestselling author of religious literacy and religion scholar stephen prothero argues that persistent attempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same god overlook the distinct problem that each tradition seeks to solve. Stephen prothero is the new york times bestselling author of religious literacy and god is not one and a professor of religion at boston university. Resources and tools for religious literacy and competency building religious literacy and competency is an ongoing process, with a wealth of selfdirected study resources as well as classroom training available. Alongside reading, writing, and arithmetic, religion ought to become the fourth r of american education. Read religious literacy by stephen prothero by stephen prothero for free with a 30 day free trial. The eight rival religions that run the world with stephen colbert. His work has been featured on the cover of time magazine, the oprah winfrey show, the daily show w.
Russell professor religion in america at boston university. Stephen prothero, discusses his book, god is not one. Religious literacy by stephen prothero is about the history and fall of religious literacy in america. He received his ba from yale college in american studies and his ma and phd from harvard university in the study of religion. Read religious literacy by stephen prothero for free with a 30 day free trial. In this timely, carefully reasoned social history of the united states, the new york times bestselling author of religious literacy and god is not one places todays heated culture wars within the context of a centurieslong struggle of right versus left and religious versus secular to reveal how, ultimately, liberals always win. What every american needs to knowand doesnt harper san francisco. One thing that i noticed when i moved from atlanta to boston was that my students didnt seem to get the references that i was making to. Alongside reading, writing, and arithmetic, religion ought to become the fourth r of american education, he says. His work has been featured on the cover of time magazine, the oprah winfrey show, the daily show with jon stewart, the colbert report, npr, and other top national media outlets. The book starts out about america today and its current religious literacy. Rent or buy religious literacy 9780060859527 by prothero, stephen r. Harper collins publishers, 2008 1 372, prothero discusses how the american society was once a religiously literate nation, how we became religiously illiterate, and how if willing we. The preceding chapters have laid out ways in which religious literacy is pressing, and how it can be, is, or should be, applied in various public settings.
The sociologist peter berger once remarked that if india is the most religious. Religious literacy isbn 9780060859527 pdf epub stephen. The united states is one of the most religious places on earth, but it is also a nation of shocking religious illiteracy. Religious tolerance in an age of extremism sunday, january 26 3. Many believe that americas descent into religious illiteracy was the doing of activist judges and secularists hellbent on banishing religion from the public square. I have long agreed with him that americans suffer from a religious. Many american believing that america has become secular but in fact is very religious. Stephen prothero tells us that hinduism has many gods and buddhism has no god. An introduction to god is not one, by stephen prothero by rudy barnes, jr. Prothero chairs the department of religion at boston university. Nearly twothirds of americans believe that the bible holds the answers to all or most of lifes basic questions, yet only half of american adults can name even. Stephen prothero is the new york times bestselling author of religious literacy and god is not one, a professor of religion at boston university, and a senior fellow at the smithsonians national museum of american history in washington d. Just how that happened is one of the stories this book has to tell.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The author of american jesus 2003 and chairman of the religion department at. Religious literacy stephen prothero digital audiobook. What every american needs to knowand doesnt and american jesus. This week, we welcome stephen back to readthespirit for an interview about his latest book, god. Prothero reveals that this is a profound misunderstanding. And because domestic controversies, like those over intelligent design or gay marriage, are also often bound up with religion, prothero writes, you need religious literacy in order to be an.
A good starting point is taking a religious literacy selfassessment quiz and then proceeding to selfstudy with a. What every american needs to know and doesnt on wednesday, feb. The daily show with jon stewert, comedy central stephen prothero discusees his book religious literacy with host jon stewert and suggests that our politicians learn about comparative religions. What every american needs to knowand doesnt kindle edition by prothero, stephen.
He makes the provocative case that to remedy this problem, we should return to teaching religion in the public schools. Download or read online ebook everfi financial literacy quiz answers in pdf format from the. Religious literacy ebook 9780061856211 by stephen prothero. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. We have a major civic problem on our hands, says religion scholar stephen prothero. Stephen prothero is a professor in the department of religion at boston university and the author of numerous books, most recently religious literacy. Russell professor of religion at boston university specializing in american religions. Match the bible characters with the stories in which they appear by drawing a line from one to the other. His work has been featured on the cover of time magazine, the oprah winfrey show, the daily show with jon stewart, national public radio, and other top. Not because he wants to see americans become more religious, but because he believes religious literacy is necessary in order for children to become effective, educated citizens.