Religious Literacy
What Every American Needs to Know—And Doesn't
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- اطلاعات
- نقد و بررسی
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نقد و بررسی
Taking its cue from Hirsch's benchmark NEW DICTIONARY OF CULTURAL LITERACY (1988), this is an important book for an important time. Addressing the need for Americans to be fully conversant in the essential teachings of all major religions (Christian religion, in particular, but not exclusively), the author makes the bold assertion that religion should be taught in schools. Prothero, the chair of the Department of Religion at Boston University, is oddly mild in his reading. His words are slightly clipped, and, even though he reads his own book, some emphases and stresses sound strangely off. He speaks too close to the microphone, or perhaps not loudly enough, necessitating extra amplification, causing many slight but audible whistles and chirps throughout the reading. S.M.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
Starred review from November 20, 2006
Prothero (American Jesus
), chair of the religion department at Boston University, begins this valuable primer by noting that religious illiteracy is rampant in the United States, where most Americans, even Christians, cannot name even one of the four Gospels. Such ignorance is perilous because religion "is the most volatile constituent of culture" and, unfortunately, often "one of the greatest forces for evil" in the world, he writes. Prothero does more than diagnose the problem; he traces its surprising historic roots ("in one of the great ironies of…history, it was the nation's most fervent people of faith who steered Americans down the road to religious illiteracy") and prescribes concrete solutions that address religious education while preserving First Amendment boundaries about religion in the public square. Prothero also offers a dictionary of religious literacy and a quiz for readers to test their knowledge. This book is a must-read not only for educators, clergy and government officials, but for all adults in a culture where, as Prothero puts it, "faith without understanding is the standard" and "religious ignorance is bliss."
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