Discusses the life and career of Joachim Wach, a proponent of comparative study of religion (CSR). Reports that Wach envisioned "Religionwissenschaft," a unitary science taking a systematic approach to the study of religion using elements of theology, philosophy, and social science. Presents Wach's "basic and eternal" questions…

Discusses the scant attention that education has paid to religion historically. Suggests perceiving Christianity in its historical development as ecclesiastical, social, and personal. Observes that religious education is independent of both theology and pedagogics. Demonstrates that the discourse between pedagogics and theology must be based on…

This monograph offers an overview of the various ways conversations about religion and religiously informed scholarship are increasing among scholars in secular and church-related colleges and universities. Specifically, it addresses the history of secularization in American higher education and scholarship, the general models of faith and…

Suggests that the study of religions and their histories turn students and teachers back on their individual and cultural assumptions about the nature of religion. Recommends addressing religion in U.S. public education by emphasizing both the objective phenomena of religious life and the subjective religious choices of individuals and cultures.…

Offers a lesson plan for teaching students about religious leaders' views concerning poverty. Provides quotations from a rabbi, a Catholic bishop, and a Methodist minister concerning their approaches to dealing with the poor. Includes questions for students dealing with the quotations. (SG)

Examines the relationship between life history and religion and the relationship's implications for education. Argues that the topic is a traditional one for education. Describes research findings concerning the religious implications of autobiographical reflection and the development of meaning in life history. Concludes that religion remains a…

Discusses the history and conceptual, cultic, and communal aspects of the Islamic religion. Explores the duties of Muslims, which are referred to as the "pillars of Islam." Describes Muhammed's place in the Islamic faith as its primary prophet and model of behavior. Identifies an approach to the study of Islam that is equally applicable…

Discusses different biblical translations throughout history in the context of the imminent publication of the New Revised Standard Version of the "Bible." Contends that in the present time, religious educators confront unprecedented disclosures about scripture based on ecumenical and interrelgious scholarship. (DB)

Discusses the development of religious studies as an academic discipline. Examines the work of leading thinkers in the field, including anthropologists Sir James Fraser and Edward Burnett Taylor, sociologist Max Weber, and psychologist Erik Erikson. Identifies some of the many reference works that deal with religious studies. (SG)

The multi-faceted assessment of the teaching of religious history in the elementary and secondary schools of Indiana developed from a need for the assessment, a concept and procedure for the assessment, and the applications to educational practice. Textbooks have neglected religious history, and a national movement exists to improve the curricular…

A new consensus supported by the leadership of many religious and educational organizations sees the study of religion as essential if students are to be educated about the history and culture of the United States. This teaching guide is designed to accompany the 17-volume series, "Religion in American Life," aimed at young adults and…

Provides directions for teaching high school students about world religions through the convening of a mock ecumenical council. Discusses objectives, activities, student presentations, the ecumenical council, and sample rules. Explains that groups of students are assigned to research particular religions and offer presentations about them before…

Presents a lesson plan for teaching about the role of African-American religious leaders in the U.S. civil rights movement. Provides scripts with which students play the roles of various members of a community. Explains that students decide which speakers would be most likely to lead the local civil rights movement. (SG)

Provides a three-day lesson plan for instruction about the Holocaust. Includes student handouts about the roots of antisemitism, the "Final Solution," and other topics. Examines the historical roots of anti-Jewish feeling, the rise of Germany's Nazi Party, Jewish resistance, and the ultimate liberation of Jews who survived the…

Presents a sampling of available ERIC documents and journal articles about Islam. Includes brief descriptions of each of the 10 items and an explanation of how to find the materials. (DK)