Teaching religion in the USA: bridging the gaps

Abstract

This article argues that, considering the current trends of polarization between adherents of different religions, courses on world religions should no longer focus only on the transmission of knowledge, but include material from human rights studies, inter‐religious dialogue, and peace studies as well. According to the author, due to their specific charters, confessional educational institutions (including institutions of higher education) in particular are well placed to use this interdisciplinary approach, since it changes academic learning about other religions and can lead to profound transformations, connecting the learning process with the core teachings of religions.