Critical Religious Pluralism in Higher Education: A Social Justice Framework to Support Religious Diversity by Jenny L. Small

Abstract

Reviewed by: Critical Religious Pluralism in Higher Education: A Social Justice Framework to Support Religious Diversity by Jenny L. Small Saran Donahoo Critical Religious Pluralism in Higher Education: A Social Justice Framework to Support Religious Diversity Jenny L. Small New York, NY: Routledge, 2020, 104 pages, $59.95 (hardcover), $20.95 (ebook) Building on her research on faith, religion, and spirituality among college students and in student affairs, Jenny L. Small concludes that higher education remains a site of Christian privilege. Elements of Christianity continue to influence campus holiday and academic schedules; decorations and menu items; and events and celebrations. Even though institutions frequently use nonreligious terms such as winter break, the schedules continue to revolve around Christmas with little consideration to holidays such as Hanukkah and those of other religions. To that end, Small outlines the critical religious pluralism theory (CRPT) as an instrument colleges and universities can use to examine and improve their approaches to and support for religious pluralism. As a Black woman, I am accustomed to being an outsider to most forms of privilege; however, Small's discussion of Christian privilege reminds me that this is not always the case. Unlike my race, sex, and other characteristics, my identity as a Christian allows me to benefit from religious privilege, which becomes evident every time someone says "Merry Christmas." There are a wide array of greetings cards for every occasion that connect with my religion. It is with ease that I can find a place to practice my faith each time I move to a new community. Knowing how it feels to experience other forms of marginalization, I concur with Small's effort to challenge inequality instead of "allowing it to continue to reproduce" (p. 12). In Critical Religious Pluralism in Higher Education, Small details the pervasiveness of Christian privilege and its connection to higher education. This work challenges the exclusionary foundation of our institutions that are built on Christianity and pushes the individual beneficiaries of this privilege to recognize and reduce its role in oppression. The book contains five chapters, each written as individual essays. Chapter 1 helps to explain the need for a new theoretical model for examining and supporting religious pluralism by identifying the existence of Christonormativity (Christian privilege) in the US and how higher education maintains this privilege. Historically, many US colleges and universities began as religious institutions or were affiliated with a church to establish legitimacy and obtain financial support (Geiger, 2014; Turpin, 2020). While public and several private institutions no longer have designated religious affiliations, Small asserts that these institutions continue to privilege Christianity (and to a lesser degree, Judaism) in academic planning, calendars, and organizational spaces on or near campus properties. Such privilege exposes the weaknesses of religious tolerance as Christianity continues to dominate academic and social spaces. Recognizing the failure of religious tolerance, Small proposes CRPT to help those affiliated with higher education institutions to dismantle this privilege and thereby create environments that embrace those who practice any faith, as well as those who lack any religious association. Chapters 2 and 3 further establish the foundation for CRPT. With a review of literature of religion, spirituality, and faith practice and [End Page 383] their decline among college students, chapter 2 covers religion as a socially constructed identity. Providing a theoretical foundation in chapter 3, Small examines critical race theory (CRT) and Latinx critical theory (LatCrit) as challenges to the status quo that help pave the way for critical thought about religion. Both CRT and LatCrit are helpful in analyzing the ways that structures and social arrangements promote and maintain racial oppression. Small also highlights that these theories give limited attention to religion, thus creating the need for an additional mechanism in this area. Small devotes the last two chapters of her book to defining and suggesting applications for her theory. In chapter 4, Small describes the seven tenets of CRPT (p. 62): • US society has institutionalized Christianity in various aspects of society including higher education, which subordinates other religions and anyone who does not have a Christian affiliation. • CRPT provides a way to examine religion, its connection to and influence on culture, and its intersections with all other forms...