Educating Leaders and Citizens

Abstract

AbstractAttaining an inclusive public space requires citizens as well as leaders to be religiously literate. Citizens and leaders do not need to become scholars of religion, but they need to understand the basics of religious identities. This chapter asserts that citizens must learn to listen to one another’s stories, to share their own, and to find areas of both agreement and disagreement. Religious literacy can happen through formal civic education, which can be part of teaching about religion in public schools, private schools, and higher education. As a comparison to the U.S., the chapter analyzes how religion is taught in public schools in Spain. The chapter also considers religion and the media, and asserts that journalists can play a role in promoting public understanding of religion in its diverse forms.