Self Check for Lesson 2 Test

 6.   It is a realm of strongly held positions and emotions

 8.   It is capable of stirring great controversy within education

11.   It can lead to violations of religious liberty

13.   It inspires many people to important actions

Explanatory Note:  Not all persons are interested in or involved with a religion. // Definitions of it vary // Religion is not a comfortable topic for most Americans. // Although religion is broadly viewed as the source of moral conscience (some religious traditions posit and propagate the notion that it is the only source of morality), secular philosophies posit otherwise, and science offers naturalistic explanations for human moral development.

    True  False   [Return to chart in Activity, Step 2 for explanation.]

14. [Christians and Moslems have the same view of the word “faith”.]

15.  For many people the religion of their birth remains their religion throughout life.

16.  Some religions don't require faith for participation.

17.  Some religions represent a way of life or a search for truth, and not a faith in a given truth. 

18.  The US has a low church attendance compared to other countries.

19.  You can tell when a student is religious by whether s/he attends worship services or not.

20.  American tends to divide life into a public secular world  and a private religious world

21.  It is a Mediterranean regional ethic that tends to create a private spiritual world and a public secular world. 

22.  Worldwide, the number of individuals who choose to live a secular life without a religious component is getting smaller and smaller.

23.  At a time in life many people are uncertain that they can believe anything specific about the divine.

24.  It is not socially acceptable in the U.S. to state publicly that one is an atheist.

    A classroom discussion about religion is vastly different from one on something like geography.   For one thing, in a public school human worldviews involve matters of constitutional concern.  This calls for a climate of religious neutrality to be maintained, a legal stricture that doesn't apply to typical academic  subjects.  There is not much for a teacher to go on in the way of guidelines either.

Also, whereas a teacher may wish to be factually accurate and impartial, but things just aren't as straightforward when the subject comes to religion.  It's more difficult for a teacher to avoid being caught up in his/her own worldview.  For example, it is often hard for a teacher to distinguish whether information about some event derives from recorded history or whether it comes from what one's religious upbringing has taught.  It is also harder to summon empathy for persons whose worldviews stand in opposition to one's own life stance.  Being fair and impartial would be nice for courtroom judges and classroom teachers alike, but the realm of ultimate beliefs proves tricky terrain for both.