Religious Literacy

Starred review from November 20, 2006
Prothero (American Jesus
), chair of the religion department at Boston University, begins this valuable primer by noting that religious illiteracy is rampant in the United States, where most Americans, even Christians, cannot name even one of the four Gospels. Such ignorance is perilous because religion "is the most volatile constituent of culture" and, unfortunately, often "one of the greatest forces for evil" in the world, he writes. Prothero does more than diagnose the problem; he traces its surprising historic roots ("in one of the great ironies of…history, it was the nation's most fervent people of faith who steered Americans down the road to religious illiteracy") and prescribes concrete solutions that address religious education while preserving First Amendment boundaries about religion in the public square. Prothero also offers a dictionary of religious literacy and a quiz for readers to test their knowledge. This book is a must-read not only for educators, clergy and government officials, but for all adults in a culture where, as Prothero puts it, "faith without understanding is the standard" and "religious ignorance is bliss."

April 30, 2007
For a nation brimming with religion, Prothero wants to know why so many people lack genuine knowledge about their religion as well as others. Believing that American culture seriously lacks knowledge about the fundamentals of most world religions, he argues that schools need to teach classes that legitimately explore all world religions. In the tradition of E.D. Hirsch, he provides a collection of quintessential terms that define the current religious landscape. While the dominant presence of Christianity may cause resentment among secularists, the author is fairly objective in his discussion and justification for such reliance on Christianity. In terms of sound quality, the editors missed several vocal shifts, points where the author begins reading a new sentence in a distinctively different voice than the previous sentence. As narrator, Prothero proves competent but not entirely compelling. His pacing and emphasis certainly work well with his material, but his soft voice and relaxed tone leave something to be desired. Though these are his own written words, he doesn’t command the text in the way one would expect. Simultaneous release with the Harper San Francisco hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 20).

Starred review from March 1, 2007
The author of " American Jesus" (2003) opens this important book with a paradox. To wit, Americans are deeply religious " and" profoundly ignorant about religion; that is, one of the most religious countries is also a nation of "religious illiterates." Prothero calls religious illiteracy dangerous because religion is one of the greatest forces for good--as well as evil--in the world. Nowadays, standing on shaky religious ground can be literally a matter of life and death. To cite two brief examples of America's religious illiteracy: only half of American adults can name one of the four Gospels, and 10 percent of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. Prothero defines religious literacy--what it is, and what it is not. He also discusses the two great religious revivals in U.S. history, the Second Great Awakening of the nineteenth century and the postwar revival of the 1940s and 1950s. He argues both the constitutionality and the necessity of teaching--with an emphasis on spreading knowledge, not inculcating values--about religion in public schools and higher education. He suggests that every U.S. public high school should require a course on the Bible and another on the religions of the world. And he devotes an entire chapter to "a modest list" of a hundred or so religious terms that he deems essential, from " Abraham" to " Zionism, " to any American's religious knowledge. A must-read on its subject. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

February 1, 2007
Prothero (chair, religion department, Boston Univ.; "American Jesus") first builds a case for, then makes recommendations for, the teaching of religion in public schools and in higher education. Citing example after example, he demonstrates that Americans lack even basic religious knowledge. He traces the decline of religious knowledge and then shows how this decline can be reversed, all in accordance with recent Supreme Court decisions. Prothero illustrates that, more than just for moral character, biblical literacy is important. There are, however, obstacles it faces, e.g., public opinion, the inability of the secular Left and religious Right to compromise. He then helps the reader get started with an 85-page "Dictionary of Religious Literacy." Prothero builds a convincing and important case. His book will probably not appeal to general readers, especially when they are reminded of their lack of religious knowledge for a good portion of the first third. But it is particularly recommended for academic institutions that train our future teachers.George Westerlund, formerly with Providence P.L., Palmyra, VA

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