Why Does Religion Matter? The Importance of Religious Literacy for Educators
Religious literacy in schools has, in many instances, been a topic of challenge. By its very nature, with its various truth claims, religion can be a source of tension within any school community. Many educators are insecure about the content of many faith traditions not inherent to their cultural background. These challenges that result in a gap in religious literacy have profound consequences as students begin to navigate an increasingly globalized and pluralistic twenty-first century. Thus, it becomes increasingly apparent that "religion matters." During this session, Dr. Hall, founder of Religion Matters, will detail some of the challenges of religious literacy for educators and responses to these challenges connecting its importance to education.
About Tim Hall, Ph.D.:
Dr. Hall has served in education for over 20 years in various capacities, including teacher, principal, and district administrator in public, private, and charter schools. He is currently a 9-12 Social Studies Learning Guide at Vance Virtual Village Academy, Senior Fellow of the Religious Freedom Institute, and founder of Religion Matters. As an educator, Dr. Hall has taught AP World History, AP European History, AP Psychology, Medieval Studies, United States History, and Sociology. He has received numerous awards, including two schoolteacher studentships to Oxford University for curriculum development and research fellowships to the Kierkegaard Library at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Dr. Hall is the author of several textbook supplements, curriculums, standards, and several popular history texts, including The Complete Idiot's Guide to World HistoryandThe Complete Idiot's Guide to the Middle Ages. He has also collaborated with the College of William and Mary to develop curriculum materials to teach the principle of separation of church and state in American history as an extension to a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar.