Teaching of religion worldwide

First, you need to realize that in the US, there is no uniform curriculum. What is taught is determined on a state by state, county by county, city by city or even school by school basis.In the US there is an additional issue. Since the majority of the schools are publicly funded, there is NO religious classes or courses at all. Most students get no introduction to any of the worlds religions outside their own particular denomination.We had a thread on this not too long ago. You can read some of the comments here.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

They do. But it's not all total anarchy. There are a couple standardized tests, the SAT and the ACT that set a defacto goal for accomplishment regardless of whether or not there is a uniform curriculum. If you read the link in my former message you'll get a sense of some of the objections. IMHO they boil down to:

• A fear (probably rightly) of proselytizing.
• Economics. Where would the money come from?
• Time. If we add another course we might have to cut something, like atheletics (God Forbid).
• Value. Many people see no value in a Sacred Studies Course.
  

IMHO there is also no valid reason among any of those. We can point to many examples, for instance the UK, where each of those objections have been overcome.I believe the real reason is that the vast majority of Americans, particularly the Fundamentalists and Evangelicals, hold such a weak personal faith that they fear it being challenged or compared to other faiths.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Currently we have another open thread, Should Sacred Studies be part of a general public school curricula, where some of those issues are discussed in detail.The fact is, religions have played and continue to play a large part in shaping history and we need to be aware of those influences. If our only knowledge is the cartoon characterizations that are seen so often here, then we will continue to make policy based on ignorance.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

No problem. You will find that almost every subject imaginable has been touched on at one time or another.I personally think that everyone benefits from a broad religious education and the current trend in the US towards creating additional "Avoidance Schools" is destructive. However it is also an acknowledgment that the "Biblical Christian's" position is bankrupt. They turn to isolation because they know that if a child is exposed to other positions the child quickly sees that the "Biblical Christian" position is unsupportable.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Do a Google search on A Beka Books, then visit their site. Look at their catalog (you need to select guest access) and check out the summaries of their science books for 9-12^th. grades.This organization is a primary source for the material used in many Home Schools as well as many "Avoidance Schools".

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

It appears that A Beka Books is used even in the UK.I think the biggest difference is that the US still does not have a National Curriculum or any real education standards or testing.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion