Jason Labrecque (260812500) 2019-09-17

Religious literacy (RL) can be understood as “topical knowledge about the major world

religions and the ability to understand that each religion is diverse” (Chan, Mistry, Reid, Zaver,

& Jafralie, 2019, p. 1). This is a very general understanding of RL that does not provide much

detail. The definition put forward by Moore (2006) is more nuanced and hits at the heart of how I

view RL. “Religious literacy entails the ability to discern and analyze the fundamental

intersections of Religion and social/political/cultural life through multiple lenses” (p. 1). She

goes on to say that RL is having a basic understanding of the history, beliefs and practices of

several faith tradition as well as their manifestations around the world. I like this definition as it

considers the diversity found within each tradition and allows for an open understanding of any

given tradition without sacrificing specifics. For example, one can discuss Islam and the

practices of a particular expression of Islam in detail without saying that all Muslims see

themselves or their tradition in the same light. This is especially important in teaching, as the

misrecognition or non-recognition of an individual’s faith tradition could have severe effects on

a student and can be seen as a form of oppression (Chan et al., 2019). In other words, you can

discuss a religious tradition without pigeonholing particular individuals into pre-conceived

definitions.

As far as my own RL goes, the story is too long and detailed to go into any amount of

detail, however I will attempt to give a brief synopsis of my relationship with the tradition I feel I

am most literate in. I was raised a Catholic and thus received a traditional Catholic education and

fulfilled all of the rites associated with such an upbringing. By the end of said education I had a

pretty good handle on what it meant to be a Catholic with regards to the general tenets of the

religion and what was generally expected of a layperson within the Church. I also realized that
my family fell well short in this regard and so did many of my friends’ families. The lesson

learned from this experience, as I look back on it today, is that there is much diversity in the

understanding and expression of faith amongst Catholics. In 2006, at the age of 26, I was

introduced to the teachings found in the Qur’an and subsequently converted to Islam. I began to

study the Qur’an and the basics of Islamic law (fiqh), specifically the Maliki school, within the

Sunni tradition. I also studied Islamic theology (aqidah) and later the spiritual sciences

(tassawuf). I did so (and continue to do so) under the tutelage of various scholars (shuyukh) in

Canada, the United States, and abroad. Although I am quite strong in the basics of these sciences,

I recognize that my understanding is only a drop in the ocean of immense knowledge. In this

time, I have also learned about the many varieties of Islamic practice throughout the world and

had the pleasure of working closely with those of the Shia tradition as well. Five years ago, at the

command of my closest teacher, I was asked to come to Montreal to work alongside him as a

Muslim Chaplain for the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).

In my work as an Imam for the CSC, I have had the opportunity to work closely with

inmates of various Islamic backgrounds. This has allowed me to break out of seeing Islam

through the particular Sunni legal, theological and spiritual traditions I have studied and am

familiar with. It has also forced me to study Islamic expressions outside of this framework. As a

result, I have a much broader understanding of what constitutes Islam around the world today

and a better understanding of why such positions exist. I have also had the opportunity to

alleviate much of my personal issues related to the Catholic Church through my exposure to the

ideas of my many Catholic colleagues that I work closely with on a daily basis. Furthermore,

over the past five years in this position, I have been blessed to have many deep and enlightening

conversations with Buddhist monks, Jewish rabbis, and Indigenous Elders about their particular
traditions and practices. Though there is much more I can learn about the foundational aspects of

these traditions I am well acquainted with the diversity of practice as we all have to navigate our

specific traditions in the light of the varied expressions found among the inmates.

Moore (2006) discusses teaching about religion from a non-sectarian perspective in

schools and says that certain conservative members of different religious traditions sometimes

oppose the teaching of religion in schools as they feel it should be done at home, within their

communities, and from their own theological perspective. I have to say that I have a tendency

towards this position, but I also realize the importance of instilling a sense of diversity, respect

and inclusion within our Canadian society. Moore (2006) points out, and I tend to agree, that

there is much dangerous misinformation about many faith traditions today and RL can alleviate

many of the social tensions that exist between people of differing backgrounds, which is

especially necessary in an increasingly multicultural society. The fact that in a recent study, those

who consider themselves religiously unaffiliated or spiritual but not religious grew in number by

600% in Canada from 1971 to 2001 (Chan et al., 2019) shows that there is ever growing

diversity and difference of opinion about what religion actually is. All this to say, that I believe it

is extremely important to have programs directed towards RL in public schools as well as teacher

training in RL to ensure that such knowledge is properly taught.

Moore (2006) proposes a cultural studies approach to the teaching of religion in the

classroom. One that recognizes the political, economic, and cultural lenses through which

religion is expressed and understood. I think this is of critical importance and serves well the aim

of a wholistic approach to education that synthesizes knowledges across varying fields of study.

Moore (2006) rightly points out that “religion is a near constant ideological factor in

social/political life” (p. 5). The application of this approach is where I would like to develop as a
teacher of religion. I hope to acquire tools and resources to adequately convey the variety of

religious expressions that make up the world’s faith traditions. Moore’s example of approaching

RL through the study of the Holocaust is compelling and I hope to be able to produce similar

methods of imparting knowledge.

I also have great fear and trepidation as I approach the idea of teaching religion from a

non-sectarian perspective. Are my biases going to show through? Can I adequately convey the

powerful religious experiences of people from other than my own faith tradition? What is the

best way to present traditions other than my own in a way that is adequate or appropriate for the

audience/grade level? All of this, along with a better understanding of the traditions I am not

very familiar with or have had little to no exposure to such as Hinduism and Sikhism or even

how I should approach non-belief, are things I hope to improve upon and develop.
 References

Chan, W. Y. A., Mistry, H., Reid, E., Zaver, A. And Jafralie, S. (2019): Recognition of context and

experience: a civic-based Canadian conception of religious literacy, Journal of Beliefs & Values

Moore, D. L., (2006) Overcoming Religious Illiteracy: A Cultural Studies Approach. World History

Connected 4.1: 43 pars. 28 Aug. 2015

<http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/4.1/moore.html>.