Religion and Education

Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, principles and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or

The question of whether or not religion should be taught in public schools has been an ongoing debate among parents and teachers for decades. In the article “Religion and Education: The Pitfalls of Engaging a Complex Issue” Martin E. Marty and Jonathan Moore express their views on the matter. They express that religion in public schools could potentially bring conflict to families. They also support the other scenario that religion classes would inform students of the different beliefs of the people they will meet throughout their lives. Religion in the public school system is still an ongoing debate, one that needs to be resolved. The children that will be affected by the outcome of this debate are the future leaders of America, therefore, we should not take this decision lightly. Children everywhere and in all schools need to be taught about different religions so they can make a firm stand for what they believe in.

What is the true definition of the word religion? Well, religion is a set of beliefs and practices that recognize the existence of a god or many gods. We need religion in our lives because it gives us a sense of belonging to our common faith and helps us set morals in our lives. The importance of faith in our lives has created a bigger understanding to us and has showed us how we can have a closer link to it.

Religion and Education is a society "norm", meaning it is very typical. Norms such as these are apart of what keeps our society balanced. Society is a giant system of interconnected parts that work together to maintain a state of balance; Or is society just in a state of perpetual conflict? Rather than conformity, balance is maintained through domination and power of the higher class. Two Sociologist set out to find the answer of how our society remains relatively stable and gave us two theories. The "Conflict theory" and "Functionalist Theory". Though these Sociologist both agree that religion and education help maintain societies stability, there reasoning behind it couldn 't be more opposite.

A religion is a system of beliefs that explains things about the Universe, answers essential philosophical questions and tells its followers how to live their lives in order to achieve the goal of that religion, whether it be pleasing the gods of the religion, acquiring salvation from a curse, punishment, ailment etc. that the religion claims people or persons have or self-betterment. In the religions of Ancient Egypt, Buddhism and Christianity, a clear link between environment and religion can be seen. Religion has always been present in large civilizations and is a product of the environment, climate and geography.

According to the text, education is defined as the social institution responsible for the systematic transmission of knowledge, skills, and cultural values within a formally organized structure (Kendall, p. 462). Every human has a right to an education. Despite this definition, evidence of inequality based on race, class, and gender can be seen in the system despite good intentions to promote awareness of and appreciation for cultural differences.

In the United States, there is supposedly a separation between church and state. However, this seems to be untrue for many circumstances in U.S. politics. The political culture in the U.S. is infused with opinions and symbolism that show candidates/ elected officials’ adherence to religious beliefs. This is especially true when officials are campaigning for elected office. Politicians try to identify with voters’ religious beliefs, especially in local elections, where one religion may be fairly dominant. Sometimes this is a cynical pitch for votes but in other cases may represent that individual’s profound beliefs which result in their political views. This is evident through politicians trying to be photographed at religious services, with famous religious leaders, or even publicly announcing their denominational affiliations. Many of our founding documents relate in some way back to God. The official motto of the U.S. is “In God We Trust,” and it is printed on U.S. paper currency. This motto relates back to Judaism and Christianity through several bible verses. These many instances show how religion has been and continues to be used in American political life. Religion in the United States has been infused in American politics since its founding and will continue to play an influential role in American democracy even though there is this “wall of separation” between church and state.

Perry Glanzer also touches on the idea that religions should be equally represented in education in his article “Religion in Public Schools.” He gives examples of various cases throughout the United States in which students were singled out by educators after their attempt in religious expression in order to maintain censorship, which could be prevented by education and the equal sharing of knowledge of various religions to make students more comfortable with various personal religious expressions. “Fortunately,” Glanzer says, “the basic principle of fairness toward religious and nonreligious perspectives is beginning to be reinforced through legislation and Supreme Court jurisprudence. It is currently embodied in the Equal Access Act, which

Through the church's ambition to embrace education for all people, we can see the growth in the technology, medicine, environment, and general well being of the human race. It is unfortunate that the new generation of politics forgot all the benefits that the church provided and continue to provide for many nations. The separation of church and states in the U.S, it was established in order to provide free of religion. However, values by the church continue to be a priority in the school setting today, such as punctuality, respect, industriousness, self-control, intentness, etc. The problem is that with time, most of the young generation do not attend church at all, and do not have any knowledge of the Bible. We can see this mirrored through the increase of disrespect, immorality, drug abuse, depression, theft, homicides, and all other issues developed for lack of faith and fear of God. Sadly nowadays, even to say Merry Christmas in the public school setting is frowned upon, the "politic correct people" wants you to say have a happy winter

In America today we all have choices to make in regards to our religious beliefs. Many young children are brought up today confused about religion and the significance it plays in their lives. There are many sanctions and rules now on what can and can 't be thought or displayed to people on public property, but it wasn 't always like this. In this paper I will be discussing the American religious experience in regards to the impact religion has in the public schools.

Religion has always played a large role in politics. Religion has played a role in the division of parties, political policy, and in influencing voters to vote for a particular candidate. It is presumed that religion has existed since the beginning of time and that it stills holds a prominent position in what occurs in today’s society. Religion, no matter what belief a person may have, often regulates what a person believes, what they consider right and wrong, and also governs the decisions that they will make. These aspects are what make religion a very “touchy” subject when it comes to politics. Politicians are often asked about certain issues and topics

Church and religion in America have been a major impact on economic and social roles. In addition it has played a huge role in the makeup and creation of communities. Many people use church and religion to help them cope with death, loss, and difficulties in life. Three major religions in the United States have played a major role they are Protestants, Catholics, and Jews. But in recent years, although still religious, America has seen a decline in religious practices. In addition with politics playing a key role in the US we have seen people’s attitudes change. Republicans are probably just as religious as in years based but not as much with other political affiliations. American religion has also seen more of a tolerance or acceptance towards

What is a religion? A religion is defined by Richard Schaefer as a unified system of beliefs and practices that relate to what is believed to be sacred (Schaefer, Richard T, 2009, pg 323). There are many world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, and so forth, and while all of these different religions are

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows: “the belief in a god or in a group of gods, an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods, or an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group” (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is that it is a set of beliefs and practices that generally pertain the worship of one or more than one spiritual beings or representations of a spiritual power. Religion can be personal belief or an organization or group of people who have similar beliefs and values. There are many different types of religions in the world and have been since the

In this essay, I am going to discuss religious education under various topic headings including R.E and the R.E teacher, World Religions and morality and ethics. Through attending lectures and seminars, I have learned a lot about the Religious Education system in Ireland and further afield. Furthermore, in my reflective journal, I have reflected on a world of possibilities of what religion means to me. Throughout the year, my opinions on certain topics has changed, or has strengthen and I feel the reflective journal has helped me. In the essay, I am hoping to include reflections, readings and my experiences from the lectures and seminars to discover the various of topics.