Debates about education are being intensely waged across the country these days. With public school funding in a precarious position in many states and disagreements over issues such as vouchers and charter schools increasing, Dr. Warren A. Nord has offered an interesting reflection on the place of religion in education in the United States in his new book, Does God Make a Difference? Taking Religion Seriously in our Schools and Universities.
Nord is a renowned philosopher who retired from the faculty of the University of North Carolina in 2009. His daring and provocative book contends that teaching religion in our public schools is not a violation of the constitution. Rather, not teaching religion is a betrayal of the public trust.
Nord argues that public schools and universities leave the vast majority of students religiously illiterate. This kind of education is not religiously neutral, which is a matter of constitutional importance; rather it borders on secular indoctrination when measured against the requirements of a good liberal education and the demands of critical thinking.
Dr. Warren A. Nord
If we care about the state of education in America, we need to read this book. Ignorance of religion is playing a huge role in our response to present wars and world tensions. We can’t make sense of the world without knowing something of the world’s religions. Faith plays a major role in the lives, politics, and decisions of billions of people, and has helped shape nations and history. The current uprisings in Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt and Libya are certainly not void of religious aspects.
Dr. Nord argues that you can’t have a good liberal education without religious training. As we consider the future of education in our America, we need to include this notion in our thinking
Check out Dr. Nord’s Book:
Does God Make a Difference? Taking Religion Seriously in our Schools and Universities
