On the Importance of Religious Literacy

By James Ron

Years ago, I taught at a Canadian graduate program for aspiring diplomats, the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University. This highly selective program accepts only the best applicants. When I taught there, admission rates were roughly 15%, which made the program far more competitive than peer programs in Canada and the US.

Despite these students’ capacities, their religious fluency was surprisingly limited. This lack of knowledge wasn’t limited to Christianity, Canada’s majority religion. Instead, it extended to the tenets of Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and other major global faiths.

While teaching a class one week on the potential for improving relations between Jewish settlers and Palestinians, I tasked students with finding Old Testament passages that spoke of the need to treat non-Jews with respect.

While some students took the exercise seriously, others were confused as to why secular Canadians such as themselves should be asked to read religious texts.

I couldn’t help but wonder: how can aspiring diplomats ignore the importance of religious teachings? If you want to engage with ordinary people and political leaders worldwide, don’t you have to understand their cultural context and worldview? Religious beliefs and identities are vital to many. Shouldn’t Canada’s future diplomats and public servants have at least some basic knowledge about religious idioms?

To learn more, click on the link, https://www.jamesron.org/post/religious-literacy

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