A Response to Wolfart’s “Religious Literacy”: Some Considerations and Reservations

This text addresses three related aspects of Wolfart’s article on religious literacy: the critique of assumptions on the outcome of increased religious literacy, questions about the purpose of religious education, and the suggestion that religious studies are ex-theological. Although the predictabil...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Enstedt, Daniel (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2022
In: Method & theory in the study of religion
Year: 2022, Volume: 34, Issue: 5, Pages: 453-464
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Religion / Knowledge / Religious pedagogy / Science of Religion / Theology / Educational philosophy
IxTheo Classification:AA Study of religion
AH Religious education
Further subjects:B Commentary
B Religious Education
B Educational Philosophy
B ex-theology
B Gert J.J. Biesta
B Religious Literacy
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Summary:This text addresses three related aspects of Wolfart’s article on religious literacy: the critique of assumptions on the outcome of increased religious literacy, questions about the purpose of religious education, and the suggestion that religious studies are ex-theological. Although the predictability of the results of certain classroom activities presents a fundamental problem, I argue that the tentative and generic abilities highlighted in the religious literacy discourse may function as a starting point to elaborate on a better definition of religious literacy in religious studies. Moreover, based on Biesta’s educational philosophy, I argue that the religious literacy discourse is about learnification in rhetorical disguise as value-based education. Instead, I suggest that the purpose of religious education should be (re)considered from Biesta’s three dimensions of qualification, socialization, and subjectification. Finally, I problematize Wolfart’s suggestion that religious studies are ex-theological and conclude that, although there are a theological dimension and a genealogy to be observed in the religious literacy discourse, other kinds of scholarly aspects are also worth exploring further.
ISSN:1570-0682
Reference:Kommentar zu "‘Religious Literacy’: Some Considerations and Reservations (2022)"
Contains:Enthalten in: Method & theory in the study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15700682-bja10079