How did the U.S. Become a Nation of Religious Illiterates
Department of Religion chairman Stephen Prothero will be delivering a lecture titled, “Religious Literacy: An American History” for the Lowell Lecture Series on Wednesday, November 2, at 7:30 p.m. The United States is by all accounts one of the most religious countries on Earth. Yet poll after poll demonstrates that its citizens know shockingly little about Christianity and other religions. As a result, when religion emerges as a factor in public policy debates such as the war on Iraq or the recent Ten Commandments controversies, citizens all too frequently must rely on TV “talking heads” rather than drawing on their own knowledge. How did this happen? How did the United States become a nation of religious illiterates? And what can be done about it? Professor Prothero analyzes and dissects this phenomenon. This lecture will be held at BU’s School of Management, Main Auditorium – 1st Floor, 595 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.