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Respecting World Religions and Sacred Texts in Upper School Theology    
Christopher Starr

In a new tweak to the curriculum in Lisa Durant’s grade 12 World Religions class, students are not just learning about the sacred texts of other religions; they are also taking a deep personal dive into the actual volumes. The aim is to nurture more profound observations, spark curiosity and insight, and ask essential questions regarding the intersections, parallels, and differences.

Durant’s students have previously studied the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions in the Nostra Aetate, which His Holiness Pope Paul VI proclaimed on October 28, 1965. That document calls upon Catholics to respect all faiths and recognizes that there are paths to salvation outside the Catholic Church.

“All of the dominant faith traditions ask the age-old questions,” explained Durant. “Who am I? What is my purpose? Where am I going? Who is God? What happens to me after I die? All of these texts provide the foundation and guidance to address the big questions of purpose and existence. All of these world religions contain truth and beauty that leads to God.”

The Hope Memorial Library in the Upper School stocks copies of many of the manuscripts associated with the world’s major faith traditions, including the Bible, Quran, Bhagavad Gita, The Vedas, and Book of Mormon, as well as parts of the Talmud and Tripitaka. 

Students first encountered the texts during a workshop activity in the library, where they interacted with each manuscript and answered key questions about them. “I can make photocopies of different readings from texts, but it’s not the same as breaking open the actual book itself,” said Durant. 

Next, students were tasked with selecting one of the texts, posing an essential question about that text, and then finding parallels to other sacred books. Through a presentation process Durant calls the “thick slide,” students posed their questions, researched their text, outlined their thoughts, extracted key passages to support their position, and presented to the class. In essence, they taught each other world religions through this dynamic interactive event.

Throughout her course, students contemplate modern-day Catholic identity and how that identity relates to members of the world’s religious communities. Pope Francis supports this aim, having recently spoken to an interfaith youth gathering at a Catholic Junior College in Singapore. “All religions are paths to God,” the Pope said. “I will use an analogy: They are like different languages that express the divine.”

Practicing respect and empathy and cultivating an understanding of a variety of perspectives is a staple of Oak Knoll education. Durant’s approach to teaching theology, particularly this unit, typifies our dedication to ensuring Oak Knoll students “Live by Faith, Learn by Doing, and Lead by Example.” The unit also demonstrates that while grounded in Catholicism, Oak Knoll is an institution that welcomes students of all faiths.
 

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