Sinclair will be hosting an event dedicated to religious literacy and awareness on Friday, Jan. 21 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The Introduction to Religious Literacy and Awareness will cover a wide range of faiths, including Christianity, Jainism, Judaism, and Islam. Students and staff will be able to attend the event over Zoom.
This seminar also focuses on being accepting and knowledgeable of a wide range of beliefs, even ones a particular student may not be a part of. When speaking on the importance of these skills in today’s world, event organizer Amanda Hayden had this to say.
“Religion is so multi-layered, so much more than just beliefs, it’s philosophy, history, art, language, music, ethics; it’s about humanity and our relationship with what we perceive as both beyond us and connecting us. Beyond being just fascinating to learn about, with our world where you more than likely are going to encounter, work with, be around, become friends/neighbors/family with those who have different religious backgrounds and/or beliefs, it’s just common courtesy, the rent you pay in order to be respectful and get along!”
Despite the importance of religious awareness in our world today, getting people interested in the topic can still remain quite difficult. That is why professor Hayden has developed a few techniques to make learning about other faiths easier for those unfamiliar. These strategies include emphasizing the experiences of individual people instead of just the ideology of religion, alongside highlighting similarities between faiths.
“I emphasize that religions have so much more in common than we realize and that connection is the main key, not difference, and this is evident when you dive in and start studying the religious traditions themselves and how they are expressed among human beings,” said Hayden. “These tactics allow for anyone to learn about other religions, no matter how knowledgeable you are beforehand.”
This event is not the first time professor Hayden has spoken on the topic of world religions. This past September she gave a talk explaining the history and beliefs of Hinduism. She will also be taking part in the fourth annual Faith Fair, which will be taking hold on Feb. 22.
For those who are interested in the Introduction to Religious Literacy and Awareness event, you can view more information and register online here.
Alex Cutler
Reporter