Post: Tim Hall, Ph.D., Executive Director, Religion Matters
A few years ago, I observed a middle school lesson on the Reformation. When the teacher mentioned Martin Luther’s “95 Theses,” a student raised her hand and asked, “Wait—was he Catholic or Christian?” The question was innocent, but it reveals something larger: how little space we make in public education to talk about religion as a part of human experience, history, and identity.
It’s one reason I have submitted a resolution to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) House of Delegates, calling on our professional community to reaffirm the importance of religious literacy, inquiry, and global competence in K–12 social studies instruction.
Understanding Religion as a Civic Literacy
Religious literacy isn’t about promoting faith—it’s about promoting understanding. In a pluralistic democracy, students require tools to understand how religion influences culture, conflict, and cooperation in the world. They need vocabulary for differences and empathy for different perspectives.
As social studies educators, we help students navigate complexity. Religion is part of that complexity. It is woven into the fabric of geography, art, law, culture, politics, and everyday life. Ignoring religion doesn’t make it disappear. It just makes our students less prepared to understand the world they already inhabit.
Why a Resolution Matters
Policy statements like this one send a message to educators, administrators, and the public that teaching about religion, done academically and inclusively, strengthens both civic life and student understanding.
At the NCSS Annual Conference this December, delegates will consider resolutions that guide the collective direction of our profession. I hope this one reminds us that global competence begins with understanding difference—and that religious literacy and inquiry is the bridge to that understanding.
Read and Co-Sponsor
If this work resonates with you or your organization, I invite you to read and co-sponsor the resolution:
📄 Promoting Religious Literacy Education as an Essential Component of Social Studies Education
🗳️ NCSS Co-Sponsorship Form (due Nov. 10): NCSS Form Link
Together, we can ensure that social studies remains a space where students learn to engage with difference, not fear it, and to view religion not as a taboo, but as a window into humanity.
AI Disclosure:
Portions of this post were supported by generative tools such as ChatGPT(GPT-4) and Grammarly for organization and language refinement. All ideas, examples, and final edits reflect my own professional judgment.
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