Stephen Prothero Speaks on America, Religion, and the Danger of Ignorance

Although America is one of the most religious places on Earth, in reality, its citizens know little about religion. That’s the position Stephen Prothero takes in his provocative book Religious Literacy. The work offers solutions to what Prothero believes is a national crisis, including proposing the mandatory study of world religions in public schools. On Monday, Feb. 15, Prothero will give a public talk on this and similar issues titled “Religious Literacy in a Furiously Religious World” at University of Puget Sound. The 7:30 p.m. lecture will be in Schneebeck Concert Hall. Entry is free, but tickets must be ordered in advance. See below for details.

Prothero is chair of the Department of Religion at Boston University. His best-selling book, Religious Literacy, inspired a TIME magazine cover story, and landed Prothero ("a world-religions scholar with the soul of a late-night television comic"—Newsweek) on Oprah and The Daily Show.

Prothero argues that the more Americans know about religion—whether or not they themselves are religious—the less likely they will be to defer, through sheer ignorance, to politicians who often frame their actions in a religious context.

Religious ignorance is not bliss, he says. It can be dangerous. Can citizens understand the war in Iraq without knowledge of Islam? Can they debate gay marriage or stem cells without knowledge of the Bible? In his talks and writings, Prothero argues that Americans do not know much about their own religions, much less those of others, and that religion should become the "fourth R" of education. Only by teaching students in high school and in colleges about the world's religions (in an academic sense) can we equip them to understand American politics and world affairs, he says. An engaging speaker, Prothero presents a balanced understanding of one of the most highly charged issues of our time.

Prothero is a frequent guest on National Public Radio, has written for Salon.com and The New York Times Magazine, and has appeared on The Today Show and The O'Reilly Factor. He is also the author of American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon. He earned his Ph.D. in religion from Harvard University and is a specialist in Asian religious traditions in the United States.

The lecture at Puget Sound is sponsored by the Swope Endowed Lectureship on Ethics, Religion, Faith, and Values. The lectureship was established at Puget Sound through a gift from Major Ianthe Swope in honor of her mother, Jane Hammer Swope. It is intended to promote discussion, critical thinking, and ethical inquiry about matters of religion, such as its role in public life and contemporary ethics.

Complimentary tickets are available beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19, by contacting Wheelock Information Center, or by calling 253.879.3419 for credit card orders. Seating is limited. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Please note that at 7:20 p.m. any unclaimed seats will be allocated to those waiting to attend—so all unused tickets will be void at that time.

Stephen Prothero may be available for individual press interviews. Please contact Media Relations Manager Shirley Skeel by phone: 253.879.2611; cell: 510.684.6715; or e-mail: sskeel@pugetsound.edu for interview inquiries.

For directions and a map of the campus: www.pugetsound.edu/directions.xml 

Press-quality photos of Stephen Prothero can be downloaded from: www.pugetsound.edu/pressphotos.xml

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