Jim Guinee wrote:
> Like it or not, many Americans are quite theistic and tend to
> use religion as a means to understand and live in the world. Why not
engage
> people in religious discourse? Challenge their ways of knowing? Get
> them to analyze religious and scientific explanations for the same
phenomena?
In a way, this is an equally good argument for _not_ spending
classroom time presenting the religous point of view. As you said, Americans
are already quite theistic. Those religious explanations permeate popular
culture and tradition. Challenging their existing views implies presenting
an alternative to the viewpoints they bring to the classroom - presenting a
scientific viewpoint, in this case. If the goal is to challenge existing
beliefs and present a balance so that students can make educated choices, I
think it's pretty clear that we need to spend a LOT more time on science
than we already do. The creationists' arguments against evolution make that
point crystal clear.
I have nothing against the general principle of discussing religion
in the classroom (in fact, I was one of only two faculty members to show up
at a special meeting we had yesterday to discuss the thread of religious
faith at our institution). But the notion that we get an overall balance in
students' lives by equally presenting religion and science in the classroom
is simply wrong, in light of the fact that outside of the classroom religion
absolutely dominates their views (how many of your students spend over an
hour of their free time once a week at scientific lectures? Now, how many
attend church weekly? <grin>).
Paul Smith
Alverno College
Milwaukee
