Ethnic vs. Evangelical Religions : Beyond Teaching the World Religion Approach
Material type:
TextSubject(s):
In:
The History Teacher (Long Beach, Calif.) 33, 303-320Abstract: The writer examines the world religion approach to global religiosity and proposes a new method for teaching religion in world history. The definition of what constitutes a world religion was based on Western criteria that favored religions that were living, textual, global, and similar to Christianity. As a result, the world religion approach is restricted to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. This approach is flawed as illustrated by the religions of Mithraism, Santeria, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Baha'i. World historians would be better served by teaching global religiosity from an ethnic versus an evangelical approach based on a religion's intended devotees.
-
-
The writer examines the world religion approach to global religiosity and proposes a new method for teaching religion in world history. The definition of what constitutes a world religion was based on Western criteria that favored religions that were living, textual, global, and similar to Christianity. As a result, the world religion approach is restricted to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. This approach is flawed as illustrated by the religions of Mithraism, Santeria, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Baha'i. World historians would be better served by teaching global religiosity from an ethnic versus an evangelical approach based on a religion's intended devotees.