Religious literacy

Religious literacy (faith literacy) is the knowledge of, and ability to understand, religion. There has been an ongoing reflection on what counts as literacy. In particular, there is the increasing recognition that literacy is more than a cognitive skill and not only about decoding and processing information. Thus, religious literacy is not just about the ability to navigate a terrain or domain effectively – it is not just a skill – but also entails an awareness of what one is doing when navigating such a domain. Being literate is not just about the ability to 'do' but includes an understanding of what one is doing. The importance of being religiously literate is increasing as globalisation has created greater links and migration between societies of different faiths and cultures. It has been proposed that including religious literacy as an aspect of public education would improve social cohesion. In addition to being familiar with and comprehending the nature of religious experience, religious literacy is a fundamental understanding of the complexities, contradictions, and difficulties of at least one religious tradition. Religious literacy is necessary in contemporary society not to understand religions in isolation, but rather to foster mutual understanding. It embraces diversity and promotes balanced and wise engagement with the religious aspects of human cultures.

Religious literacy is important for fostering understanding both between religious groups, as well as in relations between non-faith communities and faith-based communities. It aims to empower an individual to go beyond the ability to decode and understand the meanings of religious practices and beliefs in order to take action over the social order implied in messages about religion.

A pioneer in the religious literacy field is the Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, the association is a network of esteemed communications experts who work for and within a diverse group of faith-based organisations. RCC's work aims to “advance religious literacy”.

Beginning with the 2015 RCC Convention in Alexandria, Virginia, US, religious literacy will be a top priority for the association. Religious communicators are aware of the consequences that can arise when the general public and the media are unable to comprehend the cultural and religious nuances of current events that are taking place in our world today. Conflicts are exacerbated by a lack of awareness of the fundamental beliefs held by various religions around the world. RCC has a role to play as the only faith-oriented accredited public relations association. Its interfaith members help the secular media understand diverse faith dynamics and provides members with resources to help them understand other faith traditions.