Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

IV. Ethics
we have an ethical responsibility to gain
Do
of different religions to help us
knowledge
the world and those around us?
understand
question seems straightforward but in
This
involves a few assumptions that have
fact
relating to the ethics of knowledge
implications
idea that the modern state, through a secular
The
to the study of different religions,
approach
promote tolerance and intercultural
can
is fairly widespread among
understanding
and educators, especially in the West.
politicians
where does this idea come from? Why is
But
tolerance assumed to be the result of
religious
education about religious differences rather
an
an education in religious belief? And finally,
than
what extent is this kind of education about
to
the intellectual roots of this idea,
Tracing
Eaghll (writing in Stoddard, Martin
Tenzan
suggests that this is in fact a close
2017)
on Christian ecumenism—the effort of
variation
Christian churches to promote mutual
different
and develop good relations.
understanding
out of an urgent need to calm tensions
Arising
Christian denominations in the
between
of the Reformation, it is understandable
midst
it was an attractive idea, that exploring
why
commonalities among religions can help
the
differences—be they cultural or
overcome
But to what extent is this applicable
political.
a global level today? Given its origins in a
on
context, Eaghll argues, this approach to
specific
education should not be uncritically
religious
globally, at least not as a politically
exported
option.
neutral
alternatives are there? Rather than learning
What
the different dimensions of religious
about
and belief through descriptions of
practice
rituals and teachings of Sikhs, Jains, Jews
the
Buddhists, we would … do what? Eaghll,
or
example, suggests a critical approach to
for
how religion functions ideologically
examining
society. Rather than assuming that exposure
in
descriptions about religious diversity will
to
to tolerance and empathy, he suggests we
lead
analyse how religion is conceptualized
should
categorized, how it is used and misused, and
and
revisiting the question at the beginning of this
So,
perhaps we should be asking instead:
section,
kind of knowledge about religion do we
what
an ethical responsibility to pursue? And
have
kind of approach to learning about religion
what
in service of a global ethic of justice? In relation
is
these questions, consider how the ways you
to
learned about different religions—including
have
chapter—have influenced your attitudes
this
andbeliefs.
6
IV.1 Religious education for tolerance
and mutual understanding
and religion.
religion value-neutral?
how power and politics affect all of this.
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