AMST 300 Religion & Culture

Introduction to Religion & Contemporary Culture is an online multimedia course offered by Rutgers University (50:840:318). The curriculum draws upon the work of Liz Kineke, an award-winning journalist and television producer of the CBS Religion & Culture series. We will explore ten of her thirty-minute documentaries that illustrate how faith and religion relate to racism, white supremacy, climate change, immigration, and cultural heritage, among other timely issues. We will apply theories of religious literacy and religious identity development to these multimedia case studies. We will give special attention to the societal impacts of religious demographic changes. Case studies will demonstrate how the internal workings of religious organizations change and adapt to societal pressures, just as much as religious communities and their leaders influence culture.
Rutgers University · September 12, 2022
+25 enrolled
Not Enrolled
This course is currently closedTuition set by Rutgers University
Credit: 45 hours for 3 College Credits from Rutgers University Non-Credit: 9 hours for 1
9 hours for 1 Certificate

College, Graduate, Professional Development

Civic Education for the Common Good

We apply the U.S. Department of Education’s Consensus Statements about Constitutional Approaches for Teaching about Religion

▸ Our approach to religion is academic, not devotional;
▸ We strive for student awareness of religions, but do not press for student acceptance of any religion;
▸ We sponsor the study about religion, not the practice of religion;
▸ We expose students to a diversity of religious views, but may not impose any particular view;
▸ We educate about all religions, we do not promote or denigrate any religion;
▸ We inform students about religious beliefs and practices, it does not seek to conform students to any particular belief or practice.

We apply the American Academy of Religion’s “Religious Literacy Guidelines”

▸ “Religious Literacy Guidelines for College Students.” American Academy of Religion, 2019.
▸ “Teaching About Religion: AAR Guidelines for K-12 Public Schools.” American Academy of Religion, April 2010.

We apply the National Council for the Social Studies C3 Frameworks for Religious Studies

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards, “Religious Studies Companion Document for the C3 Framework.” Silver Spring, MD: National Council for the Social Studies, 2017.