Faith and Values: Launching a community class focused on religious literacy

Recently, I wrote about the Religion Reporting Class I launched at Washington State University, offering students a hands-on approach to understanding faith communities. The course combines classroom learning with guest speakers and field trips to local houses of worship, providing aspiring journalists with firsthand experiences of religious practices and traditions.

I was moved by the response from you, dear readers, asking if there’s a way you could take the class. So, FāVS is launching one for the community, and it starts this month.

It’s different from my academic course – I’m taking out the journalism piece. It seems most of you are more interested in the religious literacy element.

And that’s good! A Pew study from 2019 suggests that while Americans have some basic religious literacy knowledge, there are significant gaps, especially when it comes to non-Christian faiths and the demographics of religious minorities in the U.S.

For example, less than 30% of Americans know when the Jewish Sabbath begins or what Rosh Hashanah is. Only around 20% know that Protestantism traditionally teaches salvation through faith alone. And, according to the survey, the average American can only answer about 14 out of 32 religious knowledge questions correctly.

In a diverse society like the U.S., understanding different religious beliefs and practices can foster respect and social harmony. As responsible news consumers, we have a duty to learn about other spiritual traditions because it enables us to better understand current events, political issues and cultural debates that often have religious dimensions. This knowledge can help us participate more effectively in civic life and make informed decisions.

I truly believe this; I’ve dedicated my whole life to it.

The timing of this new FāVS series – called Spiritual Landscapes: Exploring Inland Northwest Religions – is just right.

The Inland Northwest is growing rapidly and thus is becoming more diverse.

According to the 2020 study, “Religion, Spirituality, and Secularity in the Pacific Northwest: Major Themes,” this area is home to rapidly expanding Sikh, Buddhist and Hindu communities, as well as thriving yoga and new age subcultures. There is also a resurgence in Indigenous culture and spirituality. And according to the Religion News Service, the greater PNW is characterized by religious entrepreneurship, with a focus on interfaith cooperation and environmentalism.

Our exploration begins with Buddhism, though we’ll be delving into other religions , each in turn.

The inaugural Spiritual Landscapes series will consist of four online Zoom sessions, culminating in a group field trip to visit a Buddhist temple. The Zoom sessions can be recorded for those who register.

The sessions are:

• Aug. 29, 6 p.m., overview of different Buddhists sects, led by Gonzaga Associate Professor of Religious Studies Gloria Chien.

• Sept. 5, 6 p.m., a monastic from Sravasti Abbey will speak to us about their growing monastery.

• Sept. 12, 6 p.m., a member of the Zen Center of Spokane will speak with us about their group of lay Zen Buddhist practitioners.

• Sept. 19, 6 p.m., the founder of Souls Center Spokane will discuss their mission of bringing Mindfulness Practices to the Inland Northwest.

• Sept. 29, 10:30 a.m., in-person field trip to the Spokane Buddhist Temple.

This first series is limited to 30 attendees, and tickets are $50. Money raised goes to pay for the local religion journalism that FāVS produces.

Tickets can be purchased online at bit.ly/3YD42mR.

I know it’s a time commitment, but I hope you’ll join me on this journey – and give input on what the next series should be. By joining in, you’re not only treating yourself to a unique experience, but you’re also helping create a friendlier, more understanding community.

Tracy Simmons, a longtime religion reporter, is a Washington State University scholarly assistant professor and the editor of FāVS News, a website dedicated to covering faith, ethics and values in the Spokane region.