The survey finds that Americans’ levels of religious knowledge vary depending not only on what questions are being asked, but also on who is answering. Jews, atheists, agnostics and evangelical Protestants, as well as highly educated people and those who have religiously diverse social networks, show higher levels of religious knowledge, while young adults and racial and ethnic minorities tend to know somewhat less about religion than the average respondent does.

Continue reading at: Pew Research Center

As findings show, substantial portions of Western respondents in the survey perceived a clash between Islam and the values of society in their country.

This included nearly half of respondents in France (46%) and Germany (47%), and a plurality in the United States (36%) and Britain (38%) who chose this statement. Notably smaller portions chose the alternative statement – that Islam is generally compatible with the values of society in their country – including 22% in France, 20% in Germany, 17% in the United States and 24% in Britain.

In a separate survey experiment for the purpose of comparison, only 14% of US respondents perceived such a clash with Buddhism, with similar or matching results for Sikhism (15%) and Hinduism (14%). Likewise, only 6% of British respondents perceived a values clash with Buddhism, while just 8% said the same for both Sikhism and Hinduism.

In other results, general impressions of Islam were comparatively less favorable than that of other world religions among significant numbers of Western respondents.

For instance, all four Western samples had a discernibly higher number of respondents who felt unfavorable to Islam, compared with other religions.

Source: YouGov

Printed Edition of the Special Issue Published in Religions

Publisher: MDPI – Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (October 2018)

(This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Glocal Religions that was published in Religions)

The globalization of the world’s religions leads to a variety of fusions whereby local elements blend with global religions, leading to hybrid local-global or glocal religious forms. Glocal forms of religion provide a hitherto insufficiently explored research agenda with the potential of further growth in the future.

This volume introduces the basic tenets of this research agenda and offers examples from around the globe. In the volume’s individual chapters, authors explore a diverse tapestry of such forms that cover cases from the Caribbean, Japan, Finland, Eastern Europe, US, Korea, Southeast Asia and Central America. Glocal forms of religious expression exist across diverse religious traditions.

In this volume, religious traditions specifically explored include Buddhism, Hinduism, folk or traditional religions, Eastern Orthodox Christianity & Protestantism. The study of glocal religions involves a trans-disciplinary group of scholars and researchers. In this volume, contributions come from the fields of sociology, archaeology, anthropology, history and religious studies. This collection is an indispensable reader for scholars and students who wish to explore the dynamics of glocal religion in their part of the world.

 Read the book here.

Source: mdpi.com

CAN claims if the materials are not removed within 60 days, it will file a federal lawsuit, reported CBN News. A review of the Learning Media website by The Blaze found at least six lengthy lesson plans focused on teaching students about various aspects of Islam, including “The Five Pillars of Islam,” “The Haj: Journey to Mecca” and “Salat: Prayer in Muslim Life.” A similar search for lesson plans covering Christianity, Buddhism, Mormonism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Taoism or Hinduism uncovered zero results, although there were other materials related to those topics on the Learning Media website.

In “Salat: Prayer in Muslim Life,” students are tasked with watching videos and reading articles about Muslims’ prayer life, including learning about Islamic prayer movements and postures. One question asks students after watching detailed instructions about Islamic prayer, “How do you think it feels to know that millions of other people are praying with you, just like you, everyday?”

Another task instructs teachers, “Encourage students to make connections between their own traditions and salat especially in regard to community building and shared traditions.”

“If possible, have your students meet with Muslims in your community to learn about their religious practices and views,” states the lesson plan. “Interview Muslims who have participated in Hajj, and talk to Muslims during the month of Ramadan to learn about fasting and almsgiving. Contact religious leaders or scholars to learn more about prayer and belief.”

About $445 million has been paid in recent years to support PBS, National Public Radio, and other similar services, according to a report by Conservative Review. President Donald Trump proposed in March in his budget plan to end funding for public broadcasting, a proposal that has come under fire from many on the left who claim the decision would drive out of business many supposedly important public programs.

Source: The Blaze

The poll, conducted by the Angus Reid Institute, found although some 68 percent of Canadians hold a favorable view of Christianity, only 33 percent view Islam in the same light. Further, Sikhism was viewed favorably by 38 percent, Hinduism by 49 percent, Judaism by 53 percent and Buddhism by 58 percent. The poll also showed 88 percent of Canadians were comfortable with a nun’s habit, but only 75 percent with a hijab and 32 percent with a niqab.

“There is a good news story in these numbers in that attitude towards Islam have improved,” said Amira Elghawaby, a spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

Quebec saw a major jump in favorable ratings, and Elghawaby feels that province’s tragic mosque shooting may have awakened people on the subject. “Perhaps this has humanized Quebec Muslim communities in a way that hadn’t happened before,” she says.

The results were released April 4 at a luncheon held by Cardus, a think tank dedicated to the renewal of North American social architecture. Cardus executive vice-president Ray Pennings said the poll shows the need for more outreach, education and understanding: “We have to learn to understand each other and religious literacy is an important part of that.”

Source: Church of Scientology