Response to Boudreau’s “Diversity in Education”

            Spencer Boudreau’s essay “Diversity in Education and the Marginalization of Religion” poses a telling argument against the secular exclusion of religion from academia, cultural studies, and public dialogue. As an advocate for religious education and literacy, Boudreau targets the ‘intellectual elite,’ who, he argues, is the greatest perpetrators of discrimination against religion—particularly Christianity. Boudreau argues that the increasing trends of contempt, mockery, and marginalization of religion from scholarship is ridiculous. He asserts that religion has always been one of the most important and influential forces in culture all around the world, and avoiding its study is insulting to both education and religious history. He compares this academic discrimination against religion to the non-Judeo-Christian religious intolerance that Christianity is often condemned for perpetuating, effectively reversing the secularists’ argument against religion.

Boudreau argues that Christianity dominated such a large part of American and European history that centuries of art, literature, rhetoric, poetry, music, fashion, society, and government were heavily influenced and even determined by it. It is impossible to get an accurate or complete understanding of history if we exclude the religion that helped shape it. Additionally, Boudreau inquires how can a person appreciate the chefs-d’oeuvres of the Renaissance painters, the masterpieces of Shakespeare who repeatedly quoted religious scripture without at least a contextual understanding of Christianity? He insists that a student cannot understand these things without first discussion the importance of religion, which has been a factor among others affecting the intellectual production.

I especially agree with Boudreau’s call for a fair and balanced view and representation of religion in both the media and in academia. Boudreau cited several examples of the goodness and charity that religion motivated as well as the numerous social movements that were greatly inspired by religion and religious leaders, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Archbishop Tutu, and so on. The media ignores religious acts of good will while overexposing religious violence. Meanwhile, academics study, discuss, and venerate progressive social movements and their leaders, yet scorn the faith that propels them.

 With the normalization of the academic sphere as secular, I was under the impression that religion was quickly and steadily dissipating from society, and the world was heading toward global secularization. Therefore, I was surprised—and pleased—to learn that religion was, in fact, on the rise again. Though I long for the end of interfaith conflict and for a peaceful world where all human beings can coexist regardless of their faith. I know religious elimination is not the method and I see no benefit in the extinction of such great parts of the world culture and identity.