OPTIONAL THEME:
KNOWLEDGE AND RELIGION
VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
The purpose of this introductory unit of inquiry is for students to gain an appreciation of the ubiquity and diversity of Religious Knowledge Systems. The inescapable fact that 84% of the global population self-identify as religious seems reason enough for elevating Knowledge and Religion as an Optional Theme in TOK.
CLASS ACTIVITY I:
WORLD FAITHS SLIDESHOW
Begin this introductory unit by showing the World Faiths slideshow. Limit any commentary, or discussion, to identifying the various traditions and allowing some clarification or appreciation of what seems to be going on as the images unfold.
The slideshow is not comprehensive or encyclopedic. Photos have been chosen to please the eye and for apparent authenticity. There has been an attempt to show and/or evoke both mass and individual religious observance. Touristic images purporting to show indigenous rituals largely were avoided.
The purpose here is not to teach religious content. Rather it is to prime individual students metaphorically to jump out of their own environment and mode of thinking in preparation for wrestling with some of the difficult and, often, counter-intuitive Knowledge Questions that emerge when learning about, and thinking about, different religious knowledge systems.
CLASS ACTIVITY II:
GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE
The World Faiths slideshow provided a qualitative, visual snapshot. This follow up activity is an exploration of some quantitative data from some reliable sources.
Students form pairs and explore online a “comprehensive demographic study of more than 230 countries and territories” conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life. The survey estimates that in 2010 there were 5.8 billion religiously affiliated adults and children around the globe, representing 84% of the world population of 6.9 billion.” The chart below is a 2020 update.
Next students should visit the Big Religion Chart at the Religion Facts website. Here verbatim is what they say about their own chart.
Oversimplification is unavoidable in all charts and summaries, so this is no substitute for reading about religions in greater detail or talking with actual religious humans. But it is our hope that this comparison chart can be a useful and accessible starting point, enabling you to "get the gist" of some unfamiliar groups and compare the basics of world faiths.
Tell students to read across the chart columns to find out more about a religion that they think they know; and also one they know almost nothing about. After allowing them time to do their individual research, engage the whole class by asking volunteers to relate any surprises or corrected misconceptions they found.
All major religions include a version of the Golden Rule.
For fun, and to bookmark students' newly acquired appreciation of a range of religions, challenge students to identify the seven religions by their symbols in the Golden Rule graphic above.