In this episode of the Arizona Civics Podcast, host Liz Evans is joined by Dr. Tim Hall, educator and founder of Religion Matters, for a thoughtful conversation on religious literacy—what it is, why it matters, and how it can be taught responsibly in public schools.
Dr. Hall explains how religious literacy helps students better understand history, civic life, global affairs, and one another in a pluralistic democracy. The conversation explores constitutional guardrails, classroom strategies, and trusted resources for educators who want to approach religion academically, not devotionally.
What You’ll Learn
- What religious literacy means in a public school context
- Why religion is essential to understanding history, civics, and global issues
- How religious literacy supports global competence and civic engagement
- Constitutional guidelines for teaching about religion in K–12 classrooms
- The Six-Point Framework and the “lived religion” approach
- Why the Scopes Trial still matters nearly 100 years later
- Trusted, classroom-ready resources for educators
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
Core Religious Literacy & Civics Resources
- National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) – Religious Studies Companion to the C3 Framework
https://www.socialstudies.org
- First Amendment Center – Guidelines for Teaching About Religion
https://www.freedomforum.org
- American Academy of Religion (AAR) – Definition of Religious Literacy
https://www.aarweb.org
- Pew Research Center – Religion & Public Life
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion
Teaching & Curriculum Resources
- Tanbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
https://tanbaumcenter.org
- Harvard Divinity School – Religion and Public Life
https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu
- Religion & Education Collaborative
https://religionandeducationcollaborative.org
- Religion Matters (Dr. Tim Hall)
https://religionmatters.org
Global Competence Resources
Historical & Civic References
- The Scopes Trial (1925) – Religion, science, and public education
- Declaration of Independence – Religious influences on the Founders
- First Amendment Religion Cases – Including cases related to the Pledge of Allegiance
The Arizona Constitution Project
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