Origins and Developments of Religious Literacy Education

Abstract Religious literacy education in the United States emerged as a sub-field of religious studies in the 21st century. We briefly describe the origins of religious literacy as well as the historical context for the emergence of its parent field, religious studies. We then trace developments in the sub-field of religious literacy by using the cognitive and affective dimensions of Bloom’s taxonomy of learning to identify knowledges and values associated with the study of religion. We review challenges to and recommendations for implementing religious literacy theory into practice. Finally, we describe the institutionalization of religious literacy in a variety of settings.