Reading Sacred Texts: A Qualitative Study of Religious Educators’ Literacy Processes

Abstract Conceptualizing religious literacy as the processes used to construct meaning of sacred texts, this article focuses on how three religious educators read scripture. Data were generated through verbal protocols in which participants read scripture and verbalized their thinking. Inductive thematic analysis yielded a selection of scripture-reading processes in which participants amended scripture by adding, omitting, and substituting words; recognized and evaluated scripture-reading confusion; and tried to balance reading purposes with in-the-moment points of interest. As an empirical examination of the real-life, scripture-reading experiences of religious educators, this study can help clarify how religious educators approach sacred texts.