Abstract
To its core, the topic of discussion – in what will be both a free-standing academic article and a portion of a chapter in a forthcoming book – is in service to a larger discourse around the potentially jolting way religious education can inform secular education in areas of character and virtue, as well as values learning. Specifically, I endeavor to show that the way different religions traditions mobilize learning for the ‘spirit’ – particularly through the instruction of children in religious law and religio-legal matters – can inform how we should educate for character, values, and virtue in the secular schooling context through the use of (American) law as well. There are, therefore, two arguments being put forward in service of this objective: (1) that the study of law serves as an especially important source material for character education, values learning, and cultivating ethics; (2) that religious education (particularly in comparing the Jewish and Christian tradition) emphasizing law learning is a good model upon which we might learn to educate for the ‘spirit’ in secular schools through similar use of law (i.e. for higher ethics and character, values, community-orientation, etc.). And, indeed, it is also argued that such an education is one we should be preoccupied with, as an education for the ‘spirit’ – particularly, the “Spirit of 1776” – has long been a foundational principle of American public schooling.
Presenters
Ariel LibermanAssistant Professor of Law and Legal Studies, Department of Political Science, Auburn University, Auburn University, Alabama, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Religion and Law, Religious Education, Character and Values
