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| Religious Literacy Project | |
|---|---|
| Name | Religious Literacy Project |
| Formation | 2010 |
| Founder | Diane L. Moore |
| Type | Research and educational initiative |
| Headquarters | Harvard University |
| Location | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Leader title | Director |
| Leader name | Diane L. Moore |
| Parent organization | Harvard Divinity School |
Religious Literacy Project is an academic initiative based at Harvard Divinity School that promotes knowledge about global religious traditions for public life, civic institutions, and policymaking. Its work connects scholarly resources with practitioners across United States federal agencies, state governments, schools, and faith communities to improve religiously informed decision-making. The project bridges scholars and professionals by producing curriculum, research, and training that address religion-related challenges in contemporary contexts such as Middle East diplomacy, U.S. Department of State engagement, and urban public schools.
The project aims to increase religious fluency among leaders in institutions such as U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and local public school systems, and collaborates with organizations like American Red Cross, United Nations, and World Bank Group to integrate religious understanding into humanitarian response and development practice. It offers pedagogical materials that draw on scholarship about traditions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and new religious movements, while addressing phenomena such as religious nationalism in contexts like India and Israel–Palestine conflict. Leadership and faculty contributors have connections with institutions like Harvard Kennedy School, Columbia University, Brown University, Yale University, and Georgetown University.
Founded in 2010 by Diane L. Moore at Harvard Divinity School, the initiative developed from earlier projects in the 2000s that linked theological studies with public policy in the wake of events such as the September 11 attacks and geopolitical shifts in the Middle East. Early milestones include workshops with practitioners from U.S. Foreign Service, curriculum pilots in Boston Public Schools, and advisory relationships with agencies responding to crises like the Syrian civil war and humanitarian operations involving International Committee of the Red Cross. Over time the project expanded its scope through fellowships, public lectures featuring scholars from Princeton University, University of Chicago, Oxford University, and through conferences held in partnership with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Programming includes short courses, online modules, educator toolkits, and tailored workshops for audiences at U.S. Department of Defense, municipal police departments, and non-governmental organizations such as Mercy Corps and International Rescue Committee. Curricula cover topics like religious identity in civic life, legal frameworks exemplified by cases in Supreme Court of the United States, and comparative studies referencing texts such as the Bible, Quran, Bhagavad Gita, and Talmud. Classroom resources have been used in partnership with school districts including Boston Public Schools and in professional training at institutions like Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to address faith-sensitive practice in healthcare and technology arenas.
Scholarly outputs include white papers, case studies, and reports that analyze intersections of religion with public policy, law, and international affairs; contributors include academics affiliated with Princeton Theological Seminary, Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and SOAS University of London. Topics treated in publications range from the role of faith-based organizations in disaster relief during events like Hurricane Katrina to analyses of religious literacy for countering violent extremism in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Research collaborations have produced annotated bibliographies and teaching modules that reference primary sources, canonical texts, and legal precedents such as decisions from the European Court of Human Rights and rulings influencing religious accommodation in the United States.
The project operates through partnerships with academic centers, government agencies, philanthropic foundations, and NGOs, including ties with Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the John Templeton Foundation for grant support. Institutional partners have included Harvard Kennedy School, Berkman Klein Center, and international partners like The Hague Institute for Global Justice. Funding streams combine foundation grants, university support from Harvard University, and fee-for-service contracts with agencies such as U.S. Agency for International Development and municipal governments.
Stakeholders report the project has influenced training protocols at agencies like U.S. Department of Defense and shaped classroom practice in districts including Boston Public Schools; cited impacts include improved cultural competence for personnel deployed to regions such as the Middle East and enhanced student engagement in social studies curricula addressing religious diversity. The project has been featured at conferences hosted by American Academy of Religion and has been discussed in media outlets that cover higher education and public policy. Academic reviewers have recognized its role in translating scholarship for practitioner audiences while professional partners highlight its practical toolkits and workshops.
Critiques have addressed concerns about the boundaries between academic inquiry and policy advocacy, questioning whether engagement with agencies like Pentagon and U.S. intelligence community may affect scholarly independence. Some commentators from faith-based organizations including denominations represented by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and advocacy groups such as American Civil Liberties Union have debated the secular neutrality of curricula and the selection of traditions emphasized. Debates also surface over funding sources from foundations like John Templeton Foundation and implications for research agendas, prompting calls for transparency and rigorous peer review in materials disseminated to schools and government entities.