Growing interest in religious literacy brought educators, nonprofit professionals, and community leaders to Rice University this summer for the Boniuk Institute's annual Religious Literacy Series. The one-day professional development program, Religion and Symbolism in Global Public Life, explored how religious symbols, beliefs, and practices shape contemporary life in classrooms, workplaces, communities, and public discourse.
Designed for secondary educators and community-facing professionals, the workshop provided participants with practical tools for understanding and engaging religious diversity. Sessions examined religious symbolism across multiple traditions, the role of religion in public life, civil religion and the ways religious identities are expressed and interpreted in increasingly diverse social settings.
The program reflects growing recognition that religion remains a significant force in public life and that educators and professional often encounter religious differences without adequate training or resources. Drawing on research from the Boniuk Institute, the series emphasized that religious literacy is more than knowledge about religious traditions--it is the ability to understand how religious beliefs, practices, and symbols influence individuals, communities, and institutions.