By Kate Eubanks
The 2026 Religious Literacy Series, Religion and Symbolism in Global Public Life, offers a focused, one-day professional development opportunity for educators and community-facing professionals seeking to better understand how religion shapes contemporary life. Centered on the play of symbols, the program will explore how religious meaning is communicated and contested across contexts--from classrooms and workplaces to media and global public discourse.
Through expert-led sessions, participants will examine how symbols--whether visual, linguistic, or embodied--shape the ways individuals and communities make sense of identity, belonging, and difference. In an increasingly interconnected world, these symbolic dimensions of religion often travel across borders, taking on new meanings while also generating misunderstanding. The series invites participants to engage these complexities with nuance, moving beyond surface-level interpretations toward a more informed and empathetic perspective. Building on the Institute's previous programming, the series will also engage themes such as religion in public life, identity and belonging, and the challenges of interpreting religious expression in diverse settings. Earlier iterations have explored topics including religion in the workplace, global religious traditions, digital religion, and the intersections of religion with race, migration, and environmental action--demonstrating the wide-ranging influence of religion across social domains.
This emphasis is grounded in a growing body of research associated with the Institute. Scholars have shown that religious pluralism is not simply the presence of diversity, but an active process of engagement that requires understanding how religious meanings are expressed and perceived in everyday life. At the same time, Institute-led research consistently finds that educators and professionals encounter religion regularly but often lack the conceptual tools to interpret it with confidence--particularly in its symbolic and cultural forms.
As part of its broader mission to advance the study of religion and its role in public life, the Boniuk Institute continues to connect rigorous scholarship with practical application. The 2026 Religious Literacy Series reflects this commitment, equipping participants with the knowledge and interpretive skills needed to navigate religious diversity with clarity, humility, and care.