During the summer I had the opportunity to take a class on world religions. Even though I am not religious, the class was a fun and enriching experience. It added something very valuable to my education, something I feel is essential for a liberal arts education.

An understanding of religion leads to a better understanding of culture, literature, history, ethics and philosophy. Because religion is such a valuable and enriching subject that is uniquely influential in the world, I feel that a religious studies requirement should be added to the curriculum in the College of Letters and Science here at the University of Wisconsin.

The requirement should not force religion down the throats of college students, but rather provide them with a critical perspective on religion and its influence in the world.

The effect of religion on society and culture is deep and widespread – for instance, religions often cause war. One cannot fully comprehend many great works of western literature without a working knowledge of the Bible. Nor can one truly understand current events in the Middle East without knowing something about Islam. Religion has a deep impact on the world we live in and its central importance can be seen in many disciplines of study. Because religion’s influence on our world is vaster than the subject matter of any other field of study, it should be considered a keystone in a liberal arts education.

Religious texts are among the most influential ever written, and in order to be a person educated in the liberal arts, one should know something about them.

Studying religion can also be fulfilling on a personal level. It can cause you to see the world in a different way, make you question your beliefs and expose you to new ideas and perspectives.

Some say that such a religious studies requirement would merely reinforce some students’ religious beliefs. This is not the case. Learning about religion in a classroom environment will almost certainly bring something new to the picture. Going to a religious studies class is far different from going to church. A class will build a student’s critical understanding of religion, not preach to them.

Requiring a religious studies class would not blur the line between church and state because it would not promote religion. Yes, it would be wrong to force a student to take a class which promotes a particular religion – that would not be the purpose of this requirement. It would simply expose students to several millennia of philosophy. A liberal arts student should become familiar with religious views, even those that they don’t necessarily agree with, and he or she should understand those views and their implications.

A liberal education is an education that provides the student with liberty. A student cannot be intellectually free unless he or she has developed some educated perspective on religion, and how religion plays out in the world. This intellectual freedom could come from analyzing the philosophy behind various religions or from grasping how religion affects our society and culture.

I support a religious studies requirement because the study of religion is liberating in a way that no other subject is. The College of Letters and Science should implement a religious studies requirement because no other subject has such a vast scope and widespread impact.

Spencer Lindsay ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in political science.