Reza Shah Kazemi, Managing Editor, Encyclopaedia Islamica
In our troubled times religious education has become a veritable "civic imperative", given the extent to which religion has taken centre-stage in contemporary ideological discourses throughout the world. More than ever before, the saying "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" applies to religion: those with little knowledge of religion exploit and manipulate religious vocabulary with pernicious, and often explosive, consequences. In such a context religious education plays the crucial role of helping all -children and adults alike - to discern authentic religion from its counterfeit, or its caricature; in addition to demonstrating that, far from being a divisive force in society, authentic religions stand together in harmony on the common ground of the highest ethical ideals of civility, tolerance and the pursuit of enlightenment.
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