Why Religious Education Matters
Article
![Muslims pray during Eid-al-Fitr to mark the end of the month of Ramadan on Red Road in Calcutta, India. A Pew poll released in August shows that 55 percent of Americans “do not know very much” about Islam while 25 percent “know nothing at all.” Despite this lack of knowledge 38 percent of Americans have an “unfavorable” view of Islam and 35 percent believe that Islam “is more likely to encourage violence than other [religions].” (AP/Bikas Das)](https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2010/10/muslims_praying_onpage-1.jpg?w=610)
Why Religious Education Matters
Brian Thorn explains the problems a society faces when it lacks understanding of religions at home and abroad.