Failing Christianity

This is the point in the semester when I figure I have failed the Christians—but not all by myself. Their churches have failed them too, by supporting them to believe things they do not know much about. College students in all other regards, they remain fifth graders in religion. How, when they meet someone who asks them intelligent questions about their faith, will they come up with equally intelligent answers? Keep your class notes, I tell them. You never know when you may need them. Failing Christianity by Barbara Brown Taylor, The Christian Century, Faith matters, June 17, 2008

This is an interesting article about World Religions class. The students are able to learn about other religions but when it comes to their own, the have a tough time with the basics:

With only five class sessions for each religion, I cover the basics quickly: early Christian history, composition and content of the New Testament, the Great Schism, the Protestant Reformation, central Christian doctrines and common religious practices. Faced with so much new information, students often have a hard time formulating their questions.