Course Overview

Learning about religion is essential to understanding the cultural, social, and political history of humanity. It is impossible to fully comprehend English-language literature, music, and film without recognizing how deeply these forms of cultural expression have been influenced by religion. Our tutoring program can support you in developing historical and cultural knowledge of religion, as well as the skills needed to think and write critically about religion’s role in the world. This support will help you feel more capable of understanding the material relating to religion that you will encounter in your Literature and Social Studies classes. English derives many of its idioms and metaphors from religious culture. Studying religion, therefore, can also help you improve in reading and speaking English.

Tutoring Program

Biblical Studies

The Bible is the principal religious text of several world religions, including Judaism and Christianity. If you attend a public school, the Bible will be taught from a secular perspective, and will be discussed in terms of its cultural rather than spiritual meaning. In Social Studies classes, units covering the history of the Ancient Near East may reference the Bible as an important literary product of the era. The Bible may feature more prominently in Literature classes, where it can be studied both as an example of literature and as a source of inspiration to later writers. The translation of the Bible into English during the seventeenth century was a formative moment in the development of English language and literature. You may read excerpts from such early translations as the King James Bible to see examples of how English literature and idiom bear the mark of biblical influence. English authors, from foundational writers such as Chaucer and Shakespeare to modern authors like John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison, make ample references to biblical themes and stories. The ability to recognize how literature alludes to and adapts material from the Bible will lead to a greater appreciation of what you read.

Comparative Religion

Comparative religion is the study of the ideas, practices, and histories of the many religions of our world. In public schools, comparative religion is taught from a secular point of view, meaning that no particular faith tradition is promoted over any other. In your Literature class, you may read samples from the holy books of various religions. In your Social Studies class, you will learn salient facts about the historical and cultural backgrounds of a diversity of religions. Class material will introduce the foundational texts of different religions, as well as their key beliefs and rituals. You will learn about how these religious beliefs and traditions both reflect and influence the cultural, political, and social lives of their communities. Likewise, your class will consider the role of religion in national and world history. You will study how interactions between different religious groups have affected the course of history and the development of the global community. A key goal of studying comparative religion in Social Studies is to prepare students to be informed citizens in a world where diverse populations must coexist.

Roman Catholicism

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the world, and many non-public schools in the United States are affiliated with the Catholic Church. If you attend a Catholic school, you may take a religious education class that focuses on the history and beliefs of Catholicism. Study of the Bible as sacred scripture inspired by God forms a significant part of the religion curriculum in Catholic schools. You will study the key figures and narratives of the Bible, with priority placed especially on the story of Jesus Christ and the emergence of the early Church. You will also receive a thorough introduction to the essential theological doctrines of Catholicism, where sacraments and rituals of the Church such as baptism and the Eucharist will receive special focus. In addition, your class will place great emphasis on Catholic moral teaching concerning the relationship between individuals and their families and communities. While religious education classes in Catholic schools are not secular in nature, you will not be required to believe in or practice the Catholic traditions promoted by the school.