E-Seminar: The Role and Relevance of Religion in the Contemporary World

Description

Religion generally refers to a structured and organized system of beliefs, worldviews or practices that partly seek to answer fundamental questions of human existence and which connect human beings to an organized order of existence. Often, religion is linked to the idea of a Supernatural Being such as God, Allah and Brahman or something closer to a god or goddess. The value and importance of religion cannot be underestimated. This seminar employs a comprehensive and systematic approach in unpacking the role and centrality of religion in the contemporary world. Several key questions will be considered, discussed and analyzed from a multidisciplinary perspective. What is religion? What is the state of religious freedom in the contemporary world? Should religion be granted preferential treatment in a liberal or democratic state? Can religion contribute to promotion and protection of democratic principles and values? To what extent can religion help in the promotion and protection of human rights and justice? What should be the role of religion in society today?

Objectives

By the end of this seminar, one should be able to:

• Understand the meaning of religion, its centrality and the notion of religious freedom.
• Determine whether or not religion should be granted preferential treatment in a liberal or democratic state
• Determine the extent to which religion can help in the promotion and protection of human rights and justice
• Analyze the extent to which religion can contribute to the promotion and protection of democratic principles and the democratization process

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the meaning of religion, its centrality and the notion of religious freedom.
• Determine whether or not religion should be granted preferential treatment in a liberal or democratic state
• Determine the extent to which religion can help in the promotion and protection of human rights and justice
• Analyze the extent to which religion can contribute to the promotion and protection of democratic principles and the democratization process