Integrating Critical Religious Literacy Into an Undergraduate Race and Justice Course

Abstract

This case study examines the role of critical religious literacy (CRL) in an interdisciplinary race, justice, and dialogue course developed and piloted by Mid-Atlantic Catholic University (MCU) from 2021-2023. In this chapter, we focus on participants' epistemological stances–their ideas about knowledge and learning–about Catholicism and Catholic education and how this influenced their learning about antiracism. Drawing on the concept of epistemic friction, we target students' discomfort, as described in participants' journals and interviews, to consider the costs and benefits of employing CRL to MCU's efforts to engage in racial justice. An analysis of participants' data, surveys, coursework, reflective journals, and post-course interviews raised awareness of the history of Catholic and institutional racism, disrupted beliefs, and supported participants' learning and sense of agency to enact antiracism. Learning engaging critical religious literacy practices contributed to students becoming co-producers of culture rather than passive recipients.