Multiculturalism and minority rights?

Recent philosophy of religion discusses the relationship between religion and politics. Among other reasons, this interest has emerged from encounters between various religions and disagreements about the role of religion in a secular society. Some of the major discussions relate to multiculturalism and minority rights, and religion in the public space, but the theme appears also in the discussion of whether religious alternatives to evolutionary theory should be included in biology classes in schools.

Many people think that it is a central idea in a modern democratic society that all citizens should have equal rights and equal opportunities, and no one should be discriminated for reasons of ethnic origin, gender, sexuality or religion. However, in some cases it seems that treating people differently is necessary to treat them equally. Britain has exempted Sikhs from the requirement to wear a helmet when riding a motorbike. Their large turbans make it impossible for them to wear helmets, and the law therefore prevented them from having jobs involving motorcycles. Soon disagreement arose about where to draw the line for exemption from the rules out of religious considerations. Questions of multiculturalism lead to fundamental discussions (on equality, tolerance and justice) in political philosophy.

The text is a rewrite of an English draft version of an introduction to Horisont - a textbook for the Danish upper-secondary school RE, edited by Associate Professors Annika Hvithamar and Tim Jensen, and Upper-Secondary School teachers Allan Ahle and Lene Niebuhr, published by Gyldendal, Copenhagen 2013. The original introduction was written by Annika Hvithamar and Tim Jensen based on the contribution of C. Shaffalitzky de Muckadell.

Religion in public space?

In the public debate, it has been claimed that there is too much religion in the public sphere, but what does this statement mean? What is “public space”? And what counts as “religion”? The idea of “religion in the public space” is not as simple as it sounds, and it is therefore unclear what exactly there is too much of. Perhaps it is the church bells chiming; maybe it is religious clothes, perhaps religious arguments in the political debate. Incidentally, when are clothes religious? The use of headscarves may be religiously motivated, but it can also be a fashion issue, tradition, a provocation or some other thing.  Another difficulty is the justification of points of view.  Why are religious arguments not permitted in political discussions? It is very difficult to establish a criterion for excluding religious arguments without creating a much-undifferentiated debating culture. If somebody says that religious arguments do not count because they are not based on scientific evidence, it will mean that you can no longer use arguments based on ideology or historical tradition.

Religious theories in biology education?

According to evolutionary theory, the development of animal species can be explained biologically. Only the best-adapted animals survive when there are not resources for all. This may explain the development of the species over time, if it is compared to our knowledge of genetics. The theory is supported by the discovery of fossils and empirical tests.

The evolutionary theory caused quite a commotion when Charles Darwin (1809-1882) first formulated it. It implies that man is also an animal, with apes as our ancestors. Then, as well as now, there are critics who suggest religious alternatives to evolution theories (there are both Christian and Muslim examples). They argue that God created the species (and human beings). This view is called creationism. Less radical critics of the theory of evolution will not impose a religious alternative, however, they speak of certain microorganisms, which may be made by an “intelligent designer”, since the theory of evolution cannot give good explanations for the occurrence of these complex organisms.

An offshoot of these differences can be found in the debate about what children should learn in school. Would it be okay to present students with religious alternatives to evolution in biology classes? Some people think that this is the most appropriate solution, because children then get to hear both sides of the case. Others believe that it is wrong because religion does not belong in biology classes, or because children need to know the best explanation, not to be presented with ideas they have no chance of assessing.

The text is a rewrite of an English draft version of an introduction to Horisont - a textbook for the Danish upper-secondary school RE, edited by Associate Professors Annika Hvithamar and Tim Jensen, and Upper-Secondary School teachers Allan Ahle and Lene Niebuhr, published by Gyldendal, Copenhagen 2013. The original introduction was written by Annika Hvithamar and Tim Jensen based on the contribution of C. Shaffalitzky de Muckadell.