Religious Literacy and the Professions Initiative

Through its Religious Literacy and the Professions Initiative, RPL collaborates with professionals in secular-defined fields in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who share a commitment to just peace and who wish to explore how a deeper understanding of the complex influences of religions in modern human affairs can enhance their own work. We offer resources, training, and support to professionals working at local, national, and global levels, while providing HDS students the skills and knowledge to better leverage their religious studies degree to advance the public understanding of religion in service of just peace.  

The professions we target include government, humanitarianism, entertainment media, journalism, education, and organizing. There are fundamental, but often little understood, ways in which dimensions of religion surface and shape the processes, structures, and outcomes in these particular fields. Through our collaboration with professionals in these fields, we seek to better understand together the assumptions, opportunities, and constraints within their fields relevant to advancing religious literacy in service of just peacebuilding and a more equitable and sustainable future.  

We invite those interested in partnering with us to sign up for our newsletter, take one of our online courses, or send us an email.