Apart from the conflict between Arabs and Jews, two types of inter-group relations are the foci of social strain within the Jewish community of Israel: (1) inter-ethnic relations between Ashkenazim and Sephardim, and (2) relations between the religious and the nonreligious. Since 1967, the continuing survey of the Guttman Institute has been…

A fact-finding meeting on racial and religious tensions on college campuses in Kansas was held, with participation by community leaders, college and university officials and instructors, law enforcement officials, college students, and community relations experts. Topics covered were the extent of the tensions; likely causes of the problem; and…

Nearly 20 years ago, the powerful motion picture The Mission, starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, was released, bringing worldwide exposure to the Guarani aboriginal people. Based on historical events from the 1700s and set in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, the film was simultaneously moving and inspiring, yet also a disturbing…

Support for the traditional principle of separation of church and state has eroded in recent years. Although a majority of citizens say they support church-state separation, opinion polls find they have difficulty with the issue. The report presents a summary of such church-state conflicts in 38 states. The conflicts are categorized as follows:…

Relates the similar stories of Anne Hutchinson and Ann Hibbens, two religious dissenters in U.S. colonial history. Describes the background, role of sex discrimination, and the religious-judicial proceedings that caused both women to be convicted and jailed. Includes primary source readings from both trials. (CFR)

Asserts the Dutch educational systems' key feature is the principle that parents should be given the opportunity to organize and choose the kind of education they desire. Focuses on the role of the Dutch Social Democrats, the Groningen motion, and the outcome and intellectual foundation of publicly run Dutch schools. (KDR)

Reviews the activities of the New Christian Right (NCR) related to teaching evolution in the public schools. Describes the effects of legislation and court litigation on the NCR's efforts to eliminate secular humanism from textbooks. Provides an NCR definition of secular humanism. (LS)

Reviews the legal history of including religion in the curriculum and maintains that religion may have been the most important determinant of human behavior throughout history. Outlines an instructional model based on California and Illinois state histories and includes four themes that structure the model. (CFR)

Maintains that spirituality, by reason of its very nature and essence, is antithetical to the goals of state education. Argues that efforts to define spirituality as separate from religion are disingenuous and driven by a specific political agenda. Discusses the conflicting goals of spirituality and secular institutionalization. (MJP)

Presents a teacher's impressions of India, gathered during a Fulbright-sponsored study tour. Examines modernizing influences in the midst of traditional culture, religious cultural groups and potential religious conflict, women's status, and problems due to overpopulation. (CH)

Provides an extensive recounting of a colloquium convened at the Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies in Baltimore, Maryland. The colloquium brought together Catholic and Jewish educators from the northeastern United States for six intensive, two-day sessions over a period of nearly three years. Discusses the development and implementation of…

Argues against the limited definition of spiritual education as strictly concerned with the mystical and transcendental. Maintains that a broader application of spiritual education can and should be offered. Asserts that this application needs to be developed in terms of curricular objectives and assessment. (MJP)

Examines intense and bitter conflict over public education in the Philippines occurring immediately after the Spanish-American War and the U.S. annexation of the islands. The U.S. replacement of the popular Catholic school system with a secular system resulted in opposition that eventually focused on textbook selection. (MJP)

Criticizes the notion that secular humanists and religious educators can equitably agree on a common or middle ground. Maintains that the so-called middle ground is often primarily secular ideology with a token acknowledgment of the validity of religious thought. Argues for a more open discussion with both positions receiving equal consideration.…

Asserts that Islam is one of the world's fastest growing religions and an increasingly important political force in the world. Provides background information on Sunni and Shiite Islam, highlighting their historical, religious, and ideological differences. (CFR)