There is existing literature which supports the academic use of critical thinking skills integrated into instructional pedagogy in higher education and its benefits to academic and social development. However, developing the skills, such as those that increase religious tolerance, is mostly absent from scholarly research despite the noted commonalities of the skills necessary to achieve it. As such, the purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the instructional styles that are delivered in postsecondary courses that teach on the world's religions. Further, it addresses the important research question of how critical thinking strategies are facilitated in the quest to increase religious tolerance. For this, students who were enrolled in one of these courses and its instructor were observed and interviewed over one academic semester. From examining the use of critical thinking throughout the course and observing how it surfaced from a student's experience or perspective, valuable insights emerged. The findings reflect that a combination of three of the underlying skills supported in the critical thinking skill hierarchy -- analysis, evaluation, interpretation -- outweigh the other prominent critical thinking skills. It is this combination that creates the type of awareness that students need to transform their views. These findings support theories that individuals need to be intentionally instructed on the critical thinking skills that focus on shifting individual world perceptions (worldviews) in transformative ways to change and alter old or preconceived ideology. This new insight not only better defines the skills that are most beneficial in instilling behaviors and attitudes that are more tolerant, but also lays the foundation for constructing new meaning. Moreover, this study brings forth support for the merits of looking deeper into how critical thinking is currently taught and in what ways educators can improve on delivery to increase favorable outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]