With religion at the heart of much that is good and evil in our world, it is critical that students learn about the various and many faiths that motivate people. One should not expect an individual faith to be singled out for special consideration or imposition -- and that includes the "faith" of secularism.

Neither should a specific prayer be promoted in public schools and universities, as has been advocated by some in the past. One should not expect, for example, a Jewish teacher to offer a Christian or Muslim prayer, or any other combination that results in one praying in a way that would not come from the individual teacher's heart.

But religion as a historical and academic subject is as important now as it has ever been. Previous generations have thought knowing about religion was an important part of a well-rounded education.

A century ago, when he was president of Harvard, Nathan Pusey was reported to have said, "The least that should be expected of a Harvard graduate is that he learn to pronounce the name of God without embarrassment."

Unfortunately, at too many universities, God has become the embarrassment and that attitude has robbed students of the only component that can answer the eternal questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I headed?.