Religion is also a system of belief, a faith. To the adherents of a particular faith, the tenets of their religion are sacred and these adherents may regard the objective presentation of these tenets by non-adherents as a violation.

“Teaching religion” sounds simple. It isn’t.

Yet, it is possible to argue that the study of religion as an academic subject can be of great benefit to students. I have taught religion as an academic subject in both colleges and universities. My children, who went to a private, non-religious school, had religion as a subject in several grades, the better to interpret great literature.

Can you comprehend the works of William Shakespeare or Toni Morrison, or indeed any Western classic without knowing Christianity? Can you delve deeply into world literature without knowing the world’s religions? Of course not.

You can also argue that given the increasingly important role religion plays in world affairs in the 20th century, it is critical for everyone to know as much as possible about all religions. The United States itself is becoming increasingly religiously pluralistic and American citizens can no longer be content with just trying to figure out the differences between Methodists and Presbyterians, or even between Catholics and Jews.

But mandatory? The study of religion can’t be something the government can prescribe “for your own good” like limiting the amount of trans-fat in food (and some would say even the fat limitations are intrusive on our freedom of choice). The faith dimension of religion would rightly rebel at such intrusion.

Religious pluralism cannot be maintained except when faith is completely free of government interference and you cannot neatly separate religion and faith. And we must protect not only the freedom of religion, but also the freedom from religion. There are those who believe, with a great deal of evidence on their side, that religion does a lot of harm and they want nothing to do with it. That view must also be respected.

We are not limited to the mandatory study of religion in order to increase knowledge of other religions in an increasingly religiously pluralistic world.

Colleges and universities, both public and private, should enlarge their religion departments and make an effort to include courses on a wide range of religions from which students can choose.

The wider community, in cooperation with a large number of institutions, not only colleges and universities, can do a lot as well. Museums have a role in presenting the world’s religions through art and culture. Many cities and towns have “interfaith councils” that could work together to put on “religion fairs” where the food, music and artifacts of various religions can be showcased.

Religion isn’t just theology—it is the food of the people, it is their art and music, it is the beauty of their sacred objects. Community service channels on local television could rotate presentations on the different religions of the community—the architecture, art, music and history. Faith is also ethics: people of different faiths can learn a lot about each other by cleaning up the local park together or painting the community center.

Learning about the many faiths of the world is critical; forcing people to do that would disastrous.