Introduction

The UTSC community is comprised of students, staff, and faculty from a diverse range of religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions and beliefs. This chapter aims to provide UTSC Psychology instructors with a framework to discuss topics of religion and faith in the classroom while challenging the underlying cultural and religious perspectives and assumptions found in course content. Additionally, this chapter outlines the University guidelines regarding accommodations for religious observances, and provides some resources to keep track of these dates.

It is clear that there exists a great diversity both between and within the many religious and spiritual traditions of the world. When discussing religion, faith, and spirituality, however, it is also important to acknowledge the diverse ways in which individuals may relate to, or identify with their traditions. In the spirit of fostering informed representations of religious diversity, the sections below highlight some helpful points to keep in mind.

Religious Association in the Context of Culture, Community, and Belonging

For many individuals, religion, culture, and community are all greatly or inextricably linked. It is important to remember that students may identify with a religion, or engage in religious practices for a large number of reasons. Some students may hold their religious tradition as an intrinsic and deeply important part of their identity. Others may identify with their tradition to different degrees, or primarily through belonging, behaviour, or ancestry.

Intersectionality and Multiple Religious Associations

Religious identity does not exist in isolation, but is one facet of an individual’s complex of intersectional identities. Some students, particularly those belonging to multiple minority groups, may face additional social barriers or discrimination as a result of their intersecting identities. Additionally, while belonging to a religious tradition might generally be seen as exclusive, it is important to keep in mind that this is not the case for all cultures, traditions, and individuals. Students may identify with, or engage in practices from across multiple traditions.

Assumptions of Monotheism and Conventions of Language

While many religious traditions are monotheistic, some traditions may be polytheistic, not feature or focus on a theistic figure at all, or conceive of the notion of divinity in completely unique ways. Additionally, not all traditions may refer to theistic figures in linguistically masculine ways, and may refer to theistic figures as feminine or genderless.

Indigenous Spiritual Traditions

North America is home to a rich diversity of Indigenous spiritual practices and traditions. Historically, these traditions have faced systemic suppression and exclusion from academic spheres. While discussions of religion might commonly revolve around major world religions, it is important to remember the unique context and perspectives that Indigenous traditions can contribute to these conversations.

Discussing Topics of Religion & Spirituality in the Classroom

Perceived Conflicts Between Religion & Science

In acknowledging the great diversity in beliefs within and between religious and spiritual traditions, the compatibility of science and religion is a deeply nuanced topic. While science and religion may commonly be positioned as incompatible, some religious traditions and cultures may hold them to be separate, complementary, or fully compatible.

The psychology department at UTSC includes many students who identify with religious or spiritual traditions. Students with deep faith beliefs may be eager to find a connection between their faith and science; and may be frustrated if they perceive that their beliefs are being dismissed or discounted as part of the psychology curriculum.

Resources & Recommendations

In a chapter of Science Education: A Global Perspective (Akpan, 2017), Taber (2017) investigates the relationship between science and religion in education. The chapter discusses some possible sources of perceived conflicts and provides recommendations for educators who cover these topics.

Some general ideas suggested by Taber (2017):

• Avoid trying to persuade learners to commit to adopting the ideas taught.
• Focus on providing a solid understanding of scientific ideas that students can then make up their own minds about.
• Conflict may be more likely when scientific concepts are framed as implying that the supernatural/non-physical are denied by science, rather than outside the range of application of science.

One chapter of the International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching (Zumbach et al., 2023) by Sisemore et al. (2023) discusses teaching the psychology of religion and spirituality (PRS). While this section focuses on teaching strategies and course content for the PRS subfield, the author makes some suggestions that may be helpful for classroom discussions surrounding religion in the broader context of psychology as a whole.

Some recommendations made by Sisemore et al. (2023):

• Aim to create an atmosphere of curiosity and understanding where students can speak freely with a sense that divergent perspectives will be respected.
• Try to acknowledge that while science is centred on observable and measurable phenomena and may descriptively discuss religious behaviour, emotions, or attitudes, it is not equipped to answer ultimately religious questions.
• Understand that both students and instructors can bring implicit biases to the classroom. Make a conscious effort to avoid subtly insulting or dismissing the faith of others (e.g., through micro-aggressions).

Incorporating Discussions of Religion and Spirituality into the Curriculum

With the understanding that discussions of religion and spirituality are often overlooked in other subfields of psychology, Sisemore (2023) also discusses some intersections between PRS and many common undergraduate psychology topics. For instructors looking to integrate discussions of religion and spirituality into the curriculum, this section of the chapter may be a helpful starting point.

During class discussions surrounding religion, students may want to speak about their personal experiences or share their understanding of religious traditions, practices, or values. If done in an environment of openness, respect, and curiosity, these can provide insightful context and unique perspectives on class content.

It is critical to acknowledge, however, that it is nearly impossible for any individual to represent the breadth of diversity within their tradition. With this in mind, singling out students to act as examples or representatives of their tradition(s) can be a deeply uncomfortable and stressful experience. Furthermore, making assumptions about someone’s religious beliefs by appearance is not always reliable, and such judgments can be misinformed or based on stereotypes. Even in situations where individuals may display symbols of faith, ultimately, only these individuals fully understand their personal beliefs and their relationship with any traditions.

Religious Inclusivity – Questions to Consider

Below are some reflective questions that may help instructors cultivate a mindset and classroom environment inclusive of religious and spiritual diversity:

Developing an Inclusive, Open, and Accepting Mindset

• How do my own experiences and perspectives affect the way I view religion and spirituality?
• Do I have preconceived notions about any specific religious traditions or its followers?
• What language do I use when talking about religion, faith, and spirituality?
• How can I develop a better understanding of other cultures and religious traditions?

Acknowledging Religious and Spiritual Diversity in the Classroom

• How can I address the fact that some concepts covered in class may inherently assume Western perspectives, culture, and norms?
• How can I incorporate research or ideas from diverse perspectives into the curriculum?
• How can I acknowledge that research on one religious or spiritual group may not be generalizable to other groups?

Accommodations for Students’ Religious Observances

The University’s full guidelines regarding accommodations for religious, spiritual, or faith observances can be found in the Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious Observances (2005). The Office of Vice-Provost, Students has also provided more information on the interpretation of this policy.

Key Takeaways from the Policy:

• Course instructors should make every reasonable effort to avoid scheduling tests, examinations, or other mandatory activities during religious days of observance.
• Students have the responsibility to inform teaching staff of any anticipated absences due to upcoming religious observances. The Office of Vice-Provost, Students advises that a minimum of three weeks advance notice should be considered sufficient.
• When scheduling conflicts with tests or examinations are unavoidable, students should be informed of the procedure to arrange to write at an alternative time.
• When scheduling conflicts with other mandatory activities (e.g., lab work) are unavoidable, students should be given ample opportunity to make up for their missed work.
• No student should be seriously disadvantaged due to any religious observances. However, academic scheduling changes to accommodate one group should not seriously disadvantage other groups within the University community.

Religious Conflicts with Final Examinations

The University’s Academic Handbook for Faculty and Staff states that in the event of a religious conflict with a final examination, it is the student’s responsibility to submit a request for accommodation to the Office of the Registrar, no later than two full weeks before the commencement of examinations. Under normal circumstances, this will be granted to students with an explanation.

Religious, Spiritual, and Cultural Dates of Significance

The Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture has a website that lists major religious festivals and national days of observance, with links to official university information documents. Each document offers a description of what the religious festival/day of observance is, how it is observed, and how to create an inclusive environment for that festival. While this information is aimed primarily at employers at the University of Toronto, it can also be applied to classroom and research lab environments.

For a more comprehensive list, the Multi-Faith Centre has created an extended list of significant religious festivals and cultural days categorized by ethnic and faith groups. The list features a short description of each festival/day, common greetings for each occasion, as well as their upcoming dates over the following years.

Check Your Understanding

Resources

Calendar of Major Faith and Cultural Days

The two resources mentioned above have been synthesized to create a Google Calendar of major faith and cultural days (2024-2025) listed by the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture. The calendar includes the specific dates, brief descriptions, and common greetings for each occasion sourced from the Multi-Faith Centre’s list. Please note that some of these dates are tied to the lunar calendar, and may fall a day before or after the listed date.

This calendar can be used as is, or exported as a .ics file for use in any calendar app.

UofT Multi-Faith Centre

Provides resources, services, and dedicated spaces to support the religious and spiritual well-being of students, staff, and faculty. The centre also runs a variety of educational workshops throughout the year on challenging discrimination, developing inclusivity, and building religious and cultural literacy.

The Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO)

The Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) within the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture, provides services to support students, staff, and faculty with the development of racial, cultural, and faith diversity. In addition to workshops and guidance on practice and policy, ARCDO also provides complaints resolution support for those experiencing discrimination or harassment relating to race, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, colour, or faith.

References

Akpan, B. (Ed.). (2017). Science education: A global perspective. Springer.

Sisemore, T. A. (2023). Teaching the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. In J. Zumbach, D. A. Bernstein, S. Narciss, & G. Marsico (Eds.), International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching (pp. 1097–1115). Springer.

Taber, K. S. (2017). The Relationship Between Science and Religion: A Contentious and Complex Issue Facing Science Education. In B. Akpan (Ed.), Science Education: A Global Perspective (pp. 45–69). Springer.

Zumbach, J., Bernstein, D. A., Narciss, S., & Marsico, G. (2023). International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching. Springer.

Contributions

Roles follow the CRediT Taxonomy. Names are listed in alphabetical order.

Writing – Original draft: Amman Khurana, Andy Lee

Writing – Review & Editing: Jessica Dere, Amman Khurana

Supervision: Jessica Dere