Special Issue of The Lion and the Unicorn: Twenty-First-Century Religion and Culture in Youth Literature

This special issue aims to revive and expand long-standing conversations about the roots and continued presence of religion in children’s literature, beyond consideration of early Christian influences. With an eye towards interfaith dialogue and inclusion, we will feature a variety of perspectives on religion and culture in children’s and young adult literature.

Religious Literacy: Children’s Museums as Playful Spaces to Engage Young Children and Adults

November 1, 2023 — Children’s museums provide playful spaces within the public sphere for children and adults to engage together through familiar and novel content and platforms. This talk explores processes in developing religious literacy within the informal educational context of Boston Children’s Museum (BCM). To guide critical theory-practice connections, we reflect on how as collaborators in the Religious Literacy Initiative we sought to provide children and the adults who care for them opportunities to: 1) unpack how beliefs and values develop as a facet of identity; 2) increase comfort around differing belief systems and uncover commonalities; and 3) celebrate religious, cultural and familial traditions.