Chapter 11: Matters of Faith: Religion / 第11章：信仰问题：宗教

Man is by his constitution a religious animal.

—Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France
人在本质上是宗教性的动物。—埃德蒙·伯克，《对法国大革命的反思》

The old classicists called theology the "queen of sciences" because it ruled over all other fields of study. Theology still does, either in its presence or its absence.

古代的古典学者称神学为"科学之王"，因为它统治着所有其他学习领域。神学现在仍然如此，无论是以其存在还是缺席的形式。

The presence or absence of the divine has immense implications for every area of the curriculum: Are we animals or something slightly different?

神性的存在或缺席对课程的每个领域都有巨大的影响：我们是动物还是稍有不同的存在？

Do math rules work because of the coincidental shape of space and time or because God is an orderly being, whose universe reflects his character?

数学定律起作用是因为空间和时间的巧合形状，还是因为神是一个有序的存在，其宇宙反映了他的品格？

Is a man who dies for his faith a hero or a fool?

一个为信仰而死的人是英雄还是愚人？

Public schools, which have the impossible task of teaching children of many different faiths, must proclaim neutrality.

公立学校面临着一个不可能的任务：教导来自不同信仰的孩子们，因此必须宣称中立性。

We don't deal in matters of faith, the teachers explain. We're neutral.

教师解释说，我们不处理信仰事务。我们是中立的。

Think about this for a minute. Arguing for the presence of God is generally considered "biased." Assuming his absence is usually called "neutral."

请思考一分钟。争论神的存在通常被认为是"有偏见的"。假设他的缺席通常被称为"中立的"。

Yet both are statements of faith; both color the teacher's approach to any subject; both make a fundamental assumption about the nature of men and women.

然而两者都是信仰的陈述；两者都影响教师对任何学科的方法；两者都对男女的本质做了基本的假设。

To call this neutrality is intellectually dishonest.

称这种做法为中立在智力上是不诚实的。

Education cannot be neutral when it comes to faith: it is either supportive or destructive. The topic of education is humanity, its accomplishments, its discoveries, its savage treatment of its own kind, its willingness to endure self-sacrifice.

教育在涉及信仰时不能保持中立：它要么是支持的，要么是破坏性的。教育的主题是人类，人类的成就、发现、对同类的野蛮对待，以及承受自我牺牲的意愿。

And you cannot learn—or teach—about humanity without considering God.

而你不能在不考虑神的情况下学习或教授关于人类的知识。

Let's take biology as an example. Mammals are characterized by, among other things, their tendency to care for and protect their young.

让我们以生物学为例子。哺乳动物的特征是，除其他特点外，它们有照顾和保护幼崽的倾向。

Do mothers love their babies because of sheer biological imperative? If so, why do we come down so hard on fathers who neglect their children?

母亲爱她们的婴儿是因为纯粹的生物学必要性吗？如果是这样，为什么我们对忽视孩子的父亲如此严厉？

It's a rare male mammal that pays much attention to its young. Do fathers love their babies because of the urge to see their own genetic material preserved or because fathers reflect the character of the father God?

对幼崽给予很多注意的雄性哺乳动物是罕见的。父亲爱他们的婴儿是因为希望看到自己的基因物质被保存，还是因为父亲反映了天父神的品格？

How should a father treat a disabled child? Why?

父亲应该如何对待残疾的孩子？为什么？

We don't blame the public schools for sidestepping these sorts of questions. In most cases, it's the only strategy they can adopt.

我们不责备公立学校回避这类问题。在大多数情况下，这是他们能够采用的唯一策略。

Yet this separation of religious faith from education yields an incomplete education.

然而这种将宗教信仰从教育中分离出来的做法产生了不完整的教育。

We're not arguing that religion should be "put back" into public schools. We'd just like some honesty: an education that takes no notice of faith is, at the very least, incomplete.

我们不是在争论宗教应该被"放回"公立学校。我们只是希望有一些诚实：一个不注意信仰的教育，至少是不完整的。

Since you're teaching your child yourself, you can rectify this situation. Don't ignore instruction in (at the bare minimum) the facts of the world's major religions.

既然你在亲自教育你的孩子，你可以纠正这种情况。不要忽视（至少）世界主要宗教事实的教学。

Do try to relate the child's studies to your own faith, to your own religious heritage.

务必尝试将孩子的学习联系到你自己的信仰，联系到你自己的宗教传统。

Your child will probably start asking the tough questions in the logic stage (something to look forward to): Why did the Crusades take place? Isn't it wrong to try to change people's religion by forcible means? Well, how about peaceful means?

你的孩子可能会在逻辑阶段开始提出棘手的问题（这是值得期待的）：为什么发生了十字军东征？试图通过强制手段改变人们的宗教信仰是错误的吗？那么，和平手段呢？

Was the pope wrong to put all of England under an interdict? Why would a medieval scholar risk excommunication? Why did Newton believe in God?

教皇对整个英格兰实施禁令是错误的吗？为什么中世纪学者会冒逐出教会的风险？为什么牛顿相信神？

And what about that father and his disabled child?

那位父亲和他的残疾孩子怎么办？

The elementary-level student won't be thinking on this level, so you can relax for a few years. But now is the time to understand the basics of the faiths that have shaped both history and science.

小学水平的学生不会在这个层面思考，所以你可以放松几年。但现在是理解那些塑造了历史和科学的信仰基础知识的时候了。

Explain Islam and Buddhism and Hinduism and ancestor worship. Discuss the elements of Christianity and Judaism.

解释伊斯兰教、佛教、印度教和祖先崇拜。讨论基督教和犹太教的要素。

Teach the Exodus and the Conquest and the Exile and the birth of Christ right along with ancient history.

在教授古代历史的同时，教授出埃及记、征服、流亡和基督的诞生。

Show how these world religions have collided—why, for example, the English ruling India were so appalled over suttee (widow burning) while the Indians considered it an honorable act.

展示这些世界宗教是如何冲突的——例如，为什么统治印度的英国人对殉夫（寡妇焚身）感到如此震惊，而印度人却认为这是光荣的行为。

Don't be afraid of America's Puritan and Dissenter past. And don't fall into the "Thanksgiving trap."

不要害怕美国的清教徒和异议者历史。也不要落入"感恩节陷阱"。

If you don't do this now, your child will reach the logic stage badly equipped—unable to understand fully the events of history and why they have unfolded in their present pattern.

如果你现在不这样做，你的孩子到达逻辑阶段时将缺乏足够的装备——无法充分理解历史事件以及它们为什么以现在的模式展开。

Religion plays a major role in the formation of any culture. For this reason, it is imperative that the continuing education of the child include how religion has influenced art, music, literature, science, and history itself.

宗教在任何文化的形成中发挥重要作用。因此，孩子的持续教育必须包括宗教如何影响艺术、音乐、文学、科学和历史本身。

We believe that religion's role in both past and present cultures is best taught by the parents from the strength of their own faith.

我们相信，宗教在过去和现在文化中的作用最好由父母基于他们自己信仰的力量来教授。

I (Susan) don't want my six-year-old taught religion in school. That's my job. It is my responsibility to teach my children what I believe, why I believe it, and why it makes a difference.

我（苏珊）不希望我六岁的孩子在学校接受宗教教育。那是我的工作。教导我的孩子我相信什么、为什么相信，以及为什么这很重要，这是我的责任。

RESOURCES / 资源

For the teaching of religion, use family resources or check with your own religious community for suggestions.

对于宗教教育，请使用家庭资源或向你自己的宗教社区咨询建议。

* Many elementary-school history texts, unwilling to run the risk of lawsuits, tell third graders that the Pilgrims gave thanks at Thanksgiving but never mention God. One particularly bad text informs children that the Pilgrims gave thanks to the Indians.

* 许多小学历史教科书，不愿意冒诉讼风险，告诉三年级学生朝圣者在感恩节感谢，但从不提及神。一本特别糟糕的教科书告诉孩子们朝圣者向印第安人表示感谢。

📚 Chapter Vocabulary / 本章词汇表

宗教与信仰词汇 / Religion & Faith Vocabulary

theology

/θiˈɒlədʒi/

中文：神学
定义：研究宗教信仰和神的学科
例句：Theology was once considered the queen of all sciences.

faith

/feɪθ/

中文：信仰
定义：对宗教或理念的坚定信念
例句：Faith plays a major role in education and culture.

divine

/dɪˈvaɪn/

中文：神性的
定义：与神或宗教相关的
例句：The presence of the divine affects all areas of study.

neutrality

/nuːˈtræləti/

中文：中立性
定义：不偏向任何一方的立场
例句：Public schools claim neutrality in matters of faith.

教育与学术词汇 / Education & Academic Vocabulary

curriculum

/kəˈrɪkjʊləm/

中文：课程
定义：学校或教育机构的教学内容
例句：Faith has implications for every area of the curriculum.

education

/ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃən/

中文：教育
定义：学习和教学的过程
例句：Education cannot be neutral when it comes to faith.

scholars

/ˈskɑːlərz/

中文：学者
定义：从事学术研究的专家
例句：Medieval scholars often risked excommunication for their beliefs.

incomplete

/ˌɪnkəmˈpliːt/

中文：不完整的
定义：缺少某些重要部分的
例句：An education without faith is incomplete.

基础生活词汇 / Basic Life Vocabulary

children

/ˈtʃɪldrən/

中文：孩子们
定义：年幼的人类
例句：Parents have the responsibility to teach their children about faith.

parents

/ˈperənts/

中文：父母
定义：孩子的生身监护人
例句：Parents should teach religion from their own faith.

family

/ˈfæməli/

中文：家庭
定义：由亲属关系组成的群体
例句：Use family resources for teaching religion.

responsibility

/rɪˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/

中文：责任
定义：应尽的义务或职责
例句：It's my responsibility to teach my children what I believe.

历史与文化词汇 / History & Culture Vocabulary

Crusades

/kruːˈseɪdz/

中文：十字军东征
定义：中世纪基督教的宗教战争
例句：Students will ask why the Crusades took place.

culture

/ˈkʌltʃər/

中文：文化
定义：社会的传统、习俗和价值观
例句：Religion plays a major role in the formation of culture.

heritage

/ˈherɪtɪdʒ/

中文：传统
定义：从前辈继承的文化财富
例句：Relate studies to your own religious heritage.

Pilgrims

/ˈpɪlɡrɪmz/

中文：朝圣者
定义：早期移居美洲的英国清教徒
例句：History texts should mention that Pilgrims gave thanks to God.

世界宗教词汇 / World Religions Vocabulary

Christianity

/ˌkrɪstʃiˈænəti/

中文：基督教
定义：以耶稣基督为中心的宗教
例句：Discuss the elements of Christianity and Judaism.

Islam

/ɪzˈlɑːm/

中文：伊斯兰教
定义：以穆罕默德为先知的一神教
例句：Explain Islam and other world religions to children.

Buddhism

/ˈbuːdɪzəm/

中文：佛教
定义：以佛陀教义为基础的宗教
例句：Buddhism is one of the major world religions.

Judaism

/ˈdʒuːdeɪɪzəm/

中文：犹太教
定义：犹太民族的传统宗教
例句：Judaism and Christianity share common historical roots.

📊 Processing Statistics / 处理统计

✅ 总段落数 / Total Paragraphs: 32
✅ 词汇标注数量 / Vocabulary Annotations: 68个关键词
✅ 词汇卡片数量 / Vocabulary Cards: 20张
✅ 词汇分类 / Categories: 5类
✅ 双语对照完成度 / Bilingual Coverage: 100%
✅ 点击发音功能 / Click-to-Speak: 已启用
✅ 响应式设计 / Responsive Design: 已优化