The Challenges of Religious Literacy: The Case of Finland

This open access book presents religious literacy as the main explanatory factor when dealing with certain ethnic groups that attract stereotypes which gloss over other personal factors such as age, class, gender and cultural differences. It discusses freedom of religion, and the Christian revival movement. It examines religious literacy and religious diversity in multi-faith schools. It looks into the role of Mosques and Islamic divorce. Finally, it discusses the prevention of violent radicalization and extremism in Finland. Using recent data on Finnish secular society, the book promotes a new understanding which is needed with respect to popular and media portrayal of religion, or with respect to public discussion about religion. It addresses actors in civic society, public servants and higher education.

Dr. Tuula Sakaranaho is Professor of the Study of Religions and Vice Dean, at the Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki. Her research interests concern the governance of religious diversity in a multicultural European society, with a special focus on religious freedom and Muslims in Europe. She has also published on religious education in Finland and on Islamic religious education in Finland and Ireland.

Dr. Timo Aarrevaara is a Professor of Public Management at the University of Lapland, Principal investigator of the research team of Professions in Arctic Societies, co-editor in Spring Changing Academy Series and has conducted number of scholarly projects.

Dr. Johanna Konttori  is a research coordinator at the University of Helsinki. In her doctoral work (2015) she examined the political debates on headscarves and full veils in 21st-century France. Her main areas of expertise include state–religion relations, religions in the public sphere, and Islam, all inthe European context. These topics also informed her postdoctoral research, in which she examined religious literacy in Finland