Review Of Dean William A. Graham's Speech 'God Is Not One'

Dean William A. Graham gave a compelling speech in 2012 at Harvard Divinity School on Leadership Day. In Graham's speech he tackles the task of explaining why people should study religion in the 21st century. He began by noting that religion is the world's median between good and evil, and having a wider view of religion in society is more important than trying to immediately know how having knowledge and understanding of religions can be beneficial. Also according to Graham (2012), because religion is being studied today more than ever before it is important to shift from the largely Christian pre-eminently biblical studies to global studies. Continuing on he notes that religious studies should not only be included in the liberal arts, but also in definitive studies. Dean Graham (2012) soon makes a strong point in his speech, by explaining that whether religion is

The introduction of the book is packed with general knowledge about religions of the world people should know. The introduction begins with Prothero shedding light on the fact that although there are many differences in the world, like democracy and monarchy but, all religions are one. According to Prothero, all religions share the sweet harmony of peace, love, and understanding. (Prothero 2010, p. 2) There is an analogy made that religions are different paths up the same mountain, which means that they may have different bases, but they have the same end goal. Prothero continues on acknowledging that people today try so hard to get along with each other there is an automatic religious tolerance that happens, which seems like a good thing but having tolerance is admitting that there is a difference. And the point that Prothero is making is that people of all religions are the same at heart. He notes that we are brothers and sisters all together and should look at religion as a bomb defuser and not as a bomb