By Irena Choi Stern

Sep. 9, 2015:  Do you ever wonder how the basic beliefs of a given religion have been manipulated over time to serve a given purpose? A new course beginning October 8 at the Bronxville Adult School examines Christianity, Judaism, and Islam through the lens of current events. In the course, which will be taught by Edye Caine, a social studies teacher at Eastchester High School, during four classes, students will grapple with complex issues that plague the world and gain an understanding of their connection to basic religious tenets.

"If we look at the basic tenets of the religions, they're all the same," Caine said. "It's a question of how that message gets to their followers. Issues in a particular religion are not the religion as a whole, they're usually a small set of people."

She added, "If the class could take a step back and look at things a little more objectively, that would be my goal."

Her colleague Betty Crowley encouraged her to teach at the Bronxville Adult School.

"She is an outstanding teacher," Crowley said. "In her capacity as an AP World History teacher at Eastchester High School, Edye developed an inquiry-based unit on world religions intended for students to 'discover' how the major world religions are unique as well as similar. Each year, the capstone is inviting a panel of different religious leaders to come to EHS. I have attended these discussions and they are fascinating."

Caine has already arranged for a panel discussion by clerical representatives of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam for the final class on October 29.

Sitting in her corner apartment overlooking White Plains, Caine talks about the two months she just spent in Colombia as part of the Global Certification Program at Columbia University's Teachers College. She is an avid traveler, and trips to India, Turkey, Russia, Tanzania, and Israel enhance her school curriculum. This fall, she will teach a new comparative world religion course at Eastchester High School. Every February, she takes a group of high school students on a European Holocaust tour to Germany, Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic. 

"When I see somebody being judged, persecuted for any reason whatsoever--race, nationality, ethnicity, religion--I get very passionate about it," Caine said. "I think that is where a lot of this came from."

Crowley added, "People who are interested in the impact of religion on current events and who are curious about various faiths shouldn't miss this."

To find out more about the Bronxville Adult School fall course offerings and to register, go to https://www.bronxvilleadultschool.org or contact the office at 914-793-4435. 

Pictured here:  Edye Caine in India (top) and a panel discussion at the Bronxville Adult School. 

Photos courtesy Irena Choi Stern