By KATIE CHRISTENSEN
christensen@newsroom.byu.edu
For nearly 30 years, professors from BYU have played an integral part in the Know Your Religion program. As a result of their teaching efforts, the series has become the highest attended program in the LDS Church's Continuing Education system.
'Of all Church Educational System Continuing Education programs, Know Your Religion is the largest program,' said Neil Carlile, director of CES programs, South.
Know Your Religion has a bigger enrollment than Especially For Youth, BYU's Education Week and other CES programs. It reaches more people because the speakers are sent to states and provinces instead of staying in Provo, Carlile said.
'They can participate in events close to home,' Carlile said.
He said in 1998, there was a total of over 106,000 enrollments in the Know Your Religion Programs, spread throughout the United States and Canada.
Half of the lecturers for the Know Your Religion Series are BYU faculty, Carlile said. Most lecturers are religious education faculty but some have other specialties such as family science, Carlile said.
Thirty percent of the lecturers are seminary or institute teachers and the last 20 percent are individuals with background and expertise in other fields, Carlile said.
BYU religious professor of church history and doctrine, Lawrence R. Flake, is a lecturer for the Know Your Religion Program.
'I've really enjoyed being involved in the program for the past 30 years,' Flake said.
Flake said the thing that makes teaching for the program most rewarding is the fact that people come because they want to. He said when people have a desire to learn they actually want to come.
'They are eager to learn,' he said.
Flake said another benefit of teaching in the Know Your Religion program is that it gives him the opportunity to travel throughout the United States and parts of Canada.
Flake said his wife also presents for the program. She gave the first French lecture in Montreal.
The purpose of the program is to provide members of the LDS Church an opportunity to learn more about the gospel without necessarily having to leave their home stake, said Brian Peterson, program administrator, South.
Peterson said the program covers a huge range of topics from marriage and family to in-depth topics such as the study of Isaiah.
The pamphlet of the Department of CES Continuing Education Programs said the program is intended 'to help Church members to strengthen testimonies; study the scriptures and the words of living prophets; emphasize the saving ordinances of the gospel; encourage temple marriage, stable home life, and eternal family relationships; promote Church and community service; and foster the development of self-respect, creativity, and problem solving ability.'
Peterson said the program is a lot stronger outside of Utah. He said people in Utah have several opportunities to attend church affiliated programs, so it is important to have programs available for members outside of Utah.
Members of the church are hungry for more information provided by people that share gospel insights, Peterson said.