ABSTRACT
An interest in popular culture requires explicit indication in a way that "elite culture" rarely does. Despite a long-term interest by scholars of religion in the lived reality of religions, it is still necessary to indicate an interest in any but the elite or "authoritative" tradition by the use of terms such as "popular", "implicit" or "vernacular" religion. Experts, educators, and educatees alike agree that American education is in trouble. The challenges to education in the information age are stern. No longer is it enough merely to inform. Education is now called upon to teach forms of judgment, discrimination, values, analytical skills, and problem-solving never before imagined as well as something even more rare: to show people of all ages how to learn. Imports from popular culture into schools is one leading-edge development. Walt Disney has been called "the greatest educator of the twentieth century".
