<p>My son was accepted at Willamette, and it is definitely on the table as a possible choice. </p>
<p>However, it is our understanding that the university is very liberal. </p>
<p>Will he be welcome as a conservative-leaning Christian? In other words, are they truly open to questioning, thinking, and discussion?</p>
<p>Good friends of our family, who happen to be religious conservatives, had both of their daughters graduate from Willamette a few years back. They had no problems. In fact, they both loved it there, and have since both gone on to get their PhDs.</p>
<p>TRSKMS, so let me get this straight. It is the liberal-leaning that are not open to questioning, thinking and discussion? Not the ones who point at a book and say “if it ain’t in there it ain’t true”. Try Oral Roberts U or Bob Jones U.</p>
<p>Funny, our impression is that Willamette is more conservative than some of the other places on my son’s list. Our son went through two years of confirmation classes (weekly bible study) in the church, and at the end, when it was time for confirmation, he very politely declined. He’s a liberal atheist who has thought long and hard about religion and would be very open and interested in debating a religious conservative. </p>
<p>If your son is interested in meeting students like this, as well as meeting others with conservative views, then I imagine he’ll be fine at Willamette. I know that my son is interested in attending a school with a big range of political / religious / ideological views.</p>
<p>Hi RSBuletz,</p>
<p>Yes, it works both ways. I’ve BTDT as they say, as I came from a very Liberal college background and worked my way back to leaning Conservative. Ultra-Liberals can be just as closed to thinking, questioning and discussion as Ultra-Conservatives can. Visit my teacher education program when I attended UCSD for an excellent example (or my sister!). lol</p>
<p>So, I don’t mind a liberal-leaning viewpoint, but I truly want my son to be able to go somewhere that he won’t be punished for not accepting such a viewpoint completely. Good mind-sharpening debate? Sure. Punished by the professors and ostracized by one’s peers for dissension in the ranks…not so much. I’ve seen it. I know it happens. </p>
<p>So, I truly just want to know which way Willamette leans on open-minded tolerance. Do they only tolerate those who agree with them, or do they truly tolerate all viewpoints, including Conservative and Christian ones?</p>
<p>Hi TRSKMS:</p>
<p>If you check the student clubs and organizations web page you will see that there are religious groups as well as a campus republicans club. I believe they also have contact info for the leaders of those groups. That would be a good place to start.</p>