<p>Obviously BC is a catholic university but how religious is the campus really? would it be overwhelming for a non-catholic?</p>
<p>I think the Jesuit influence is reflected most strongly in the core curriculum and the emphasis on social justice. A significant percentage of the student body is non-Catholic; I don’t have the specific number handy but I know that it is at least 20 – 25%. There is an active Hillel and several groups for Protestants and other religious adherents. And many of the courses that fulfill the theology requirement cover other religions, or have more of a philosophical or historical orientation rather than focusing on Catholic doctrine. I have not heard anyone say they felt out of place there because they were not Catholic.</p>
<p>You should also know that there is a standing joke among Catholics that the Jesuits aren’t really Catholic at all because they are far too liberal. Note that one of the most active clubs at BC is the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community (LGBC). </p>
<p>And here’s an exact quote from the Insider’s Guide to the Colleges about BC:
“A Note on Being Catholic: When asked about the Catholic presence at the school, one student said, ‘I used to see the Jesuits on my way to classes last year.’ The Catholic influence seems to be felt more in the academics than the social life; one student felt that ‘some class offerings have Catholic undertones.’ Moreover, Jesuit priests teach some of the classes. One student claims, ‘The school teaches students how to be human through its Jesuit education.”</p>
<p>There is bit of a sterile feeling on campus, not sure if that is related to the religious affiliation of the school. I poked around that question when we visited there last summer. When asked to name the biggest recent controversy on campus the student panel struggled mightily to produce a meaningful answer.</p>
<p>I'm Jewish and this is my first year here and I'm personally a little overwhelmed by the Jesuit influence in the academics. I'm learning about Christianity in literally every one of my classes somehow. Also, keep in mind that socially a lot of Catholic school kids come here with a lot of friends they already know and have a lot of connections that you may not have. But these are just my feelings, take them for what they're worth.</p>
<p>Coming from an Atheist/Deist(maybe) liberal background, I love BC! I think it's because the different and new ideas flying around that drew me to BC. Some of my favorite classes were with Jesuits (they are a liberal bunch of priests). I remember one philosophy class, a 70 year-old priest, who spent 50 years of his life in the church, sat there and destroyed Intelligence Design piece by piece with his logic, and then promoted evolution as the correct theory, albeit imperfect. </p>
<p>In a theology class, my professor explained the bible in its historical context, spiritual, Catholic interpretation, Protestant interpretation (mainly Lutheran), and why we should not take it literally. One girl actually walked out of the class because of this.</p>
<p>I know I'm selling BC to you, but I'm not bs'ing this up. BC has only two conservative departments on campus: the economic (duh!) and the philosophy (mixed bag). The rest are pretty liberal with the Theology department (uh?) in the group. The last time we had a conservative speaker at out school, Secretary Rice, the Theology department was protesting against her!</p>
<p>These Jesuits are not your Stephen Dedalus' Jesuits.</p>
<p>The downside:
- The Board of Directors is hardcore conservative. But hey, you don't meet them everyday.
- You'll meet your fair share of neo-cons.<br>
- You'll occasionally have someone asking you if you would like to join them over coffee and talk about Jesus.</p>
<p>"a sterile feeling on campus...I poked around that question when we visited there last summer"</p>
<p>With all due respect Groovy, but you visited during the summer. What do you expect the campus to be except sterile?...It's the summer!</p>
<p>I've only heard really good things about Jesuit institutions and their teaching styles. I think that their balanced and rigorous approach actually helps the Catholic Church. Holy Cross, Fordham, and Georgetown are also top Jesuit schools.</p>
<p>don't forget Marquette. But I chose BC over all of them! I'm not hyper-religious, but I come from a Catholic background and attend Mass occasionally. I'd say most of the Catholics I've met here lean more toward the liberal side, but I've also met some very conservative, traditional Catholics. I also have friends who are Jewish, Agnostic, Episcopalian and "spiritual, but not religious." What I like is the Jesuit philosophy of education - but the "religious" aspects are not shoved down your throat.</p>
<p>You cannot beat the Jesuits for education. Of the four top Catholic colleges/universities in the US (Georgetown, Notre Dame, Holy Cross, and BC), all but Notre Dame are Jesuit.</p>
<p>Georgetown is far different compared to schools like HC, BC and ND...</p>
<p>
With all due respect Reddune, I visited around 10 universities this summer, so I would think that I have some basis for comparison. Admittedly, I should have been more precise... In comparison with the other schools I visited, there was a bit of a sterile feeling on campus. On any college campus one would expect a certain degree of disorder (anybody ever seen a gathering of 10+ teenagers that was orderly?).</p>
<p>Georgetown seems to me less Jesuit than any of the other aforementioned schools.</p>
<p>Hmmm....</p>
<p>I'm currently considering BC as an institution for a year of exchange from the University of Melbourne in Australia.</p>
<p>Though I'm a bit of a militant atheist, I'd also like to consider myself broadly open-minded; i.e. I'm happily friends with <em>some</em> Catholic people and never ever consider someone's religion when considering them as a person. I'm far more inclined to respect a liberal Catholic than a conservative atheist, if you know what I mean.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, I tend to indulge in a variety of, ahem, sinful behaviours: it's not something I advertise, but I guess it's relevant here. I'm a rather promiscuous drunkard who strongly believes in drug law reform (as in, the liberalisation of drug laws).</p>
<p>All things considered, would I be in a significant minority if I were to come to BC? This is literally the one concern I have about the college, as my other considerations are the University of Toronto and the University of Michigan, but Boston does sound, otherwise, like the cultural experience.</p>
<p>Thoughts, lovely Jesuits? :)</p>
<p>Well if you plan to:
(A) deal
(b) Snort coke (Diet or otherwise)
(c) Wear a T-shirt with Jesus enjoying a pipe (believe me, I have seen them)
(d) Do all the above and have a tattoo with Nietzsche's "God's Dead, and You're Next" (I have also seen this)</p>
<p>Then BC might be a little too conservative for you. Otherwise than that, we are pretty lay back and tolerant on a lot of things (just don't do it so publicly that they HAVE TO bust you). We have our fair share of atheist and fundamentalist nut jobs, but nothing out of the ordinary. </p>
<p>P.S. BC police department is really going after Coke like sugar-starve obese.</p>
<p>^^^^
Reddune, I love your sense of humor and your candor. If you don't feel isolated at BC perhaps I should be a bit more positive on it, should my D get in. I am still worried a bit by the following</p>
<p>
...and why we should not take it literally. One girl actually walked out of the class because of this
</p>
<p>How often does this happen? I don't just mean actually walking out of class, but even the presence of under-the-surface rumbling that "Jesus is not dead". People's religion is not my business, and I have no problem with anyone's beliefs as long as they keep it to themselves, just like I keep my atheism to myself. However, I am not sure I can deal with my D showing up for Thanksgiving with a boyfriend who asks us to thank God for our good fortunes :-)</p>
<p>Hmm, this is definitely all a little worrying. Not that I would do any of those things on your list, Reddune, but I do tend to like people who do ;)</p>
<p>I have preferenced BC as my second pick anyway, because I figure that the academic quality and sports experience will make up for any initial discomfort. Besides that, I'm sure I will find some people like me, and with Boston city so close, it's not as if I can't escape the campus if I find it oppressive.</p>
<p>Everything else about it sounds great, anyway :)</p>
<p>"How often does this happen? I don't just mean actually walking out of class, but even the presence of under-the-surface rumbling that "Jesus is not dead". People's religion is not my business, and I have no problem with anyone's beliefs as long as they keep it to themselves, just like I keep my atheism to myself. However, I am not sure I can deal with my D showing up for Thanksgiving with a boyfriend who asks us to thank God for our good fortunes :-)"</p>
<p>70%+ of BC students are Catholics, but the vast majority are post-Vatican II Catholics. You will see people reading the Bible, you will see "Jesus for Dummies," You will see people praying on Sunday. It's a nature of a Catholic, or just plain Christian, university. But what I love about BC and the Jesuits (seriously, who doesn't the like Jesuits) is that it's a very open place for students of faith or lack of faith; the Jesuits really lay it on you with tough questions. The strongest argument I have heard defending Atheism came from a Jesuit (it's one of those surreal classes, I think our Aussie here would enjoy it a lot). With the way tuition keep increasing, I doubt we will have any hero who walks out of class. If you want to pay $46,000 a year so that you can walk away whenever someone offends you, then can I get your number because I have a lot of offending things to say and could sure use the money. Nevertheless, we do have people who protest during class time and professors would change classes sometime to fit their protesting schedule (how anti-anti-establishment is that!)</p>
<p>Now, I cannot guarantee you that if your daughter attends here, that she won't bring home a Catholic beau, but I can promise you he won't be spraying you with holy water while tying you to a cross (comforting thought isn't it?). </p>
<p>What I learn at my short time at BC (I still have 18 months left to go) is that we all really need something to believe in. Some of us chooses God(s), some decides on humanity, others on sciences, but no one should walk through life a hollow shell of convictions. One of my favorite Jesuit professors said to me, "My job isn't to indoctrinate you, although the Church wouldn't complain if I do, but to get you to ask yourself the most basic questions about yourself. And no, it's not the meaning of your life, hell, I've been in this business of religion for 40 years and I'm not one inch closer than the day I started. But my job is to make you realize the difference what have been given to you and what is really, truly yours. When you have nothing, then you are nothing." Kind of movie-esque corny, but it jerked my tears.</p>
<p>to give you another perspective, im a current freshman at BC.</p>
<p>besides for the mass outdoors during parents weekend I have not been involved with anything religious since ive been here. out of the friends that ive made, most are catholic but only one goes to church every sunday. and most people i see with bibles are reading them for their theology classes (i figure).</p>
<p>i am a catholic in name but didnt pick BC because of its religious affiliation, and i think most people here will fall under the same category. right now our hall is all decorated for christmas and its great but thats the biggest influence you see on our freshman dorm. my mom liked the fact that BC is catholic becasue she thinks im not "close enough to my faith" and no matter how many times i try to explain how it is here to her she still seems to think that when i come home ill be jumping to go to church.</p>
<p>dont let the religious affiliation to BC scare you away from a wonderful college. if you have any other questions id be glad to help.</p>