<p>There might be perfectly good reasons a person who isn’t religious (or who follows another religion) might want to explore attending a reliously-affiliated school–for example, it might have a unique program the student is interested in. For somebody like that, it’s reasonable to want to understand how big a role the school’s religion plays in both the school’s requirements and in the life of the campus. Clearly, there are degrees of role: at Georgetown, it’s reportedly not hard at all to be non-Catholic. At Liberty University, it would be extremely difficult to be something other than an evangelical Christian (it might even be impossible, if there are admission requirements that include a profession of faith). At some schools, such as BYU, the prevalence of people of a particular religion might be so overwhelming that it would be too socially restrictive for a person who doesn’t share that religion. At other schools (like Brandeis), there is a predominant religious culture, but not overwhelmingly so. It pays to research this, if it matters to you.</p>
<p>What Hunt said.</p>
<p>I really think the Catholics are overreacting. Speaking for myself, I’m anti-religion–NOT anti-Catholic. Catholics of my acquaintance are much more reasonable about religion than my evangelical Christian friends.</p>
<p>OP - Thank you for clarifying the nature of your question. A secular Catholic and an atheist are going to react and cope very differently with a religiously affiliated school–that’s not even getting into the innumerable variations of “affiliated.”</p>
<p>I’m out.</p>
<p>Just to address an implication in Hunt’s point. Brandeis, although home to a significant Jewish population, is and always has been a secular school, although founded in the tradition of Harvard, Princeton etc by a religious-affiliated group. Currently with a Jewish population of less than 50% (closer to 40% if you fairly count grad students who are integrated into the campus) and around 25% minority and international students it is quite diverse and continues to strive for increasing diversity.</p>
<p>To follow up further on what B77 said, Brandeis is a good example of a school that is technically secular, but which does have a very particular flavor. Here’s an article from the Boston Globe in 2006 about discussions of this very topic at Brandeis itself:
[A</a> question of culture - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/05/20/a_question_of_culture/]A”>http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/05/20/a_question_of_culture/)
It may be that Brandeis now has less than 50% Jewish students, but that still makes it quite notably different from other schools.
I’m not criticizing Brandeis or any other school: I’m just saying that schools have different religious cultures, and that, among lots of other things, may matter to some students.</p>
<p>endless: I think it is so cool that there isn’t just Catholics at Catholic U’s. This makes the professors be more diverse then some other schools. Also, the school that I had in mine was Loyola Marymount. That was the particular school which I found out had Jewish Professors. I can see some Catholic schools being more diverse than some Southern state schools.</p>
<p>Hunt, there is some truth to that 2006 article but it does largely represent one point of view. While it’s true that Brandeis’ secular culture is not “white bread,” it is truly diverse as earlier described–and much more so than religious schools like Notre Dame or BC. Plus it strives to be accomodating of all cultures and has been very successful at that given its short history. At this stage, it’s total Jewish population (about 40% overall) and culture is very similar to schools you might not single out as “Jewish” because of their founding–e.g. Barnard ( 43% Jewish), NYU (51% ) and Penn (30%). These examples suggest that Brandeis is not unique in that sense. See: [60</a> Universities with the Largest Jewish Population in North America](<a href=“http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/feb/14feb08_topschools.htm]60”>http://www.hillel.org/about/news/2008/feb/14feb08_topschools.htm)</p>
<p>I am a Georgetown student majoring in the Islamic world with a concentration in theology (be it Arab Christianity, Judaism in Israel, or Islam itself). I myself have grown up in the Quaker tradition.</p>
<p>Brief side note, regarding what someone said about Quakers and Mormons. The Quaker community is tied more closely to Protestant denominations than the Mormon church. Mormons are followers of Christ, but also invoke additional theology that separates them decisively from the Christian Community as a whole, much more than the distinction between Protestants and Catholics. </p>
<p>I chose Georgetown because of the strength of the SFS and language programs, but also because religion is important to me. I wanted to be at a school with a strong faith community regardless of the details (Quakers and Catholics have their disagreements). I like having a thriving campus ministry that not only includes the Jesuits (who are beyond awesome and make us food all the time) but also Imams and Rabbis and yoga instructors. It’s enriched study and my life on campus. Having an Imam down the hall while I was taking Qur’anic literature makes a big difference. But that is me as an individual. The important thing is that Georgetown is as Catholic as you want it to be and that is different by school. No one is forcing you to go to Father King’s 11:15 pm Mass, but it is there. You could go all for years and your interactions with Jesuits could be minimal, which really would be sad because they are amazing men who have devoted themselves to service and to education. But in no way are the non-religious ever looked down upon or not accepted on campus or in class. I think the theology requirement is an important part of our course of study. One of the required freshman classes is called the Problem of God, each section is different. You can take the class with priest, sure but also with a traditional professor. My professor was an atheist and we critically examined different religious texts, their origins, their message. People said outright that they didn’t believe the Bible, the Torah, the Qur’an or the Gita. Each perspective was respected. The second theology class can be in anything; literally anything, even atheism. Classes are taught by clergy and non-clergy alike. I think people assume that because Georgetown is a Catholic school the Church’s opinions are going to influence what is going on in the classroom. That may happen in some schools and surely there is a strong respect for the Church, but my classes in Islam have been shaped by my professors experience in the Middle East and North Africa and Southeast Asia not by Rome. </p>
<p>In talking to one of my favorite professors, who is a close friend with a professor of Islam at ND, there is a difference in philosophy and Church teachings do play a stronger role in the class room. But that is something that you should examine school by school. Just because a school requires classes in theology doesn’t mean that it is an attempt to convert you or presumes that you believe in God or should believe God. I’m biased but if more schools required theology maybe there would be fewer misconceptions about what certain groups truly believe, limiting the power of marginalized radicals to speak for a much larger population.</p>