2008 Woodie Awards
Religious freedom abounds at affiliated schools
Julie Strasser
Issue date: 12/9/04 Section: Focus
uhlenberg, as a Lutheran-affiliated institution, has signs of its relationship to this denomination located all over campus--in the College seal, in the course catalogue, and in the red doors which dot the landscape. However, though the school's Lutheran heritage is a constant reminder, it generally seems that it is no more than just that--a remembrance of what was, rather than a reflection of what is. Of course, many other schools other than Muhlenberg are religious-based institutions. The Catholic University of America in Wash., D.C., Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. and Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., are just three other institutions with a religious, albeit non-Lutheran, affiliation. However, how do these schools compare with the relaxed religious atmosphere that appears to be characteristic of Muhlenberg?
As its name dictates, The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a Catholic institution. Its website proclaims it to be "uniquely Catholic" and a school which "reaches out in service to the Church and to the nation." Though it is clear about its religious background, CUA's website also says that it "attracts...students...of all faiths." Indeed, Danielle Deacon, a junior at CUA and an Episcopalian, believes that being a non-Catholic is essentially a non-issue. She notes that "campus ministry is a pretty big organization and every student has to take religion classes, but church attendance is not required," making it fairly easy to blend in with others. However, Deacon did comment on a recent controversy surrounding the school regarding people who have been uninvited from their speaking engagements at CUA after being discovered to have beliefs that differ from Catholic doctrine. Deacon said that this occurrence, which happened in Sept. 2004, was a rare instance of the school outwardly aligning themselves with strict Catholic beliefs. Despite this debacle, as someone of a different faith, Deacon says the only time she feels alienated is before rugby games when all her teammates say a prayer that she doesn't know; other than this, however, Deacon says that "people don't talk about religion too much."
As its name dictates, The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a Catholic institution. Its website proclaims it to be "uniquely Catholic" and a school which "reaches out in service to the Church and to the nation." Though it is clear about its religious background, CUA's website also says that it "attracts...students...of all faiths." Indeed, Danielle Deacon, a junior at CUA and an Episcopalian, believes that being a non-Catholic is essentially a non-issue. She notes that "campus ministry is a pretty big organization and every student has to take religion classes, but church attendance is not required," making it fairly easy to blend in with others. However, Deacon did comment on a recent controversy surrounding the school regarding people who have been uninvited from their speaking engagements at CUA after being discovered to have beliefs that differ from Catholic doctrine. Deacon said that this occurrence, which happened in Sept. 2004, was a rare instance of the school outwardly aligning themselves with strict Catholic beliefs. Despite this debacle, as someone of a different faith, Deacon says the only time she feels alienated is before rugby games when all her teammates say a prayer that she doesn't know; other than this, however, Deacon says that "people don't talk about religion too much."