In this corner we have the man in white – the man who struck fear in the heart of liberal theologians everywhere whose mission was the Inquisition. Aided by the Holy Spirit here’s the the Octogenarian Theologian, the Pope who loves Theology without apology, Pope Benedict XVI.
Over in the opposing corner we have the idea that doesn’t allow adversity, the treasure of every Ivy League University -Diversity!
That’s how Newsday, one of the nation’s largest newspapers is trumpeting the Pope’s visit. So Newsday comes out and pits the Pope against diversity. You know how much the Pope hates diversity, right? Well now he’s coming to America to wipe it out! Run for your lives.
In today’s article, they set up this straw man argument.
More than half of St. John’s students are not Catholic. Nationally, Catholic universities and colleges are more religiously diverse than ever.
But with Pope Benedict XVI set to address U.S. Catholic educators this week and, some experts predict, call for closer adherence to church teachings, that pluralism poses a new challenge for Catholic colleges in the United States.
More than half — 57.5 percent — of this year’s freshmen at four-year Catholic colleges said they were Catholic, compared with 68.6 percent in 1995, according to one national survey.
But with Pope Benedict XVI set to address U.S. Catholic educators this week and, some experts predict, call for closer adherence to church teachings, that pluralism poses a new challenge for Catholic colleges in the United States.
Cue the dramatic foreboding music of imminent danger.
As if they really had to worry. Several Catholic colleges have come up with great solutions -that is, to say they’re Catholic and act otherwise.
Fordham University, for example, has a Protestant minister on staff at the ministry office on its main campus in the Bronx and plans to hire a rabbi for its Lincoln Center campus in Manhattan.
“We are very much rooted in the Catholic tradition, and we make no pretense about that,” said Sister Elizabeth A. Hill, president of St. Joseph’s College, which has campuses in Patchogue and in Brooklyn, where there is a small Buddhist meditation group. “At the same time, we’re not here to proselytize. Our mission is to educate.”
The school’s first endowed professorship will be in comparative religion, starting this fall with an expert in Islam. “We’re trying to be balanced,” she said.
“Rooted in Catholic tradition?” How come every time I hear that phrase I cringe. That’s because it means that we used to be Catholic. And why oh why do they see a dichotomy between their religious mission and their educational one? Does the Catholic Church teach truth? If so, then shouldn’t we be educating students in truth.
What they are really saying is that they believe diversity is more important than truth. What they’re saying is that Catholicism may just be one truth among many. But Newsday likely believes that St. John’s has “diversified well.”
Striking the right balance can be tough, said Danielle Douglas, 19, of Elmont, a sophomore criminal justice major at Molloy who is also anti-abortion coordinator for the campus ministry.
“If it’s a Catholic college, you need some type of foundation, but with the increase of non-Catholic students, it makes it harder,” Douglas said.
“We do have Mass and we do have a campus ministry, but if you’re not involved with those things, you might not know this is a Catholic college,” she said.
That’s my fear too.
April 14, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I have great “hope” that Barack Obama, as our next president, will “change” all of that.
Don’t see the connection between the pope, Catholic colleges, diversity, AND Barack Obama.
Well…
Barack Obama is much more popular than any pope will ever “hope” to be. In fact, he’s the last great “hope” that our generation will find “change”.
Barack Obama was a professor at a law school. No doubt he taught “hope” and “change” in the law. We get much of our conception of law from the Roman Emperor Justinian who codified many of the laws of the day. Justinian was a Catholic (though most likely a heretic). This gives us the Catholic college connection.
Diversity–Need I address this point?
Therefore, Barack Obama is the best candidate to address the “change” necessary to make the pope order catholic colleges to be more “diverse”. We really need more diversity in order to bring about the “change” that comes with “hope”.
I hope I have made myself clear.
April 14, 2008 at 7:57 pm
“We are very much rooted in the Catholic tradition…”
So was every heresy.
April 14, 2008 at 9:20 pm
good line, anon.
bnweid, sadly that would make sense to about half of the electorate.
April 14, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Doesn’t the phrase “rooted in” mean “grown out of”?
April 15, 2008 at 1:34 am
The Diocese of Rockville Centre website mentions that the Diocese has 1 Catholic College within its boundaries. That would be Molloy, St. Joseph’s in Patchogue is not considered Catholic by its Board or by the DRVC.
April 15, 2008 at 3:42 am
We’re about a decade away from college with our kids, but if you ask me today, unless they are actually planning to major in theology or humanities or something like that, we might as well just send them to a public school close to home with an active Newman center.