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Should a liberal arts college force someone to take two religious studies courses?

  • I am a Molecular/Cellular Biology major, along with a newly found atheist. The Catholic liberal arts college I attend says that I must pass their RLST101 and a subsequent 200-level course in order to obtain my degree. I think that's crap. The first course has absolutely no other interest other than showing how Christianity evolved. The 200 level courses are based solely on the Christian/Catholic faith. I find this demeaning and discriminatory towards my person and I fail to see what good it does for my major. So do I have any lawful standing (i.e. Separation of Church and State) or no because it is a private college? Can anyone think of ways for me to avoid this? I'm quite busy with classes that actually apply to my major (Majors Biology, and in the future: Cancer Biology, Immunology, Parisitology,) and other classes that will actually help me become a better person among the workforce without forcing religion down my throat (English, Writing, Philosophy, History).

  • Answer:

    You chose to go to a religious college, and they have every right to insist on religion as part of their curriculum. Many such schools require far more than two courses; consider yourself lucky. No, the separation of Church and State has nothing to do with this, since the school is run by the Church, not the State! These courses are at the center of their education; it isn't their goal just to prepare you for the workforce. There is no way for you to avoid them, short of transferring to a secular school. Did it ever occur to you that comments like this are far more demeaning and discriminatory toward the school than the fact that they, as a Catholic college, require a couple of courses on religion which you find discriminatory and demeaning? Frankly, they don't need to accommodate the fact that you "newly found atheism". They are a Catholic College and didn't hide that fact when you applied and decided to go there. You changed; they didn't. If you want something different, you will have to transfer out. They don't need to change their requirements! I say this as a Jew who spent twenty years happily working for Catholic universities. The relationship was a good one because I understood that I was working or an institution with a particular mission, and that they had no obligation to accommodate my beliefs I respected them and they respected me. You need to do the same, or make a decision that gven your newfound beliefs you can't do so and leave.

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You are stuck. Since you go to a Catholic Liberall Arts college, they can make you take any classes they want. That is what happens when you choose such a college. My advice, take the two classes and jump through their hoops for requirements. Don't fight this, because you cannot win. It is their university and you take the classes. For you own happiness, just sit in the class and take the tests. Don't question, just go. I went to a Catholic University when I wasn't Catholic and I just sat through the classes because you have to.

Private universities have the freedom to set their own graduation requirements. Since you chose to attend a particular university, you are bound by its requirements if you expect to earn your degree there. Your options are to take the required courses or transfer to another university.

<<Should a liberal arts college force someone to take two religious studies courses?>> Yes, it can. Colleges tell you what courses you have to take and pass in order to earn a degree. If this college has religion courses as part of it's curriculum, then it must be a religion school. Students who don't like this shouldn't go to that school, or transfer to a different school. <<I am a <snip> think that's crap.>> Think again. You said it's a Catholic school. Well, Catholic schools - well, any religious school for that matter, are going to educate you in religion as part of it's liberal arts curriculum. You had to have known this when you applied to the school. If it bothered you that much, you should have gone to another schoo, preferably a non-religious one. <<The first course <snip> Christian/Catholic faith.>> Yeah. And? I mean, that's what religion courses teach in a Catholic school <<I find this <snip> a private college?>> You found the school. The school did not find you. You chose to go to that school KNOWING you were going to have to take and pass courses on religion. And if you didn't know that, it's on you for not researching your school sufficiently before making your decision to go there. Catholic schools are private institutions. Therefore, they can and do teach religion as part of it's core curriculum. <<Can anyone think <snip> Writing, Philosophy, History).>> If you can't tolerate a couple of classes on religion, you best transfer to another school. If you do decide to transfer - for Heaven's sakes - do your research and know what you're getting into when choosing your knew school.

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