A Perspective on Religious Universities
As a young freshman, I dreamed of how BYU would change me. Would I become a more devout Christian or a scholarly expert? As I near graduation, I fear losing the metaphorical "scaffolding" of religious education that has encompassed me for the past 10 years. I see now that devout Christianity and scholarly expertise is not a destination but a lifelong pursuit. A good university serves two purposes: (1) to give students a foundation for lifelong learning and (2) to create an environment where knowledge is transmitted and created. What separates a religious university from a nonsectarian university is its commitment to arguing the bigger questions of morality and holiness when neutrality in these discussions is expected by secular institutions.
As a youth, I chose to attend a Catholic high school because I found value in the religious-based discussions of morality that were not offered in other schools. I found that without some basis of religion many hot topic debates could not be settled. Without a belief in some higher power or bigger picture, it is difficult to create a deep divide between right and wrong. Without a clear moral compass, our purpose in life and the grander role that education plays are undermined. I believe my love for religious universities has everything to do with the pursuit of charity and goodness they call forth from us. The moral foundation that religious universities lay pushes us to be more ethical in our professional work.
Universities create a society centered on learning. This environment fosters the transmission and creation of knowledge by uniting experts of many disciplines so they can work together. Religious universities are able to take this one step forward creating a stage for interfaith scholars to work together on societal issues of morality. When these interfaith discussions take place, grounds can be laid for overcoming differences and becoming more unified in similar causes. Additionally, religious universities allow members to seek divine revelation to assist them in their academic research. I have found that when I can seek God's help in my studies, I better understand and learn as a student.
Religious institutions allocate hundreds of millions of dollars and many other resources to supporting their universities. Throughout history, it has been their responsibility to be the librarians of knowledge. Still today we see that these institutions support the advancement of new ideas. This likely stems from the idea that further light and knowledge bring us closer to God and help us discern truth. Religions often find the study of secular knowledge equally as important as the study of religious texts.
The involvement of God or some bigger picture in our pursuit of education in a religious university is what differentiates it from others. Arguing these questions of morality and holiness helps students choose a more righteous path for their lives and careers. The divide between religious and secular ideas diminishes and they combine to create a complete picture.
As a youth, I chose to attend a Catholic high school because I found value in the religious-based discussions of morality that were not offered in other schools. I found that without some basis of religion many hot topic debates could not be settled. Without a belief in some higher power or bigger picture, it is difficult to create a deep divide between right and wrong. Without a clear moral compass, our purpose in life and the grander role that education plays are undermined. I believe my love for religious universities has everything to do with the pursuit of charity and goodness they call forth from us. The moral foundation that religious universities lay pushes us to be more ethical in our professional work.
Universities create a society centered on learning. This environment fosters the transmission and creation of knowledge by uniting experts of many disciplines so they can work together. Religious universities are able to take this one step forward creating a stage for interfaith scholars to work together on societal issues of morality. When these interfaith discussions take place, grounds can be laid for overcoming differences and becoming more unified in similar causes. Additionally, religious universities allow members to seek divine revelation to assist them in their academic research. I have found that when I can seek God's help in my studies, I better understand and learn as a student.
Religious institutions allocate hundreds of millions of dollars and many other resources to supporting their universities. Throughout history, it has been their responsibility to be the librarians of knowledge. Still today we see that these institutions support the advancement of new ideas. This likely stems from the idea that further light and knowledge bring us closer to God and help us discern truth. Religions often find the study of secular knowledge equally as important as the study of religious texts.
The involvement of God or some bigger picture in our pursuit of education in a religious university is what differentiates it from others. Arguing these questions of morality and holiness helps students choose a more righteous path for their lives and careers. The divide between religious and secular ideas diminishes and they combine to create a complete picture.