Religious Diversity at SAC

• What should be the status of other religions at a Catholic, Benedictine College? Can we welcome people of other religions while still maintaining belief in the truth of our religion?
o I believe we need to be more inclusive and tolerant at this school. Personally, I am a great supporter of the religion classes here at Saint Anselm. A religion of the West has been one of my favorite theology classes this semester. The professors seem to be very diversely educated on many international religions. As I Catholic, I find myself closer to my religion by learning about the religions around me. Moreover, it has taught me to become more tolerant other religions if I learn purely about them, not what the media teaches about them. Therefore, I believe if we offer the knowledge and tolerance of teaching religion to others, we can still maintain our belief and truth of religion while being a diverse school.
• How religious are most students at SAC? Have you encountered religious intolerance, either for your religious views or your lack of them?
o I believe the maybe half the students at SAC are religious. The rest of them seem to have religious aspects within their lifestyle. I mean we all chose to go to a Catholic college so you cannot really escape those specific teachings. Therefore, one tends to pick up somewhat of a religious lifestyle when you are learning about Christianity and the Benedictine lifestyle a few classes a week.
• How should SAC react to atheists, agnostics, or people for whom religion plays little role? Have you had any experience with how non-religious people are treated on campus?
o A lot of my good friends are atheists or agnostics on this campus. However, they do not seem too frustrated with the Benedictine community and ways of the college. If anything, college age students are usually at a stage of religious confusion, no matter if they are religious or not. Therefore, they seem intrigued by the concept of religion. In addition, although this school has a monastery and church on campus, students are never forced to attend mass or go to services on campus. They are free to make their decisions on individual faith-life.
• Do Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Protestant persons face special challenges at the college?
How can we welcome them while still preserving the Catholic character of the college?
o As I stated earlier, I believe these students would feel more accepted in this college if more classes were taught about their own religions. Moreover, understanding creates tolerance. The more people understand the truths of a religion, the less negative and fearful they are of facing others who practice it.
• Do all religions share a common core of beliefs that makes it possible to make adherents of all religions welcome here? Are some religions more true than others?
o Since I have been a Catholic all my life and I have only known how to be a Catholic, I do not think on e religion is truer than the other. It truly is all a matter of perspective. Also, although we educated our students about Roman Catholicism, we provide many comparisons on other religions. I believe our classes could continue to stress the similarities of Roman Catholicism with other religions in our college.
• How should different religions be represented in the curriculum? is it valuable for even non-Catholics to take theology? Should Catholic students have to study other religions?
o Again, all of our students are attending a Catholic college. Therefore it is acceptable for them to take theology as a part of the school’s Benedictine based curriculum. However, to continue stressing tolerance within the school, I believe we should require students to take two or more classes which focus on other international religions.