<p>Well, you can think it’s silly. Many do. But in American Culture - for right or wrong - Christianity has become synonymous with Protestant Theology. </p>
<p>Don’t blame the messenger …</p>
<p>Go ahead and blame the messenger when the messenger misrepresents American culture, Christianity, Catholics, Protestants and many American institutions of higher education.</p>
<p>Reidm,</p>
<p>I agree with phear me. When someone asks what “i am” i say i’m catholic…not christian. if someone says they’re christian, i assume they arn’t catholic. my experience (and personal actions) make me conclude that catholics don’t want to be identified with the christian moniker. </p>
<p>also, when i hear christian i think ridiculously weird mass (you crazy baptists). when i hear catholic i think really boring mass. oh the irony. when i hear new age or youth mass, i run.</p>
<p>For the purposes of this thread, would a school that’s classified as Christian be willing to have opposing viewpoints of faith taught and examined in their classrooms? An earlier post indicated that Baylor is stepping away from its Christian heritage while Peerdine is moving toward its heritage. Does that suggest that the former is becoming more lenient in what it will allow in its classrooms while the latter is drawing the line?</p>
<p>If so, as a Christian, I’d have to argue that any college which does not tolerate opposing points of view in its classrooms cannot be ranked as a top college or even a viable college at all. I used to work at such a school, where a professor was fired for using the term “creation myths” in comparing the Biblical account of Adam and Eve to other faiths’ creation accounts. IMO, the hallmark of a higher education is the willingness to back away from the doctrines and cultural norms of one’s upbringing and examine differing points of view with an open mind and a deferral of judgment. As a roundabout way of weighing in on the original question, I feel that any school which does not adopt that openness to divergent views as a goal and value and actively teach it as a life skill, is offering mere denominatoinal training under the guise of higher education.</p>
<p>Rankings Repost:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Baylor University: Baylor is the largest Baptist-affiliated university in the world. Situated on a 735-acre campus located on the banks of the Brazos River in Waco, Texas, Baylor has approximately 14,000 students and offers 146 undergraduate degree programs. The area boasts many local church offerings, including University Baptist Church, the home of worship leader David Crowder. Since 1953, a special hour each week has been designated the “Dr. Pepper Hour” when students and faculty mingle over sodas. Baylor is also known for its excellent athletic programs.</p></li>
<li><p>Calvin College: Although one of the smallest colleges in the list (4,300 students), Calvin’s student body and faculty most closely embody the RELEVANT worldview, epitomized by its annual faith and music festival, which draws artists like Sufjan Stevens and Neko Case. Additionally, its 390-acre campus in Grand Rapids, Mich., is close to the Mars Hill church, where Rob Bell is lead pastor.</p></li>
<li><p>Pepperdine University: This medium-sized university rests in Malibu, Calif., which gives it automatic appeal. Although only enrolling approximately 8,300 students, Pepperdine hosts a healthy athletic program, with NCAA Division I teams that boast a 65 percent winning rate over the past 20 years. The school also has many international campuses and affiliated university programs and summer residential programs around the world.</p></li>
<li><p>Wheaton College: Wheaton is well respected for its academics and known for its strong honor code. Wheaton ranked 11th in the nation in the total number of graduates who go on to earn doctorates. Especially suited for students looking for a quality private education at a good value, Wheaton also has a number of local church options including Willow Creek’s Axis service in neighboring Barrington, Ill.</p></li>
<li><p>Biola University: Perhaps the highest ranked Christian University, (3rd Tier, National) Biola is situated just outside of Los Angeles. Biola has made great strides to increase racial awareness on campus and received the Robert and Susan Andringa Award for Advancing Racial Harmony from the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities in 2007. Additionally, every year students and faculty at Biola are involved in 200,000 hours of community service. The annual Biola Media Conference is considered a key event for anyone active in the entertainment field with their Christian faith.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>
</p>
<p>Georgetown and Notre Dame require theology classes in order to graduate. As such, they still are religious Roman Catholic Christian schools. Within the Catholic Church there are many orders, one of which is the Jesuits. Georgetown, Boston College, Holy Cross and Santa Clara University are just a few. Notre Dame is run by the Congregation of the Holy Cross fathers. Villanova the Augustinians, Providence College the Dominicans, etc. All are catholic and all require theology classes to graduate.</p>
<p>It is interesting to note that the new Harvard curriculum will require classes in religion.</p>
<p>One strange thing about the long list posted above, where is Holy Cross?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>haha that’s exactly what I think.</p>
<p>I believe the College of the Holy Cross is in South Bend, Indiana. I could be very very wrong about that though.</p>
<p>college of the holy cross is in worchester, mass</p>
<p>there is a holy cross junior college in south bend tho</p>
<p>Maybe the Ivy League schools have rejected their religious roots but Notre Dame has a 130 foot mural of Jesus on its library, that sounds about as Christian as it gets</p>
<p>“Maybe the Ivy League schools have rejected their religious roots…”</p>
<p>Not at all:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hds.harvard.edu/[/url]”>http://www.hds.harvard.edu/</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.yale.edu/divinity/[/url]”>http://www.yale.edu/divinity/</a></p>
<p>
</p>
<p>In some ways this is true. In this predominately Christian nation, people in the past didn’t say they were Christian when asked what religion they belonged to because it was safe to assume everyone was Christian. So people would normally answer Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian, etc. in order to differentiate themselves. In the last several decades, the Evangelical Christian movement has grown by leaps and bounds, and in those circles, one is only considered truly Christian if they are “born again” and accept Jesus Christ as their lord and saviour in the Protestant context. A “true Christian” to them are only (Evangelical) Protestant Christians. </p>
<p>With the exponential growth of the Evangelical movement, they have tried to hijack the term Christian from other Christian denominations, and it has worked in the minds of many…even it seems when describing religious colleges. </p>
<p>I find it funny that they don’t consider Catholics, Orthodox, and Anglicans/Episcopalians as true Christians when the 1st two are the first and oldest Christian denominations, and all 4 make up the largest Christian denominations in the world.</p>
<p>I think the majority of private colleges are in some way affiliated with a Christian church, but a possible definition of a “Christian University” is one for which the student has to talk about “what being a Christian means to you” or “what is your relationship with Jesus?” as part of the application process. </p>
<p>I think that the private colleges listed on college confidential’s alphabetical list of colleges are all happy to accept students of any religious affiliation or no religious affiliation. They may be related to some Christian denomination and students may have a feel of that denomination on campus, but the Christian denomination isn’t pervasive; for example, the Jewish students aren’t uncomfortable on campus.</p>
<p>definately agree glob, it is ironic, there are 2 billion christians…half are catholic, and some punks from a couple 100 year old sects are trying to steal our thunder!</p>
<p>What I find disturbing here is that, in hijacking the word “Christian,” the churches that have done so have turned it into a pejorative term for all but their own members. I agree that many of us have come to associate “Christian” with Jimmy Swaggart, Billy Sunday, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Ted Haggard, etc. The very reason that Catholics will say “I’m Catholic” instead of “I’m Christian” probably has a lot to do with not wanting to be associated with people like that. Heck, I have friends who will say they’re “Methodist” instead of “Christian” in order to avoid the stigma.</p>
<p>So, here’s another reality (I suspect) for phear. When making a list of these schools, many people look at that list and think, “Oh, those are the schools for people like Jimmy Swaggart, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell. No WAY do I want to go to school with those people.”</p>
<p>What a nice way to change the semantics of the word “Christian” into something so many of us learn to fear and hate.</p>
<p>Sorting even by the alleged 75th percentile SAT scores is dangerous. Selectivity is a matrix of many factors, not just an SAT score. And a lot of schools fudge on what they report, some understate what they report. And some have moved up a lot in the very recent past two years…by 50 points (Fordham), so your numbers a bit stale. People with 1290 were on the bubble at Fordham this year, not in the 75th percentile. They had 22,000 applications (up from 14,000 two years ago, and 7,000 about 5 years ago) for 1,700 seats. They had reportedly several hundred on the wait list last year, and I am told very, very few were admitted off that list this year. Its a very hot Catholic school. It is regarded as the most selective Jesuit school after Georgetown and Boston College in that order, with clear designs to overtake both of them in the next 10 years. Its a stated objective.</p>
<p>Furthermore, selectivity does not necessarily equate to academic rigor. The road is littered with schools that are very hard to get into but sort of easy once you are there. Or who have egregious grade inflation going on. Fordham is a very rigorous school with a wicked core requirement that takes almost two years to complete. They are better known for grade deflation (reality based grading). They are old fashioned: mid terms, papers, finals and no multiple choice exams on computers (like one well known southern state school that has a lofty ranking it does not deserve). If you want an excellent education, phenomenal internship and job opportunities, and are in school to work hard first, then play hard later, then Fordham is for you. If you want a party school and slacker environment, dont go to Fordham. </p>
<p>My two cents.</p>
<p>no building is a church -
the members of the body ARE the church
no university is christian -
members of the student body - perhaps.</p>
<p>“I find it funny that they don’t consider Catholics, Orthodox, and Anglicans/Episcopalians as true Christians when the 1st two are the first and oldest Christian denominations, and all 4 make up the largest Christian denominations in the world.”</p>
<p>Being the oldest denomination is meaningless when one considers the first 300 years of Christianity. Arguments over semantics can go on for days, but as a Theologian I am quite content to say that it is generally accepted that “Christian” refers to protest roots and “Catholic” refers to Catholocism, generally either Eastern Orthodox or Roman. And, believe it or not, most Catholics/Christians (see the natural distinction there?) are fine with that.</p>
<p>Don’t ask me where Episcopalians fit in. They are either Christian Plus or Diet Catholic. Pick one. = )</p>
<p>"So, here’s another reality (I suspect) for phear. When making a list of these schools, many people look at that list and think, “Oh, those are the schools for people like Jimmy Swaggart, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell. No WAY do I want to go to school with those people.”</p>
<p>Just to be clear: I didn’t make this list - Relevant Magazine did and I am nearly certain they excluded universities that would identify themselves as Catholic. </p>
<p>Most people at any religious university in this country (less a few founded by some of the aforementioned) disdain just about everything that they see on TBN. NO ONE OF ANY CREDIBILITY wants to be associated with those people. I had to stop watching because I actually threw my shoe at my own telvision one day. </p>
<p>One last note in terms of reasons why Catholic universities and Christian universities are separated as such. I don’t want to turn this into an argument, but this is informative. And, before anyone responds with venom and wrath please question how much you really know on the topic - because what I am about to say isn’t a debate for scholars and leaders on either side of this issue. It is simply accepted because it is an obvious truth. Namely, despite popular belief Catholicism - particularly Roman - is theologically incompatible with Protestantism and vice versa. There are real and clear dividing lines between the two that go much deeper than styles of worship or dress of the clergy. While the general public is happy to mix the two into “basically the same thing” the fact is that Catholicism and Protestantism are so radically different that they are mutually exclusive treatises. Because of this, it makes sense to rank the universities separately. There are “Top Catholic School” lists as well and Catholicism enjoys a rich tradition in education, particularly amongst the jesuit universities.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I can understand, and possibly agree with your assertion that “Christian” is associated with Protestant. I think people primarily got up in arms over your original statement that it was associated with fundamentalist or evangelical protestantism. Because that is certainly not all of protestantism.</p></li>
<li><p>Also, I’d like to point out, that I know a large number of Orthodox people (Greek), and the LAST thing they would want is to be lumped together with Catholics. While in theology they may be more similar, and lumping them together could be logical–I am quite certain that they would disgree with your saying they’re “fine with” being considered as one.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>And the poor Episcopalians…hehe.</p>
<p>I think nearly everyone uderstands that there are theological differences between Catholics and Protestants. The point is that Protestants don’t get to own the term “Christian.” When it comes to Christianity, the Protestants are a bit Johnny-come-lately. The Catholic and the Orthodox Christians have a 1500 year head start on them.</p>