Religious Courses at a Public University

Photograph by Bill Lax for the FSU Photography Services, 2012.

Religious Courses at a Public University

Lacey Csaszar, Fall 2015

            Courses at public universities can be challenging. While the professors are very aware of what can and cannot be said in a public university course, many students come into the course with set views and see the study of a religion as a way that theirs may be challenged. Some Christian students struggle being in these courses because of the style they have to be taught in. When taking a course regarding the New Testament they are asked to challenge the text that they are studying, which can be unsettling for a young Christian. As Christian’s accept these words to be fact, based on their faith, others do not, and this can feel like an exhausting exercise in defense every time the topic arises.

            Other courses that focus on other faiths that are not Christianity can be challenging for young students as well. Being able to think and critically discuss another religion, while not simply condemning it, at least internally, is a stretch for many young Christian adults. In fact, learning about so many other religions and cultures may even lead young Christians to a new religious devotion, or simply away from Christianity in general. It doesn’t help that bringing questions and curiosities back to their religious groups can be detrimental, as it may be seen as questioning their own faith and they could become rejected. It is a fine line to walk as a young Christian in a public university, understanding the world around you and other people’s beliefs, while at the same time maintaining their own or perhaps modify them accordingly.