Removing “In the Year of our Lord” from college diplomas

Article about students at Trinity University (private Presbyterian school) of San Antonio wanting to revise the wording on college diplomas:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/Students_want_Our_Lord_phrase_off_Trinity_diplomas.html

 

It was the Muslim students who wanted it removed.....which begets the question, why are Muslim students attending an obviously Christian school?

 

Whatever happened to freedom of choice to choosing the college that you want to go to?

Why are you making this comment along religious lines? Would it have mattered if the students involved were atheists or agnostic?

 

You grossly misinterpret my question.

It's really a question of "what did they expect?" For example, if I were a Hindu (for illustrative purposes only) and I made the CHOICE to go to a Catholic school, should I expect anything other than a reference to the Virgin Mary on the diploma? I mean really....what did they expect?

 

The article states that “the university has taken pains to increase diversity in recent years. Since 1999, the share of international students has increased from 1 percent to 9 percent”.

I guess this is a result of increasing student diversity.

 

Maybe the students should have considered the history and heritage of the school when making a decision on where to attend. Trinity's website has a nice page that discusses the history of the school to include its historical ties to the Presbyterian church.

The school's name should have provided a clue.

If I was an alumni and donor, I would be upset about this. However, I am neither one.

 

I'm not a Christian and Jesus isn't my "lord".

But this is a Presbyterian related university, so if I was a student there, I wouldn't consider it a very big deal. It's just a reflection of the school's historical tradition.

If it was a state university, then I might be more critical.

 

I am not too familiar with this particular college nor its course offering, yet I still hold that one shouldn't be limited to attending or not attending based on the traditional or historic background of the university.
Your contention against their case would be the same as the women that fought to break the all-male historical tradition of a number of colleges and were subsequently allowed attendance, or atheists that sue the states for a public display of the Ten Commandments or any number of perceived exclusionary practices that are taken up by certain slices to "defend their rights".
I am personally of an inclusionary nature and would advocate a "let and let live" approach, yet, I can still understand where these students are coming from, especially when you see other groups mounting the attacks on Christian or Catholic traditions elsewhere and in society at large.

 

I have done business with Islamic countries and they use the "Christian" calender (although they use BCE and CE designations rather than BC and AD) rather than the Islamic calender (BAH/AH) for international business purposes. Further I note the airlines based in these countries also use the "Christian" calender. [Some conservative Jews also use the BCE/CE designations.]

 

Okay, apparently you didn't get it either. I admit I could have worded it a little better...but it was no way meant to be disparaging towards any particular group or religion.

 

I'm inclined to agree with you. But as far as I know, Trinity University in San Antonio doesn't require that its students be Presbyterians, or even Christians. Aren't the people who are objecting to the wording on the diplomas already students at Trinity?

 

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about here. I think you're creating a straw man scenario where none exists.

I don't think anyone said they shouldn't be permitted to attend the school. But when you attend a school and you know fully in advance what the school stands for, why should you (or anyone) expect a school to remove a reference to the school's founding, tradition, religion, etc. from the diploma when it's time to graduate?

 

I use the BCE/CE terminology myself. It's common in secular scholarship generally, but by no means universal.

I don't really have anything against the Christian calendar, though I prefer not to refer to a "lord" whose religious significance I don't believe in.

Ultimately though, assigning a year one in any calendrical system is going to be an arbitrary matter. The system that we already have is so traditional and well-established that I see no real reason to change it.

 

Good question. It's my understanding that they have their own beliefs and their own ways however I would think that if it is that important for them to attend an American university or college he or she would have enough sense to research the background on it before paying a tuition.

Lastly, I would think that if he or she wished to attend a private school rather than a state college, that is their choice however there again it is common sense that one would research the background before paying on a tuition.

Truth be told, it took me six months of research to locate a college for my Bachelors degree. I wanted to make sure it was going to benefit my education as well as my career. Because I was impressed from the education level and I could double my BS major, I stayed for completing a MBA. I am attending a different university for my Doctorate which took some time to locate however it was worth the research. I am now in the midst of my 2nd year.

Regards,

SLE

Doctorate of Business in IT (Argosy 2012)
MBA BA, minor Finance (NAU 2008)
BS MIS, minor Networking (NAU 2006)

 

Isn't the current calendar in use using the "years of our Lord"? Aren't we all using it, too? What's the fuss?

If I borrow a van from a parochial school, should I get mad because it says "Catholic" or "Christian" on the side? Of course not. And if I attend a Christian-affiliated university that uses the Christian calendar, why would I be surprised to see "year of our Lord" written on the diploma?

There is a huge difference between religion-related cultural symbols or language and overbearing proselytizing.

Whether the "year of our Lord" or not, it is 2010 and I've got things to do....

 

Yeah but you're a reasonable man. Tune in the news on any given day and you'll see that much of the world is not nearly as reasonable.

 

I have difficulty believing that the first time they saw any religious reference at a religious school was upon graduation. They must have been offended many times prior. Why choose graduation to complain? Were they concerned that their parents would see where they went and wonder what they were up to?