Review: Building Catholic Higher Education, Part II | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Before I begin the second day, I was remiss in not mentioning the Fr. Ray Herman Center for Peace and Justice, which a group of us founded along with Fr. Bob Beck from Campus Ministries. We did abortion, militarism, race and of course Central America. We had a Mass every month and most of the participants were at least exploring a vocation. As far as I know, only one of us did follow a vocation and I seem to recall that she died on post of cancer. Very holy woman. That is how Catholic our school was and is.
On the question of research, if that means publishing, Loras stood behind no one without having teaching suffer. I guess it is easier to hit all the bases if you are smaller. On Notre Dame, the author of the book create mission statements from other materials to illustrate how it feels about itself as a Catholic university. I think that is called setting up straw men. Catholic mission and its support by the faculty are a major point of study, with faculty being required to have at least tacit acceptance of the goals of the school and existing in community, not as simply a group of smart people. He also states that ex-Catholics and dissenting Catholics must be nice about it - and present the material - although last I checked, universities do not provide material to professors to teach. Everyone presents his or her own syllabus, albeit one that likley has been approved. Even when I was a doctoral candidate, I had to come up with my own way to accomplish the seminar discussion objectives - although most of it was providing a forum to answer questions. Its why we actually listened to the lecture too. Of course, at Loras, we had to T.A.s, professors did it all.
On the matter of interdisciplinary learning, whether this occurs really depends on the comfort level of the faculty and whether it is appropriate. For example, in Civil Liberties, there was no Catholic rebuttal on birth control when we discussed Griswold v. Connecticut. We were all high powered pre-law majors and the curve for an A was 97% at midterm. Catholicisizing the course would have made us mad. Luckily, our professor was no dummy. All College Honors had that interdiciplinary flavor, as did some of the Philosohy and Classical Studies courses - and the more minor seminarians were in a course, the more likely it would be more Catholic. I am sure it is the same at Notre Dame. I doubt, of course, that the evolutionary biology class gives weight to creationists or it stupid cousin, intelligent design. Again, students would riot. The only exception would be teaching how to deal with such ardent luddites in a high school science setting. I would hope they also include Antropology discoveries that disprove the proposition that Moses wrote the Creation Story rather than it being an import form Babylon. Of course, that would invite a lawsuit. That would, of course, apply to any discussion of the sacred project of American Sociology. It must be data driven.
Sadly, when I was in college, the Grid Group Theory of Douglas and Wildavsky was not widely known. Luckily in doctoral school, I got it from the horse's mouth - as Aaron was doing a year at American and a series of lectures on Radical Egalitarianism. From my point of view, any effort to Catholicize American History must go through that prism. The delusions of patriotism by Catholics at the founding just have no basis - indeed a lot of what the Church thinks about itself is laid bare by a good Grid Group analysis. As always, let me point out that any examination of the founding that does not address Freemasonry is partial history (including the antagonism to the Church of Rome). As far as theology being the Queen of Sciences - that kind of medievalism has had its day. Cultural Theory is a much better referent to see how everything fits together. Anyone who considers himself an intellectual - Catholic or not, needs to become fluent in it.
The discussion of the Roman Church in Europe is interesting, but it should teach more than the good stuff. A lot of people were put to the sword for non-compliance. It was not exactly a moment where the Holy Spirit was allowed to work - and as the Church gained power, things got worse - with the Spirit likley comforting the victims, not the Church. Grid Group explains that one too.
As for Stienfels screed, its not my experience - although form my POV, Catholic Art from most of history is awful, showing the Holy Family to be caucasion when they were realy Afro-Asiatic Jews. I would love a self-critical analysis of Catholic thought in a Grid Group setting in all Catholic Universities -not because it should be mandated, but because it is quite necessary. Then we can keep the good and be self-critical of the rest. Now THAT is the purpose of a truly Catholic University. Also, see my first comments on our Social Justice Center at Loras to address what Catholicism in the world should look like. It is decidedly liberal.
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