Posted on 02/06/2017 8:25:53 AM PST by Salvation
The last vestiges of the once impressive institution known as the “university” are disappearing as our culture continues to crumble. Perhaps it is poetic justice, since the universities themselves have been a central cause of the cultural collapse that is burying them.
The recent riots at the University of California at Berkeley and on other campuses are the result of a decades-long process that has increasingly sought to silence opinions or facts that are at odds with liberalism. Most universities have become indoctrination centers that tolerate little if any dissent. Ideas are not considered. Rather, the usual approach is that of excoriating dissent from liberal or progressive orthodoxy with ad hominem attacks, calling those who disagree bigoted, intolerant, hateful, or (fill-in-the-blank)-phobic.
The discussion and critique of different ideas is a proper notion in a university, but more often today, the person or group holding an opposing idea is attacked, stereotyped, or ridiculed. Protests are a long tradition on college campuses, but protests were once held to show opposition to a speech as it was actually happening or to the ideas that were being presented. Now, protests are aimed at preventing speeches from occurring or ideas from being articulated.
This, of course, is completely counter to what universities should be doing. Once upon a time, young people were sent off to college in order to expand their minds. Ideas from widely divergent positions would be presented and critiqued using principles of philosophy, theology, logic, history, and science. Even Catholic universities, which existed to hand on the faith, would ponder all sorts of views while also vigorously defending or critiquing them based on Catholic teaching. The point of a college education was to become aware of the wider world and to be trained in critical thinking.
Today, most college campuses are a witch’s brew of hypersensitivities, political correctness, language police, “safe zones,” and all sorts of intolerance masquerading as “diversity” and “inclusiveness.” Despite the talk, though, such settings are anything but diverse or inclusive, when one considers the increasing list of views and topics that are banished.
This problem has been growing for decades and it is evidence of what Pope Benedict XVI called the “tyranny of relativism.” When we can no longer point to a reality or a set of truths that all can agree upon as first principles, a struggle ensues that cannot be resolved with an appeal to reason. The one who prevails is not the one who is best able to appeal to reason or principles, but rather the one who has the most power, money, or influence, or the one who shouts the loudest or is better able to intimidate. In this way, relativism has led to the kind of tyranny we see on college campuses today.
Add to this a strangely opposite “daintiness,” such that people are offended by even the most modest rebuttals. “Safe zones” that proliferate on campuses presuppose some sort of deep psychological damage caused by being exposed to different or challenging ideas, and that there exists some sort of right not be offended or challenged. Not only is this fanciful, it is poor training for life.
This has been brewing for decades and has turned universities into exactly the opposite of what they are supposed to be.
In the world of Catholic universities, a line was crossed in 1967 at the Land O’ Lakes conference, at which the assembled leaders of Catholic institutions of higher learning concluded that Catholic identity and faith were inimical to “academic freedom.” As a result, the large majority of Catholic universities shifted to secular models that were not merely neutral to the faith, but often hostile to it.
Universities first began emerging during the high water mark of Christendom, in the 12th and 13th centuries. Perhaps the greatest example of what universities once were can be seen in St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica. It contains a pondering of the great questions of that time. A premise or idea is stated, objections are set forth, voices from antiquity are quoted, a response is presented, and then each objection is respectfully answered. As a genre, the “summa” is a kind of written summary of academic debates common among the students and teachers of the day. At the time, it was recognized that the quest for the truth is often facilitated by lively debate, interaction, and ongoing discussion. Even ideas that one opposed were helpful because they assisted in refining one’s own view and better articulating it.
Young people once emerged from universities acquainted with the great ideas, equipped with the skills to critique ideas and philosophies, and educated in both Latin and Greek. It was not a perfect system, but it edified and expanded the students; it gave them the tools to engage in critical thinking.
Such an atmosphere seems long gone on most college campuses today. Rather than expanding the students’ universe of ideas, it has narrowed them. Many young people emerge from their college experience less mature and less prepared for life than when they entered. In fact, many universities today do precisely the opposite of what they were founded to do. The horrifying moral atmosphere that exists on most campuses is another dagger to the life of the mind and to proper human formation and maturity. To be sure there are exceptions, Catholic and non-Catholic, but they are rare jewels among the rubble.
It is a very sad situation, with only a few exceptions that shine brightly in an otherwise bleak sky. Be sober, fellow Catholics. Search diligently for those universities that still fulfill their mission to raise up young adults to higher and better things.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
A good place to start to fix this issue is for the Catholic Church to de-certify about 75% of the universities that call themselves “Catholic.” When I was at Georgetown, there was absolutely nothing “Catholic” about it. It was as pro-abortion, libertine and secular as they come.
At this point, hearts have been hardened and many are already lost. Institutional change will have to wait for the return of Jesus Christ, after the Great Tribulation. In the meantime, be a victor, and try to reach as many of your friends who do not yet believe as you can.
Romans 10
8 But what does it say?
“The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith that we preach),
9 for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
11 For the scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him.
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
http://www.usccb.org/bible/romans/10
Revelation 2
7 “’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the victor I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God.”’
- - - - -
11 “’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The victor shall not be harmed by the second death.”’
- - - - -
17 “’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the victor I shall give some of the hidden manna; I shall also give a white amulet upon which
is inscribed a new name, which no one knows except the one who receives it.”’
- - - - -
24 But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not uphold this teaching and
know nothing of the so-called deep secrets of Satan: on you I will place no further burden,
25 except that you must hold fast to what you have until I come.
26 “’”To the victor, who keeps to my ways until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
27 He will rule them with an iron rod. Like clay vessels will they be smashed,
28 just as I received authority from my Father. And to him I will give the morning star.
29 “’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
- - - - -
Revelation 3
4 However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments;
they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy.
5 “’”The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name
from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my
Father and of his angels.
6 “’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
- - - - -
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write this:
“‘The holy one, the true,
who holds the key of David,
who opens and no one shall close,
who closes and no one shall open,
says this:
8 “‘“I know your works (behold, I have left an open door before you, which no one can close).
You have limited strength, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make those of the assembly of Satan who claim to be Jews and are not,
but are lying, behold I will make them come and fall prostrate at your feet,
and they will realize that I love you.
10 Because you have kept my message of endurance, I will keep you safe in the time of trial
that is going to come to the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming quickly. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may take your crown.
12 “‘“The victor I will make into a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never leave it again.
On him I will inscribe the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from my God, as well as my new name.
13 “‘“Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
- - - - -
20 “’”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.
21 I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself
first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.
22 “’”Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
- - - - -
* [2:7] Victor: referring to any Christian individual who holds fast to the faith
and does God’s will in the face of persecution. The tree of life that is in the
garden of God: this is a reference to the tree in the primeval paradise (Gn 2:9);
cf. Rev 22:2, 14, 19. The decree excluding humanity from the tree of life has
been revoked by Christ.
http://www.usccb.org/bible/revelation/2
http://www.usccb.org/bible/revelation/3
The universities and colleges today, with few exceptions, (e.g. Hillsdale College the most Conservative in the nation) are hotbeds of anarchy and extreme stupidity on the part of both students and instructors.
They learn nothing useful and expect after rioting, smoking dope and getting a undergrad degree, to get a big important job with the GOVERNMENT no less.
The average IQ of an NYU grad, for example, has to be barely breaking 100.
They can’t die off fast enough for me.
Why not online degrees? There are a surprising number available and the cost is a lot more reasonable than attending one in person.
“A good place to start to fix this issue is for the Catholic Church to de-certify about 75% of the universities that call themselves “Catholic.” “
This was tried back in the 90’s. See Ex Corde Ecclesiae.
Sadly, few if any of the bishops charged with doing the getting work mandated by the motions of that document were willing to buck the institutions (which, needless to say, almost universally rejected)
“Why not online degrees? There are a surprising number available and the cost is a lot more reasonable than attending one in person.”
It is possible—possible—to offer more in a classroom than one gets just from reading the materials.
I don’t say it happens every time, but when it does, it’s the best.
Don’t forget Stubenville and Ave Maria Universities.
Yeah, and there are all of the socialization elements that would be missing.
BUT, this approach would start choking off the creation of mind-number indoctrinated leftards.
I have a funny feeling the Church and the parents gave first consent to turn their children over to the secularization crowd, around the same time Vatican II was thought to be a bright idea.
What a convergence against God and family, the Church and the country. The Pill was in, and the Our Father was out. It’s been a fall ever since.
How to turn back in quick sand is very hard.
The service academies and the state maritime colleges still produce many fine graduates. The maritime college in Maine
places about 95% of its graduates in positions related to their majors within about six months of graduation.
Of course the majors are marine engineering, power engineering, marine transportation (formerly nautical science), small vessel operations, and international business and logistics (emphasis on the logistics). I will say that the marine biology/marine science students have somewhat more difficulty in finding a job in their major.
Absolutely revolutionary thinking there! Snowflakes melting everywhere as college administrators' heads explode. Probably only Hillsdale and others like it could actually deliver on this concept today.
Instead of reasoned thinking, today my Facebook page features various libs of my acquaintance posting such inanities as: "I am not a liberal snowflake. My feelings aren't fragile, my heart isn't bleeding. Etc. ad nauseum"
How do you do Chemistry and Physics labs online?
The stain Notre Dame’s arresting protesters praying the Rosary on its grounds must be cleansed before anything else can be done with the non Catholic Catholic colleges.
Deatails, details....
Look, I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be schools for the hard degrees such as engineering, physics, etc. i.e. Colorado School of Mines.
It’s the lousy social science courses, etc.of study where the cancer establishes itself.
“this approach would start choking off the creation of mind-number indoctrinated leftards”
Home schooling at the college level? I guess it could work.
I’d hate to have missed out on my years at college, though, tough as they were.
“It’s the lousy social science courses, etc. of study where the cancer establishes itself.”
Which is a real shame, because the humanities are supposed to provide the foundation upon which wisdom can, over time, be developed.
I think we need both types of people: the STEM people and the MOL (meaning of life) people. What we don’t need are leftists of any description or degree.
Often STEM people assume they will be as good at MOL pursuits as they are at science. I’ve never seen that happen, though.
Years ago I took a correspondence course in TV repair. I wasn't interested in going into TV repair, but as part of the course you built a TV set, and the Veterans Administration paid for me to take the course, including the TV set.
I was surprised at how extensive an electronics lab course it turned out to be. Using the stuff they sent me, I did all kinds of electronic experiments that were related to the operation of a TV set.
My undergraduate degree was in physics. I think it would be possible to devise an on-line physics course along the same lines as that TV course, in which you get the things needed to do experiments like those I did in physics lab in college.
As a child I had a chemistry set, and did all the experiments in the manual. I think a chemistry lab course could be developed along the same lines.
In short, I think on-line or correspondence courses could include lab work, but it would take some careful course design. We do have models, such as my TV repair course and children's chemistry sets, to work from.
>As a child I had a chemistry set, and did all the experiments in the manual. I think a chemistry lab course could be developed along the same lines.<
I completely forgot about the Gilbert Chemistry set I got for Christmas one year.
Yeah, why couldn’t chemistry be taught on an online cours?
This is the 21st Century, after all.
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