[jwalsh07]

I write separately to
note that, in my view, the study of theology does not nec-
essarily implicate religious devotion or faith. The con-
tested statute denies Promise Scholarships to students
who pursue a degree in theology. See Wash. Admin.
Code § 250 80 020( 12) ( g) ( 2003) ( defining an eligible
student, in part, as one who [ i ] s not pursuing a degree
in theology ) ; Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28B. 10.814 ( West
1997) ( No aid shall be awarded to any student who is
pursuing a degree in theology ) . But the statute itself
does not define theology. And the usual definition of the
term theology is not limited to devotional studies. . The-
ology is defined as [ t ] he study of the nature of God and
religious truth and the rational inquiry into religious
questions. American Heritage Dictionary 1794 ( 4th ed.
2000) . See also Webster s Ninth New Collegiate Diction-
ary 1223 ( 1991) ( the study of religious faith, practice, and
experience and the study of God and his relation to the
world )

From Justice Thomas' dissent.

[babyface00]

Your description of theology sounds an awful lot like philosophy.

If a philosophy major received this scholarship, and then went on to take additional courses to receive a divinity degree (dual major or graduate work) or just became a minister in some other fashion (a seminary, for example) would the state then expect him/her to repay the original schlarship for the philosophy degree?