University of Alberta Looks at Erasing God from Graduation Ceremony
By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
EDMONTON, October 27, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The University of Alberta's Atheists and Agnostics (A &A) society wants to take God off the program when students line up in caps and gowns to get their degrees this.
Traditionally the chancellor's speech to the new graduates urges them to use their knowledge for "the glory of God and the honour of your country."
Ian Bushfield, head of the university's A & A association, objects to this and has petitioned the University of Alberta to remove the reference to God in the traditional convocation speech.
Bushfield said the reference is outdated and not reflective of recent national surveys that found about 35 per cent of Canadians under 25 do not believe in a God.
"What they are doing is basically implying that everyone who graduates from the university should be doing certain things with their degree, and this kind of charge requires a belief in something up to one-third of campus might not have," Bushfield told the Calgary Herald on Friday.
"We want an inclusive convocation where everyone feels welcome and able to participate," said Bushfield in a Canadian Press report.
"A lot of schools have moved away from these references. We want to have our school match what the University of Toronto and University of Calgary have already done."
In 2006 a student atheist group at the University of Toronto, the Toronto Secular Alliance, said they were “disgusted” at having to listen to words like “Eternal God” at a public ceremony and campaigned to have all elements of prayer removed from the convocation ceremonies at the University.
Stephen DeSousa, head of U of T public affairs, told the National Post that the prayer used at graduation had been part of the convocation tradition since the university began in 1827.
Today, an executive committee of the U of A General Faculties Council will convene to hear arguments for and against removing the reference to God, with professors, support staff and Christian groups on campus expected to make presentations.
The committee is then expected to make a recommendation on Nov. 3 to the Council who will vote on the issue, but not in time to make any changes to the November convocation.
Andrew Chan, of the group Christians in Action Bible Study, said it's OK if the line is softened, but he believes the religious theme should remain part of convocation.
"From my standpoint, the line has historical value because the U of A was founded on Christian beliefs," Chan said in the Calgary Herald report. "Taking that out would take out a part of the university's history."
To contact the U of A with your concern:
University of Alberta President Indira SamarasekeraOffice of the PresidentPhone: 780-492-3212Email: president@ualberta.caUniversity of AlbertaEdmonton, AlbertaCanada T6G 2H1
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4 comments:
Dear Indira Samarasekera,
I graduated from the University of Alberta in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. While at the university, I was actively involved with numerous Christian organizations, and was the student president of Campus Crusade for Christ 1999-2000. I went on to graduate from Phoenix Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and I am currently doing a PhD in Divinity at the University of Cambridge.
I recently read on LifeSiteNews.com that the University of Alberta is considering removing any references to God out of the convocation ceremony. I find this deeply troubling. When I graduated, Lieutenant-Governor Lois Hole presided over the ceremony. She read a well rehearsed prayer which, at the time, I was not even sure was a prayer except the concluding “Amen” affirmed that this in fact was intended to be a prayer and not simply part of her speech. This prayer was inclusive of all monotheistic faiths, and did not appear to offend anyone.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was receiving an honorary degree, and he gave the charge. The overarching theme of his message is that we graduates are to love our neighbors—a message that was central to Jesus’ teachings. I remember hearing comments after the ceremony that this was deeply offensive because he used inclusive language—referring to Jesus as “our” Lord instead of, I suppose, “my” Lord.
In my mind, the charge by Desmond Tutu redeemed the University of Alberta of its antagonism to faith-based worldviews. The fact that the University of Alberta would allow such a prolific Christian humanitarian to deliver the charge showed that this institution did in fact consider people of faith as part of its larger community. If Ian Bushfield’s statistics are correct and 35 percent of Canadians under 25 do not believe in God, then the community of faith is in fact larger than the atheist and agnostic minority.
As an alumnus of the University of Alberta, I encourage you to reject this motion to remove any mention of God from the convocation ceremony. I do not see this reference to be a statement of faith by the institution; rather, it brings to the forefront the motto Quaecumque-vera “whatever is true” (Philippians 4:8) and creates dialogue pertaining to beliefs that some people hold to be true. If the purpose of higher education is to seek the things that are true and use these truths to better the world, then I can think of no better way to summarize this principle than to exhort graduates to use their education “for the glory of God (however God is defined and understood) and the honor of your country.”
Best wishes,
Lorne Zelyck
I fully support this. Is the U of A not a place of academics to better yourself and the world. Or is the U of A a place where all people learn knowledge to glorify mystical-magical men in the sky? We must also ask is U of A only meant to glorify Canada? What is wrong with student's using what they learned to better another country? I'm actually more offended by the nationalist mention of going out for the glory of your country. As much as I oppose all forms of religion, i think nationalism is equally as dangerous to this world as religion. I'd like to see the entire line removed. I do things for myself and my friends and family not for mystical creatures or some pride in a national identity.
Regarding the God thing, I understand that cultures, even our own, have silly mythological origins. But it is time to move past those. Even if you choose to believe those, as your do Lorne, do you find it necessary to include those for everyone? What benefit is there to having your beliefs, which represent only a minority of graduates, shoved on everyone else? What benefit do all graduates receive from being offended?
Thanks for the comment.
First, I believe the university is a place to gain knowledge--not only in the hard sciences, but also in the humanities and if so desired, about "magical men in the sky".
Second, no, I don't think graduates should in any sense be required to "glorify" their country. I don't think that is what the graduation charge states. It uses the terminology "honor of country", which I interpret as--use your degree in a way that would bring honor to your country (which would include you and your neighbor), not do bring dishonor or do harm to yourself or your neighbor. I don't think this is a nationalistic "God bless Canada and no one else" statement. I think it implies that we should not bring harm to others, which in effect, would dishonor ourselves and our country. If that isn't explicit in the statement, it should somehow incorporated.
I don't think beliefs should be forced on anybody--Christianity or atheism. However, if the statistics mentioned are accurate, and 65% of Canadians under 25 do believe in God, then why pander to the minority and remove the statement?
In reality, it doesn't bother me at all if they removed the statement about "God" from the charge. It could be a positive thing because it would prevent Christians from being associated with something that is not a Christian institution. Also, it would prevent the chancellor from having to half-heartedly read something that he/she doesn't believe, but they have to say it because it is tradition. Like I mentioned, when Lois Hole said it, it was hollow. When we went past to shake her hand, I said to her (also half-heartedly), "Thanks for the prayer". She gave me a confused look, and then said, "Oh, congratulations on graduating." It was dumb. To conclude that thought, I don't care if the U of A takes the statement out of the charge, all I care about is that Christians and athiests are allowed a voice in the university. So, my reply to the president was only a preventative measure. I would hope that all beliefs are allowed to be discussed and evaluated, not silenced (I don't think removing the statement is really silencing Christians (or any monotheist) from having a voice in the university, but it may be a step in that direction). This was my first hesitant hack in the political/cultural arena, so it is what it is.
I hope you don't think that I'm against christians having a voice. I think christians should be allowed to have a voice. I am againt archaic traditions that are unecessary and offensive to some. Even if only a small amount of people are offended, I don't see why christians would fight for it to be there. If you want to glorify god, whatever your conception of him/her/it is, then great do what you want. But I think charging everyone with that task is both uncessary and archaic.
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