..rant

Generally I try to keep my blog rant free. I just don't like vomiting rage all over the internet and normally I mellow out after thinking about the topic for a while, seeing it from other perspectives.

But I am pissed.

Mostly because I appealed to have my World Religions credit (for my Global and Urban Ministries Minor) substituted for a history class about the Black Church in America since 1950.

Here are my reasons for the substitution:

• I have focused much of my time at SPU on urban issues and done this intentionally and thoughtfully. I have never taken a class from an African American faculty member, I have never taken a class that specifically addresses the intersection between race, culture, and religion.
• I know little about the Civil Right Movement and this is a great vacancy in my education that needs to be filled.
• From the rumors I have heard (read: Testimonies of close friends who have taken the class) the World Religion course offered at SPU is done with conversion as the end. The thought being, the only reason why Christian should learn about other religions is because that will give a better understanding of how to convert their believers. This is something that I have little tolerance or interest in. People of other faiths have legitimate, rational, and profound reasons for their belief. Learning about their practices and faith traditions with the intent of disproving them or converting them can be insulting, disrespectful, and colonial. I am not interested in spending my time, brain capacity, heart, or money in this form of education.
• One of my friends told me that she rarely attended the class, turned her homework in late, and skimmed the book. She walked away with a B. At this point in my life, I refuse to spend my time and money to knowingly waste away in a class that will not be challenging me. I do my homework, read, and I attend class but want this effort to be going to a worthy result.
  

So I'm annoyed. Not because I didn't get my way, but because our university offers a class that is not respected by students, is not respectful of other people, and that our 'distinctive Christian University' level of excellence seems to be fudged at times. I honestly do desire to learn about the faith of other people and see it as essential in the development of my 'world view' and as a way to develop a better understanding of other people. I just refuse to subject myself to this course because of the simple fact that it is a requirement; I will take an Independent Study, take a course online, pay for the extra credit at UW, write a letter to the Dean of Theology, not apply for the GUM minor. This isn't a cross that I am going to choose to die on but my education and person are valuable enough to be defended and protected and the flimsy requirement of this course with a particular professor will not make me compromise that.