I am an adjunct at two community colleges, teaching math. One of them is 20 miles away, and the commute is getting old (after five years). Especially when I have go up there during rush hour. I’ve found out that a private, Catholic university, which is much closer to home, is looking for adjuncts, so I’m thinking about applying.
I am an atheist, though, so the idea of working for a Catholic university gives me pause. I know religion shouldn’t come up during the interviewing and hiring process. But I’m wondering, if I got the job, what it would be like working amongst people who believe in something I find silly. I can keep my thoughts about it to myself, of course, but I don’t think I would lie about my lack-of-belief, if ever asked about religion directly by a co-worker.
I’d like to think that if I feel strange at first, that would pass as I got comfortable in the job, and it would be just like any other workplace. I’m curious if anyone has had an experience similar to this that they would like to share?
I (also an atheist) worked as Adjunct for a Methodist college for a short time. Religion never came up. However, I’ve know others who worked at religious based schools who require a “statement of faith”; code of conduct consistent with their philosophy; and even a code for dress and facial hair.
I think it just depends on the particular school how they deal with requirements for employees.
I also would absolutely expect religion to come up during the hiring process, I’m pretty sure it would be within their right to ask and weed out those who don’t follow their particular religious bent.
I was both a Senior and a Junior Warden at a local Episcopalian church for a few years. They are in charge of a food pantry that does a lot of good for people in this part of town, and I wanted to make sure that it(and other outreach programs) got the support that was needed. Apparently I did a good job, since the Bishop asked me to stay on for a third term as Senior Warden, when the norm is a two-term limit.
I dated a lady that was a secretary (Personal assistant?) to a Rabbi. She was openly “non-religious”. She said the Rabbi was cool with it. She said sometimes he would tease her, but he did so in a fashion that was enduring rather than patronizing.
I’ve done freelance IT work for the local Interfaith group, they were quite chill, and paid well and timely. I also have done work for the Christian Scientists - they skew old, so often don’t get tech, but again, paid well and timely, and no lectures.
This must be why Czarcasm doesn’t believe in the spirit world he’s not a Christ follower.
SD should have a bio click on all of it’s members then we could find these little details out sooner than having to wade through oodles of debates to find out what was suspected all along
An ex of mine got a job at a private college in a southern state without quite realizing it was a very religious place until his first day. The department faculty meeting opened with a prayer. He was a bit horrified but found there were a couple of other non-believers in the dept. and the christianity was more cultural than official (it wasn’t really a christian college) so he was able to cope. He said there were some times when he had to bite his lip rather hard but nothing too serious. Quite surprising though if you’ve spent your career at state universities, as he had.
IANAA, but I taught for many years at a Catholic college/university. The employees were fairly evenly split between Catholics and noncatholics; I was never asked about my own religious beliefs; and I never saw anyone’s religion or lack thereof being held against them.
Your mileage may vary, depending on the specific institution, its policies, and who’s in charge there.
Of course, if something like having a crucifix on the wall of your classroom, or being unable to denounce Catholic teachings to your students, bothers you, that may not be the place for you.
Wouldn’t that be discrimination, though? Or not, because the university is private? Now that I think about it, this is probably a stupid question, but would a non-Catholic student be allowed into a Catholic university? If not, would not hiring a non-Catholic to work there fall under the same justification?
My brother was the head of maintenance at a church (United Church of Christ) and while he was a non-practicing Christian at the time, my friends that he ended up hiring for his maintenance crew were all what one would call “staunchly atheist.”
My friends never had a problem with the church or its members, or its teaching. In fact, I know at least the one guy told me working there really opened his eyes to being tolerant of Christians and seeing what good a church can do for people and in the community. The members knew the crew was mostly atheist and were still kind and giving with them. He didn’t all of a sudden get baptized or anything, but it really softened - or widened - his views on organized religion.
Granted, this church is a super Liberal, warm and welcome one, so it really wasn’t going to be combative with a bunch of atheists. Especially the ones mowing their lawn and dusting their altar.
No no no… but I’ll have to learn to control myself a bit better, I suppose, from saying something like “for God’s sake!” when I make a mistake on the board.
You’re allowed to discriminate if the discrimination is a necessary part of the job - these are called bona fide occupational qualifications. For instance, the NAACP doesn’t have to hire a Hispanic as its head because that person is most qualified (although this is dicey, technically race is never a BFOQ, but I don’t know that it has ever gone to court. It seems to me that in this case it would be, but I don’t know what the court would say.) Or a strip club doesn’t have to hire a male stripper. This is actually pretty obvious in religious contexts. A Christian church shouldn’t have to hire a Muslim to be its pastor.
I (not Jewish) worked for a Kosher Certification organization once, writing software and maintaining their office’s computer system. There were few problems and I think it was a mutually-beneficial relationship.
The head rabbi and I often had serious religious discussions (at his insistence, I would never have brought up such subjects myself). He said, “I love science!” and this was an obvious opening to my challenging the supremacy of Torah sources and writings. I learned a lot from Dr. Israel Scharfman – i. e., how the human mind can radically rationalize.
I also learned some social conventions…I was introduced to one rabbi’s wife, a pretty girl with long black hair. Extending my hand in greeting, I was told that I was not allowed to touch her, since she might be menstruating, and she would therefore be unclean. And the only reason she was allowed to be in public without her head being covered with a scarf (again, non-husbands might see her) was the long hair was actually a wig, a G-d approved disguise.
I was perfectly willing to adhere to the orthodox conventions while in their office, and they seemed happy to accept me. I’m sure if I had been a proselytizing asshole of any persuasion, it would have been much different.
The Chronicle of HIgher Ed fora has had some very good discussions on this topic, if you’ve never been there.
The bottom line is- typical regionally accredited religiously affiliated universities can expect you to agree with a statement of faith in their mission. Rarely do faculty find it intrudes into their academic life and ability to deliver subject matter. Overtly evangelical universities/bible colleges are a different beast all together.
I have a science colleague (atheist Jew like myself) just took a position at a Catholic university and it’s been completely fine.
As someone upthread said, it will vary by school. My wife’s cousin is on the faculty of a large Evangelical college in the Midwest and was required to sign (and adhere to) a Statement of Faith. I believe the students are required to sign a conduct agreement, but not necessarily a faith statement. I think you will find this to be much more common in schools aligned with conservative evangelical denominations and less true of mainstream or Catholic universities, although I’m sure it varies. I’d be mildly surprised, for example, if Notre Dame required its staff to be Christian; but I’m virtually certain that Liberty University does.
As an Episcopalian and multiple-term Warden myself I’m a little fascinated. I understand that you are an atheist and were elected to the vestry of a parish? In my experience, vestries are elected by the congregation and the Wardens are selected by the vestry; what was your bishop’s role? Did the rest of the vestry/parish know that you were not a believer? Aren’t baptism and confirmation in the Church requirements to serve? (Although, granted, being an atheist is not necessarily an barrier to baptism and confirmation if you cross your fingers while reciting the Creed). I’m not being snarky or judging; like I’m said I’m just curious. One of our vestry members’ wife is Buddhist and although she attends more regularly than most members, she still wouldn’t be eligible to serve on vestry let alone as Warden.
FWIW, I know several non-Catholics who went to Boston College, which is a private Catholic university. Beyond a few required religion classes (which by no means had to be about the Catholic religion), they said it was indistinguishable from a secular university. Plenty of non-Catholic professors teach there as well.
I didn’t lie, and they didn’t care. Maybe they thought it best to keep my evil geniusness close at hand-I don’t know. I do know that while I was Senior Warden the church budget was in the black, without having to cut back on the projects I supported.
