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Very impressive Pledge Book! I wish you every success!

Congratulations and good luck! Your pledge manual is very thorough.. seems like you have a great foundation!

From the Pledge Book:

"WE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE, RELIGION, AGE, AND [sic] HANDICAP OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON"

(next line)

"SISTERS WILL NOT PROMISE BIDS AT ANY TIME OR IN ANY WAY."

That you have a bidding/selection process means that you discriminate for some reason. Your pledge manual is innacurate (and there's that odd conjunctive in the middle of all of those disjunctives).

Otherwise, it's a pretty darned Christian looking organization. Not my cup of tea, but more power to you. That your statement also says that you do not discriminate based on religion is also very interesting.

40 days :)

Aside from spelling/typo errors (and the things already pointed out), I have to echo everyone else and say the pledge manual is thorough!

Quick question: If the lamp is the "hidden symbol," should it be made public? Or maybe I'm just reading that whole section wrong.

OHH - is the OP in the brother fraternity??

i know that i seem to be on a single track when conversing with members of new sororities, but i would hope that theta alpha would rethink their pledge pin design.

delta zeta sorority has the lamp as the badge for their initiated members. perhaps one of your other symbols could be chosen? a symbol that is not already affialiated with another sorority? how about the sun, noah's ark, an open book, a lamb, a fish-or some other christian symbols?

Reading through the pledge manual, this organization will be no competition to DZ. They'll attract completely different types of members.

While DZs have a lamp for a badge, many sororities and fraternities have lamps on their crests/shields/coat of arms etc or use one as a symbol of their organization. I think that there might be a larger problem if they were using the lamp as their active pin, but I agree with ktsnake that there's not likely to be a lot of overlap.

If one checks ariesrisings Great Greek Listing, there are many similarities to Badges and Coat of Arms.

While each is different, that is because each Is Different in thoughts and ideas.

Just wish them good luck!

We may never know, they may grow to be an outstanding Sorority!:) And with Many Chapters!:cool:

I immediately thought of Amy Grant's song, "Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet..." when I saw it. While others may use the lamp, if it's not a complete copy, I find it highly appropriate.

I definately have to echo the sentiment that your pledge manual is very through. Great job!

I also love your open motto. I also love that the pledges are called cubs (I just think that is so cute!)

question: what does Pi Chi Gamma stand for?

Note that the meaning should be 'revealed at initiation', not 'reveled at initiation'. Unless initiation is one heck of a party.....:p

This just stood out like a sore thumb to me. If you're going to pull a group together, you need to put in the work.

I posted this in another thread, but it works here too:

JOSH!!!

I love how you host the manual at a UF account for an FSU org haha.

Go Gators! haha

What separates these from, say, intervarsity christians?

-Rudey

There are thousands of churches throughout this country and many have strong ties, no? As for ritual...isn't most of organized religion ritual - from the songs and hymns, to the text, to the symbols?

I'm just pecking and asking questions :) You guys exist and that's good for you, but I'm just wondering how you're different from other christian groups and how your rush would be different from say...missionary work.

-Rudey
--Curiosity killed the cat I suppose.

Another interesting question that Gator's post detailing the growth of Christian greek life...could we possibly see Christian Greeks branch off into their own governing body? Or seek membership in one of the existing councils? (correct me if any allready have.)

Just something that was stewing in my mind.

Currently, in the NIC there are some "faith based" fraternities. Off the top of my head there is Alpha Delta Gamma (National Catholic Social Fraternity), Alpha Epsilon Pi (International Jewish Social Fraternity), and Beta Sigma Psi (National Lutheran Social Fraternity).

There are other NIC fraternities that have a historic "faith based" tie as well.

I think you're confused. If you go to ATO's website you will see there is a section on prayers and quite a few Christian aspects to the fraternity. There are Christian aspects for many/most NIC and NPC fraternities and sororities - including references and symbols like a cross. I don't know about the Lutheran or Catholic fraternities, but Jewish fraternities are not religious fraternities just like you wouldn't consider most of the NPC/NIC to be religious. AEPi is a social fraternity.

-Rudey

I agree, they are not specifically religious but social first, then cultural.

Alpha Epsilon Pi - http://www.aepi.org/

"Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Jewish Fraternity of North America, was founded to provide opportunities for a Jewish man seeking the best possible college and fraternity experience. We have maintained the integrity of our purpose by strengthening our ties to the Jewish community and serving as a link between high school and career. Alpha Epsilon Pi develops leadership for the North American Jewish community at a critical time in a young man's life."

Beta Sigma Psi - http://www.betasigmapsi.org/

"Beta Sigma Psi is the National Lutheran College Fraternity, founded in 1925. The purpose of Beta Sigma Psi is to provide an environment in which the Lutheran college man can grow Spiritually, Scholastically, and Socially. To that end, Beta Sigma Psi undertakes programs to develop Christian leaders and to aid the individual in assuming a satisfying and useful role in society. Through its alumni and undergraduate leadership, Beta Sigma Psi endeavors to assist each member develop character, develop intellectual awareness, develop responsibility to chapter, college, community, state, nation, and world, develop spiritual welfare, develop brotherhood, develop integrity, promote friendship, and advance justice."

Either way, AEPi is a social fraternity.

It isn't a place to come to study the bible.

Really, I've never once seen anything about prayers or bible study at any AEPi chapter but I've seen it for countless orgs like ATO and I've heard Pike and Sigma Chi have bible study as well.

-Rudey

Congratulations on your founding of a new Christian sorority:)

May the Lord bless:D


ETA: Spelling corrections

Some/many/few chapters of social GLOs (IFC/NPC) have bible study. However, I am not aware of any IFC/NPC GLO where it (bible study) is mandated (mandatory) by the GLO's HQ.

I'm just saying that bible studies (mandated or not), prayers on your national website, and crosses are neither atheist nor agnostic to me.

-Rudey

Not the same as mandatory Bible studies, but Alpha Tau Omega does have a Fraternity-wide "prayer web" and publishes, among other "Spiritual Resources," an ATO Devotional book.

Exactly. The difference is that none of these orgs are like the Christian fraternities and sororities that were being discussed in this forum. They are social. I don't know about the Lutheran one so someone from that fraternity probably knows better.

-Rudey

And I'm still in 100% agreement. These are social organizations first and foremost. (Which is why I made sure to include "social" in my descriptions.)

My reply to PhoenixAzul's question - "...could we possibly see Christian Greeks branch off into their own governing body? Or seek membership in one of the existing councils? (correct me if any already have.)" - was to simply note that their is an existing council - the NIC - that already includes various "types" (for lack of a better word) of social fraternities. Including, but not limited to, faith, academic, and culture. As such, I would venture to guess that any fraternity that meets the NIC's membership requirements would be welcome into the NIC.

:) I just don't think that these Christian sororities and fraternities are social as much as religious. I'd even bet that those religious principles would preclude them from most social activities that would involve NPC/NIC houses.

If they were social with just a Christian founding principal they wouldn't be different from ATO or most other fraternities out there. Whether someone sees them as a fraternity/sorority or just another student group is up to that person, but they don't seem to be operating in the same realm as a traditional fraternity/sorority. To really boil it down into a one sentence reply to phoenixazul: What if pigs could fly?

-Rudey

Great job on your new organization! Your pledge manual is well written and very thorough. I have a question: it says that pledges are required to attend church and weekly bible study. Would that be considered hazing... or is everyone in the organization required to do that (pledges and actives).

haha not church hazing!


that is just absolutely ridiculous.

Even under the NPC definition, I have real trouble imagining how this can possibly be considered hazing.

Hazing is defined as any action or situation with or without consent which recklessly, intentionally or unintentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or creates risk of injury, or causes discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a chapter or colony of an NPC member fraternity. (Emphasis added)

If requiring church attendance (in a explicitly Christian sorority) could be considered hazing, then I guess it would also be hazing to require payment of dues, since that is "condition for continued membership."

What is this world coming to? LOL!

Devil's Advocate: If a non-Christian member is bidded (which despite the mission of this group is a possibility), it would be considered hazing to require a non-Christian to attend a religious service.

Even in the case of a Non-Christian being bid, I still don't think it would be considered hazing if they were upfront about the requirement to go to church. It's really no different then requiring members to go to chapter or sisterhoods or whatever. Plus, many GLOs include "religious" material in initiation, even if they are not "Christian" sororoities.

Word. It's reasonable to say that non-Christans would suffer discomfort if required to attend a Christian religious service or Bible study. Of course, I don't suspect that non-Christians would join a Christian sorority, but still.

Sorta like a poor person joining a sorority and then having to pay dues?

-Rudey

I think that if you join a Christian sorority, you have a reasonable expectation that there will be Christian activity there. If this makes you uncomfortable, don't join.

I don't think they're exactly hiding the fact that church and bible studies are involved here, the PNMs will know ahead of time.

And I think that it is fair enough to say that actives are also required/compelled/ desire to take bible study and go to church...therefore negating hazing?

We have a Christian Sorority at our campus. It is Beta Sigma Chi Christian Sorority, Inc. Please feel free to view our website. www.ksu.edu/bsc2005

You appear to be enjoying Theta Nu Xi's handsign. :D

ETA: Referring to these pics: http://www.k-state.edu/bsc2005/Founders.html