Christianity and sorority pledges?
 

Do all (or at least most) social sororities make references to Christianity in their pledges? I know sororities aren't allowed to go into details about their pledge ceremonies, but I was at least wondering if most sorority pledge oaths contain references to Christianity. Long story short, I pledged a sorority that says they're not religious, but their pledge makes references to Christianity. I figure it's fine if other social sorority pledges also make references to Christianity (and it's just a tradition thing), but if the sorority I pledged is unique in that aspect, I'd like to know before I initiate.

Why does it matter to you what another sorority might do in their pledging and initiation rituals? It has nothing to do with your organization. Either you can live with the pledge and uphold the commitment or you can't....

No one is going to give you that kind of information. Suffice it to say that most GLOs were originally based on Christianity. Whether or not pledges contain references to Christianity is secret and will never be divulged to you. That is not pertinent to your situation anyway since you are only pledging your own organization and not the others. Why would it matter what another organization is based on? Are you comfortable with what you are pledging? Are you having to promise anything you don't believe? Are you having to say that you are a Christian when you are not? If not, then let it go. When sorority rituals were written, the Bible was an important source of material for these women and they drew inspiration from Christianity as well as other sources. No GLO requires it's members to profess themselves to be Christians anymore. Take the Christian ideas presented as values professed by your group, not as a proclamation that you should be a Christian. It's not church. Does that make sense?

I just want to know if Christianity in pledges is a normal thing that's included for historical reasons, or if when a sorority includes it, that means something deeper about a member's faith. Sorry, I'm new to sororities so I have no idea what a typical pledge is.

Most groups haven't changed their rituals since they were first written, and if they have changed them, they were done sparingly. Nothing is done for "historical reasons" they are done because the Founders' found meaning in the words.

Just because Christ is mentioned in a ritual or ceremony does not mean that you have to be Christian...any more than if Themis is mentioned that you have to believe that the Greek myths are real.

Is it a reference to Christ specifically or to "God" or a higher being? There is a difference. But all of it is secret so none of us are going to say what ours include but a reference to God would not be surprising knowing that was important during the time most were founded. Am sure ones such as AOPi - which was founded by Christians and Jews - probably don't reference Christianity pre se but perhaps a Good common to all. But that's just a guess based on their founding story.

Clearly having just accepted a bid yesterday, I can't speak to personal experience in my organization, but I know during recruitment only one sorority went out of their way to say they were NOT founded on Christian principles.

So if I had to venture a guess, I'd say it's probably pretty common. Religion was a much bigger deal in the 1800's US than it is now in the 2010's US

These are questions for your new member educator. What other sororities do is their own business and has nothing to do with you.

Not trying to be mean, but you should have stopped right there. Now go enjoy your new member period!

I'll go ahead and guess that all but 2 of the sororities have some religious reference in their ceremonies. There are 2 that are nonsectarian so they would be the only ones you could presume offer no references whatsoever. And based on various coats of arms and general history, I assume some have a stronger religious undertone to their ceremonies than others. None restrict membership based on faith, so if it makes it easier to digest, go ahead and consider it historically relevant. I believe the standard protocol is to stand quietly while any statements of faith are made, but I'd confirm that with your new member educator, president, ritual chair or someone like that.

I know that the religious elements of my ritual came as a pretty big surprise and as people become more polarized about religious issues, I think this is something the sororities may have to address. Unfortunately, this isn't something that can be addressed in an open forum since it is first and foremost a ritual issue, which is of course secret.

Most sororities were founded on Judeo-Christian principles.

Some Christian women pledge historically Jewish sororities, some Jewish women pledge historically Protestant sororities.

And, of course, there's an historically Catholic sorority, although they weren't on my campus and so I cannot speak of their membership.

At my school, the largest chapters were historically Protestant sororities, with a good mix of Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish women.

There may or may not be references to Jesus Christ in pledges/promises/oaths, but as another GC'er stated, religion was big in the 1800s.

It's just a guess and you should edit your post to remove your guess.

(And a founder's father being Jewish does not make it a sorority founded by Christians and Jews. Although religious tolerance was an issue for her.)

Seeing as an AOPi Network specialist has told me there is no problem with my post, I'll leave it be. But thanks for mentioning it. Gave me a chance to chat with her for the first time in a while.

Theta Phi Alpha today is as religiously diverse as every other NPC group.