Bible Studies, Religious-Based Values, and other PNM Concerns
 

I was just reading through a Recruitment Thread and I wanted to mention something to all of our PNM's--

As a result of the time in which most of the NPC groups were established, religion was a very big part of a college woman's life. As such, the majority of the NPC sororities were founded upon Judeo-Christian beliefs. Today, that translates as a part of the sorority's history; references to religious icons may be made within some context, but please be assured, these references are made not to convert you from your personal beliefs, but to pay homage to the history and tradition established by the founders who were striving to enhance the mental, moral, social and academic improvement of its membership. Again, these principles were established in the late 1800's-early 20th Century, at a time when religion was a large focus in a collegiate woman's life.

Sororities are values-based and values-driven organizations. Although they may be historically "Christian" or "Jewish" sororities, you will find each chapter to have a diverse mix of sisters with many different beliefs. I invite you not to discriminate your choices based on their religious histories, but rather to look at the local chapter of that sorority and see how you identify both with the women who are members and those who are the potential members.

Regarding a post about bible studies: Many sororities have internal "interest groups" so that members can get better acquainted with those who have like interests. This could include a Bible Study Group, a Sushi Appreciation Club, or maybe a Girls Night Out Group. None of these interest groups are mandatory; they just add to the sorority experience.
Closing Point: A sorority is not out to convert you or to flout religious beliefs. Please keep this mind as you go through recruitment that any references you might hear about "Christian/Jewish/Etc Sisterhood" is a historical reference to the sorority's founding.

Good luck!!!!

good post...
that should answer some of the questions.

My chapter has a very popular Bible study interest group among others. However, I want to bring up something I've discussed on GC before.

Right about the time I was initiated, there was a big push from some Pi Phis to remove all references to Christianity and everything from the New Testament from our rituals. This is just about everything we have! It was awful...I can still remember our president describing what all happened at the national convention. Thank God, the resolution was voted down and we were able to keep our beautiful rituals that were created more than a century before.

PNMs--if you're uncomfortable with a chapter having Bible studies (why should you care what others in your chapter have?), then maybe you should rethink joining that group. I'm all for diversity in a chapter but no one should come in and try to change a sorority's cherished traditions.

Please remember though, that not all sororities have these references...I, for one, had no idea (until I read this post) that there were so many GLO's that did use references. I can only think of one or two rituals that we have that have any religious reference, and that is VERY minor and can be changed easily while keeping the meaning of the ritual.

I think the size of the chapter has a great deal to do with it. If you are in a chapter of 200 where the sisters may not even know all of each other's names, having things like Bible study groups or sushi appreciation (mmmmmm) is most likely something you can avoid if you want. If you only have like 50 members though, things like that could get....well...sticky.

On a campus with smaller group size, if there is a group of sisters interested in a particular activity, either join the campus org for it, or create your own. That way not only will you get to be together, you may also meet future sisters.

As a Christian (United Methodist), Pi Phi's ritual impacts me greatly and has deepened my faith. At the same time, I have friends from several faiths and respect them for adhering to their beliefs. I would not respect and would oppose anyone who tried to change Pi Phi's ritual. Our founders' values and beliefs were and are worthy ones.

If a PNM feels uncomfortable for any reason -- whether she feels a chapter is too religious or too athletic or too whatever for her -- she should focus her attention elsewhere. Neither the chapter nor the PNM benefits if a girl depledges because she didn't feel at home. A PNM should ask about a chapter's interest groups to make sure it has enough variety to keep her involved and happy.

I don't want this thread to get locked, since it's such a worthy one, so I hope everyone is careful with what you mention about your ritual. :)

I think I'm a good example of a non-Christian who has had no problems in a sorority that was founded heavily on Christian traditions. That doesn't mean that the sorority is trying to convert me. Our rituals, symbols and traditions also draw from Egyptian lore, Hindu mysticism, and Greek mythology -- but that doesn't mean that we're supposed to convert to any of those beliefs. Almost all sororities draw at least in part from some sort of Greek history or mythology, but that doesn't mean they're advocating conversion to that!

You can try thinking of the references to Jesus or God or whatever it is that you don't believe in as symbols -- they're just using them to better illustrate the concepts of love, sisterhood, loyalty, service, etc. Of course I don't know any sorority's ritual but my own, but I'd be surprised if any of them insisted you believe in Jesus or God in order to join. All that they ask is that you believe in the concepts that Jesus/God/whatever is illustrating -- sisterhood, loyalty, service, love.

Speaking from my own personal experience, I am a Jewish girl from a predominantly Catholic school. For some of my sorority's rituals, it involved us swearing on the Bible and stuff. The president told me about it beforehand and asked me if it was gonna be a problem for me. When it came time for me to do those rituals, they would just hold the Bible open to the Old Testament and I would swear on that part of it.

What a neat approach! I know we have a provision built into our ritual for non-Christian women but I don't believe I'm at liberty to say. ;)

This may be true sometimes, but I think that things probably depend more on the mentality of the individual sororities, and not the sorority's size, as to whether or not things will be "sticky". My 40-ish member sorority has Bible study, regularly attended by something like 10 of those members. It's never enforced or heavily pushed, and girls who don't come, whether they are of other religions, are too busy, or simply don't want to, are never looked down upon or made to feel uncomfortable.

I'm not really at liberty to comment on our ritual, except to say that I sincerely doubt most Christians would be uncomfortable with it.

Some of my Jewish sisters would try to sit together at Friday night dinners at Hillel, and AEPhi always co-sponsored a Yom Kippur break-the-fast with AEPi open to all undergrads (neither of which was mandatory), but nobody was surprised when non-Jewish sisters didn't turn up to these things - people were there because they were Jewish, not because they were AEPhis.

We had a clause in our bylaws that prohibited scheduling mandatory events on the Jewish holidays (including the Sabbath) or on the major holidays of any other religion that a sister practiced. (I had a big row with our chapter president when she wanted to schedule chapter on Easter Sunday (!) but she backed down.)

My chapter has had members who are Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Hindu, and a couple of other faiths I'm forgetting. Nobody was ever made to feel unwelcome based on their religion - we are all sisters!

DaisyKLP - what an interesting approach. :)

How is this such a problem? Some girls go to the mixers that their sorority has, others don't. Some go to bars with their sisters, others don't drink. Some girls will go to a Bible study, others won't. It's just an issue of free assembly.

Thanks for clearing all this up..of course, since all of you guys rock! Thanks a million for the continual encouragement

The more I think about it, it's not just the Bible aspect per se...I would think the same thing about groups for a political party or any other sort of ideology...it just sort of seems like the sort of thing that could start with good intentions and turn into what is basically a sorority-approved clique.

If you can manage to do it without that, more power to you, but my personal belief is that you have to occasionally look outside your sorority for friendships and things that interest you.

S&S, I totally agree. One could just as easily hold up Buddha or Muhammad as an example. Furthermore, how many sororities have patrons/patronesses who are Olympian gods? Kappa's patroness is Athena, but we don't ask that any of our members believe in her, pray to her, or worship her. We simply use her as an example of the ideal of wisdom.

Whenever anyone brings up Jesus, one of my non-Christian sisters-- she's actually a Druid-- responds, "Jesus? Love his work!" I think that's the best.