"Christian" GLOs

Kevin · #1 06-03-2011, 04:30 PM

How does everyone feel about these things? They aren't NIC/NPC, they operate outside of the confines of our recruitment processes, they have houses, they generally compete for a lot of the same members we do.

I'm conflicted--while I generally have no problem with a little competition, by them calling themselves "Christian," the implication is that everyone else is not. I really haven't seen these groups have much of an impact at my school, but they appear to be growing and adding more chapters.

Has anyone had experiences with these groups where they've become more established?

DSTRen13 · #2 06-03-2011, 04:47 PM

The Christian sorority we had on my campus was extremely conservative and very "in your face" about it. (They're still on campus, but can't speak as to whether they are still as rude now as they were then.) Their definition of what it means to be Christian is very ... precise. Again, I don't know if this is still the case, but it used to be that they had to approve of the church you went to and checked to make sure you went regularly. There was also pretty long list of things you weren't allowed to do on their website, and I can only imagine how much longer that list must have been in private

GTAlphaPhi · #3 06-03-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

How does everyone feel about these things? They aren't NIC/NPC, they operate outside of the confines of our recruitment processes, they have houses, they generally compete for a lot of the same members we do.

I'm conflicted--while I generally have no problem with a little competition, by them calling themselves "Christian," the implication is that everyone else is not. I really haven't seen these groups have much of an impact at my school, but they appear to be growing and adding more chapters.

Has anyone had experiences with these groups where they've become more established?

Isn't that, in fact, true? Not all members of NIC and NPC groups are Christian. Being Christian isn't a good thing or a bad thing, just as not being Christian isn't a good thing or a bad thing.

DSTRen13 · #4 06-03-2011, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTAlphaPhi

Isn't that, in fact, true? Not all members of NIC and NPC groups are Christian. Being Christian isn't a good thing or a bad thing, just as not being Christian isn't a good thing or a bad thing.

My interpretation of what Kevin was talking about is that often these groups will give the impression that if you join any other type of GLO, then you are making an un-Christian decision. And if you are a Christian who is not a member of a Christian GLO, then that is an insulting allegation.

DrPhil · #5 06-03-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

...the implication is that everyone else is not.

<---lane swerve???

I don't consider that the implication. There is a difference between a Christian GLO "versus" GLOs that are said to be founded on Christian principles and have founders who were Christian.

Aren't there also traditionally Jewish GLOs in the NPC and NIC? Do all of those GLOs consider themselves Jewish GLOs? Genuine question.

I think it's also important to note that the Greek cliche' of "founded on Christian principles" is widely debated among some members of some GLOs. While I love Jesus and also love Delta (not as much as I love Jesus), I wouldn't have been interested in Delta if it was a "Christian sorority."

KSUViolet06 · #6 06-03-2011, 04:58 PM

I enjoyed my NPC experience (as a Christian) in college because I valued having friends of different faith backgrounds. I doubt I would have had that opportunity in a Christian GLO. If Tri Sigma were exclusively Christian, I probably wouldn't be in it.

Random sidenote: how would a Christian GLO even know that a potential member is a Christian? Is there an application or something? lol.

thetaj · #7 06-03-2011, 05:02 PM

I rushed a Christian sorority at my first school, but did not go through initiation because I knew I was transferring. I was in the Alpha pledge class (the first one) and I did not want to become an alumna at the same time that the founders did, it felt like I would be cheating them somehow.

The chapter I was shortly involved with did not force their beliefs on anyone, but they did outline their beliefs and values in an information meeting before rush even began. There was also an interview process at the end of rush before bids were sent out, where they briefly and casually asked you about your personal beliefs. It didn't feel like judgement at all to me, and I understood where they were coming from: Having established a Christian sorority, they wanted to make sure members were all on the same page. It was very general stuff, not going into specifics. There were girls from all sorts of denominations involved.

I really enjoyed my time with them and would have been initiated and remained very active with them if I had stayed at that school.

Members were allowed to rush anywhere that would allow them (NPC, whatever APO is) but it was more of a time issue than a faith thing, that most girls did not rush both. But it was nowhere in the rules that you could not. The only rules were along the same lines as NPC: No letters while drinking, you could not take off your letters (lettered shirt) for a guy nor could a guy remove your letters from you.

I know they are a very small group of GLOs so I would love to answer any questions that I can! Sorry I'm not exactly a resident expert, though!

AlphaFrog · #8 06-03-2011, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thetaj

The only rules were along the same lines as NPC: No letters while drinking, you could not take off your letters (lettered shirt) for a guy nor could a guy remove your letters from you.

Neither of these are actual NPC (nor [Inter]National rules for most, if not all NPCs) rules. In fact, I've never heard the "no sex in letters" phrased in that way.

thetaj · #9 06-03-2011, 05:17 PM

^ Oh! I never knew drinking in letters was okay in other organizations, especially NPC. My b

But yeah, those were our only "rules" and I know they're the same in my Theta chapter.

DrPhil · #10 06-03-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

My interpretation of what Kevin was talking about is that often these groups will give the impression that if you join any other type of GLO, then you are making an un-Christian decision. And if you are a Christian who is not a member of a Christian GLO, then that is an insulting allegation.

In that case, I agree. This varies but for some of the Black Christian GLOs in some cities, the overall theme is extremism and anti-Greek sentiments. And some of them are rejects.

ComradesTrue · #11 06-03-2011, 05:44 PM

At TCU there is Beta Upsilion Chi, a Christian fraternity. It was founded as the group's Beta chapter 1-2 years before I arrived in 1991 and has since had expansion throughout the South.

Yes, they held rush separate from the NIC council, and yes, there were specific questions about drinking, pre-marital sex, etc. Pledges and members had to agree to certain lifestyle rules pertaining to those. The group was actually really strong on our campus, and was actually larger than many of the NIC fraternities. They threw two parties a year- their formal, which was a dry, invite-only affair, and a lake party towards the end of school that was also dry and open to the entire campus. Again, many of the NPC members held a BUX invite in high regard.

There was also a Christian sorority- Eta Iota Sigma (HIS)- that was founded a year later. They had similar questions as part of their rush process, including sharing the person's testimony. This group, at the time, probably had about 75 members, which was smaller than the NPC chapters but still had a strong presence on campus. At one point in the past few years they were offered housing, but passed on the opportuniy.

While both groups had strong memberships and campus presence, the NPC council was not threatened by them. I won't speak for the boys, but I suspect with the alcohol restrictions that they didn't mind them either. There was room for everyone.

No question that TCU is going to attract more students that subscribe to the Christian faith and that would have no problems adhering to these types of restrictions than a larger state school.

cheerfulgreek · #12 06-03-2011, 07:00 PM

For some Christian sororities, it's not really a matter of "knowing" if a potential member is a Christian or not. There really wouldn't be a way of knowing. I think some were established for women who don't have a relationship with God at all, but want to develop a relationship with Him. And then there are some women who already have a relationship with God, but might want to strengthen their relationship with Him.

33girl · #13 06-03-2011, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Aren't there also traditionally Jewish GLOs in the NPC and NIC? Do all of those GLOs consider themselves Jewish GLOs? Genuine question.

Some chapters are almost completely Jewish, some are not. SDT, for instance, has a chapter at York College of Pa (in the middle of nowhere). I would be very surprised if they are referred to as the "Jewish sorority" on campus.

Rudey had a couple good posts on this while he was here.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh....php?p=1162687

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?p=832947

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I think it's also important to note that the Greek cliche' of "founded on Christian principles" is widely debated among some members of some GLOs. While I love Jesus and also love Delta (not as much as I love Jesus), I wouldn't have been interested in Delta if it was a "Christian sorority."

I would much rather have a Christian sorority like the ones mentioned who straight up say you have to do/not do this or that, believe this or that, than a chapter of an NPC that is theoretically "non-discriminatory" but that has nightly Bible study in the house or other things that might make the non-religious uncomfortable.

DeltaBetaBaby · #14 06-03-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

I would much rather have a Christian sorority like the ones mentioned who straight up say you have to do/not do this or that, believe this or that, than a chapter of an NPC that is theoretically "non-discriminatory" but that has nightly Bible study in the house or other things that might make the non-religious uncomfortable.

One of the women in my chapter held a bible study in our den. I was conflicted, because on one hand, it was her thing, not a chapter thing, but on the other hand, I can't think of any other equivalent group that held meetings like that in our house.

Kevin · #15 06-03-2011, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

<---lane swerve???

I don't consider that the implication. There is a difference between a Christian GLO "versus" GLOs that are said to be founded on Christian principles and have founders who were Christian.

There's a difference between being Christian and being un-Christian. I think the disturbing part to me is that the implication is that non-Christian GLOs are un-Christian. It's a fine line and perhaps I'm oversensitive about this.

And as far as not being Christian, while many NIC groups are open to people from all walks of life, many (probably most) have decidedly Christian, decidedly Protestant origins. Look at the badges of Sigma Chi and Alpha Tau Omega and tell me that these groups don't have decidedly Christian character.