In light of the departure of an esteemed faculty member and the celebration of Jesuit Heritage Week, the university’s adherence to its founding Catholic values has come under scrutiny. Even after extensivedialogue, the question remains: Has Georgetown left its Jesuit heritage behind?
Over time, our university has become increasingly open to other religious and spiritual views. While crucifixes adorn classrooms and Jesuits partake actively in campus life, the school now invites members of other faiths to serve as chaplains-in-residence and offers theology classes covering a wide variety of faiths. There is a difference between open-mindedness and straying from founding values, and fortunately, the university embraces the former.
Georgetown has done a laudable job of maintaining its core values while evolving with the times. The university has distanced itself from the closed-mindedness often associated with Catholic institutions, creating a welcoming space for multiplicity to thrive. This respect for diversity makes it possible for Georgetown to encourage interfaith dialogue and in turn equip students with tolerance and a service-based mindset, both of which are central to the Jesuit identity.
In the aftermath of these changes, the university has remained admirably honest about itself. Georgetown makes clear in its interactions with students, the community and visitors that it is committed to diversity and balancing the Jesuit heritage of its past and present with the multifaceted complexion of its present and future.
Our campus fosters active engagement with religion — Catholicism included — for those who seek it but does not force it upon those who do not. Theology and philosophy courses, though required, perform a simple function by acquainting students with the sources of some of the school’s founding principles. While Jesuits play a large role on campus, they do not define the campus experience, and the open atmosphere they support provides a habitat for the plethora of religious views and cultures that make Georgetown unique.
As its role in the world of higher education continues to change, the manifestation of Georgetown’s Jesuit values will undoubtedly evolve as well. This balancing act will always be a challenge, and no one will ever be completely satisfied with a single solution. But what’s important is that as the campus community continues to define and redefine itself, it’s true to its course.
