As an exchange student for the summer from New College, Edinburgh University, I have had ample opportunity to meditate on the value of college exchanges. This process was prompted by a July 23 article in The Dartmouth ("Religion dept. FSP location frustrates") bemoaning the value of the exchange with New College in Edinburgh.
Owing to the fundamental differences between the schools, there are no classes available to me this summer that relate directly to my study for an M.A. in Divinity. Because of this, I have taken the opportunity to take classes in Women and Gender Studies, along with some independent study papers. And that, for me, is what the exchange program is all about: opportunity.
The article pointed out the lack of compatibility between Dartmouth and New College due to the intrinsic secular nature of the courses here. But this is missing the point. The course, methods and styles are vastly different between the two institutions but I fail to see why this necessarily equates to a negative. There would seem little point or value to transplanting a Dartmouth course abroad, beyond the admittedly large social and cultural opportunities Edinburgh affords.
New College is a School of Divinity and so it is intrinsically different from Dartmouth. It incorporates the study of religions, theology and preparation for the ministry within its walls. As acknowledged in the article, there are few institutions in Europe that carries a similar ethos to America's when it comes to the study of this subject. Although this requires a different approach for Dartmouth students it does not equate to a lack of academic rigor. Edinburgh is a highly regarded university throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, having one of the recognized best theological libraries in Europe. It is a different style.
Within New College there is a diverse student body of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and atheists along with the larger body of Christians. There are a number of students preparing for Church ministry, within a number of different denominations, and a large, mature student body. This adds to the diversity but also to the richness of the experience and perspective and offers more diversity than the article acknowledged. As a secular student I have not found this environment intimidating or unapproachable. I have had no problem participating fully in classes, such as Christian Ethics or Reformation Theology, and have had no qualms arguing and discussing with people of faith. To paraphrase one of my professors at New College when asked about this issue, "I'm telling you about biting the head off a chicken, I'm not asking you to do it."
It could be argued that without the inclusion of the possibility of faith the courses here in Dartmouth lack a certain dimension. Religion and Theology are studied by students everywhere for a variety of different reasons and with different goals -- expecting a uniformity of secularity is hardly reflective of the reality of the students. In an effort to divorce faith from study, one risks introducing intolerance of a different kind. When a professor or fellow student holds a particular faith it does not equate to them trying to force that upon another. Discouraging belief promotes a short-sighted view of the nature of an individual's faith as well as a lack of trust in the intellect and a presumed vulnerability of the students.
New College offers a very different educational experience and set of interpretations of the subject than offered here at Dartmouth, and it has the strength to deal with students from many different backgrounds. In line with this it requires something in return from students who are willing to engage fully and have enough strength to develop their lines of thought and belief in response to both the materials used and to their fellow students and professors. Ignoring one aspect of the study of religion does not represent a strength but a weakness, and this is one I feel New College in Edinburgh avoids. My hope is that students who come and join us this fall, and in future years, will see and take this experience for what it is, for what us exchange students from the other side of the pond see it as, an opportunity.
