Catholic College Sees Double Attendance for Atheism Course

[SecularMotion]

Regis College, a Jesuit-run theology school at the University of Toronto, is surprising some people by offering a course on atheism. But the course is not what people might expect.

"This is an outreach class offered in the middle of the day. We have 125 students in attendance; normally we have half that number," said Dean Gordon Rixon of Regis College to The Christian Post on Wednesday. "There has been such an interest that we have decided to offer a one-day course on a Saturday."

The course was created as a response to Canada becoming more secular, Rixon shared. "This is not a course to villainize but to understand," said the dean of Regis College. "This is more of a reflecting course that allows us to form a Christian response to atheism."

The eight-week course at Regis examines disconnect between non-believers and people of faith, and was designed to stimulate dialogue and reflection.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/catholic-college-sees-double-attendance-for-atheism-course-89187/#Tt4kdEEoVo1L1UI6.99

[cbayer]

1. Adding link on previous discussion for reference.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/121866863

[longship]

2. One hopes that it isn't an apologetics class.

However, I suspect that, due to the long Jesuit dedication to education, that it isn't. I have to presume that this is what it is.

I'd like to read that it isn't like how many Christian education institutions would treat atheism.

Dare I hope?

Not sure about this. Sounds like apologetics to me:

The course was created as a response to Canada becoming more secular, Rixon shared. "This is not a course to villainize but to understand," said the dean of Regis College. "This is more of a reflecting course that allows us to form a Christian response to atheism."

But then, there's this:

The eight-week course at Regis examines disconnect between non-believers and people of faith, and was designed to stimulate dialogue and reflection.

But the lack of an atheist contributor to the lessons, I suspect this is all about apologetics.

I hope I am wrong. As I said, I want to trust the Jesuit traditions here.

[cbayer]

3. They have done some surveying and found that participants had both a greater

understanding and higher level of acceptance of atheism and atheists following the course.

While I can't say definitively, I think they are doing the right thing for the right reasons here.

[longship]

4. That was my presumption as well.

Especially since it is a Jesuit school.