Orientation: Built with religion in mind

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By Stacey Wallace

Many students do not know what to expect when they walk into their first religion class at BYU.

Are religion classes like early-morning seminary? Are grades based mostly on attendance and the ability to memorize a few scriptures? Are there doughnuts?

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Academically rigorous religion classes are a hallmark of BYU. Students can choose from a variety of classes with an emphasis on the scriptures.
While attendance is necessary to succeed in any class and having a lesson is an obvious aspect of religion classes, there is much more to these classes.

Associate Dean of Religious Education, Richard Bennett, said religion classes at BYU are more challenging and comprehensive than a standard seminary class.

Bennett said BYU uses the same manuals and handbooks for classes as the institutes, but religion classes differ from institute.

“Religion here at BYU is not peripheral to the university curriculum, but central,” Bennett said. “At every university you have these institutes which are satellite, or external, to the academic courses. BYU was built with religion in mind. A BYU education is infused with teaching religion.”

Students are required to complete 14 hours of religion credit in order to graduate. Each religion class is two credits, and students are required to take the first and second half of the Book of Mormon, one New Testament class and one Doctrine and Covenants class. The remaining six credits are satisfied with elective religion classes.

Bennett said because religion classes are required, and in order to maintain BYU’s accreditation as a university, religion classes must be as academically rigorous as classes in other departments.

“Our faculty must have academic degrees, they must have Ph.D.s, they must be able to publish as a scholarly enterprise, or they can’t stay on the faculty,” Bennett said.

Melissa Connor, a junior from Fayetteville, Ark., said she likes religion classes because the teachers are more professional.

“You get people who have studied it, and that’s really refreshing,” Connor said. “You get people who are experts in that field.”

Bennett said religion classes are intended for students to take one religion class every semester.

 

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