Christendom College, Front Royal VA
Reportedly one of the Most Radical Colleges
By Noreen Daly
Friday morning at 8:38 AM the Huffington Post posted an online article that at first glace appeared to be a joke but upon further reading was actually far more amusing than intended.
The article title read "The Most Radical Colleges," and ranked number 5 out of 9 was Christendom College, my alma mater, which is a stone's throw away from LegalWorks headquarters in Front Royal, VA.
Surely this article was meant to be a dig at the Catholic College founded in 1977, insinuating that its students and faculty are "uber-conservative religious squares." As I began reading the article, I speculated what the Huffington Post considered "radical." I expected to see criticisms on the dress code regulations, or the 12 o'clock curfew, or single sex dorms, or a dry campus policy, all things that would cause shock and disbelief in the modern college aged student.
However, the article read more as free publicity for the school and opened with: "Located in Front Royal, Virginia, Christendom College is a Catholic college with more than 400 undergraduates. The school offers six majors and a master's degree in theological studies, and all undergraduate programs begin with a core curriculum that includes study of Catholic doctrine, as well as philosophy, mathematics, and science."
"Well that's nice" I thought, "nothing too radical there, that's straight off the college's website."
I continued reading to see what the Huffington Post was going to dig up on Christendom College, bracing myself for some distortion or misrepresentation of truth but the article continued: "The core curriculum teaches students to "distinguish truth from error or distortion, and then to communicate truth accurately, effectively, and convincingly to others." Required courses include "Literature of Western Civilization," "Introduction to Philosophy," and "Fundamentals of Catholic Doctrine." When the college was founded in 1977 they declared "The only rightful purpose of education is to know the truth and to live by it. The purpose of Catholic education is therefore to learn and to live by the truth revealed by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.""
"Ok? still waiting?.Oh, this must be it here" The last few sentences of the short article, read:
"On January 24, 2011, the school closed its doors so that the entire student body could attend the 2011 March for Life in Washington, D.C."
"What!?, that makes us one of the most radical schools in the country!?"
Slightly disappointed, I chuckled to myself knowing that all those affiliated with Christendom College are probably walking around with their chests in the air saying, "Well, we've have gone and done it this time." It's amazing that something which was traditional and common place in the past century is now radical.
Here are some various reactions to the article
Attorney Scott Lloyd of LegalWorks, "I'll be looking into some kind of early tuition payment plan for my kids. Christendom should consider making it their motto, instead of "breathe Catholic." 'Christendom College: the Catholic college the Huffington Post rated among the ten most radical colleges in the country.' What an honor."
Joby Norton 10', pictured in the article from 2010 March For Life, Washington DC, said, "Oh boy! I can't wait to tell my mom, she will be so proud!"
Attorney Stu Nolan of LegalWorks said, "I'm surprise more of our friends did not make the list."
Follow up by Matt Anderson of Lifesight News "ha ha seriously, haven't they ever heard of Magdalene College?!" (In the right circles, it is a known fact that in the recent past, dating was forbidden, among other things)
In conclusion, in the Huffington Post's attempt to discredit Christendom College as radical they failed to do anything but give us free publicity and bragging rights over other Catholic colleges in the country so I think we can all say "thank you Huffington Post!"


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