Editorial: Bridging secularism and religion essential

Nowhere in the United States is the separation between the secular and the religious so distinct as the Pacific Northwest. We are the least religious region of the country, and as Seattle U is a Catholic school we are in a unique position to breach the gap between the secular and the sacred.

Unlike many places in the world where religious adherence is taken for granted, people in the Pacific Northwest are able to constantly evaluate their spiritual beliefs and practices.

Seattle U has always placed a high value on theological and philosophical education, and stresses the non-classroom aspects of a Catholic education- namely, service.

Seattle University also supports a strong secular educational component, both in the area of math and science as well as in the humanities. In today's economic climate these classes are an absolute necessity, and Seattle U does an excellent job of balancing its sacred and secular aspects, as seen in our business college, one of our most well renowned schools.

As a school that prides itself on its ability to balance different aspects of education, Seattle U has a responsibility to encourage scholarship and discussion on the topic of the role of spiritually in a largely secular world.

Seattle U's resident Jesuits play a crucial role in this. As the most religious figures on campus as well as some of the most scholarly, we look to them to continue to maintain of high standards of religious values and academic excellence.