Vincentian Universities and ''Weltanschauung''

Fr. Robert Swain, a Vincentian priest at SJU, reflects on the world-view of Catholic university “attempting to maintain the traditions of a Roman Catholic Weltanschauung in a changing environment.”
Almost a half century ago, I first encountered the term Weltanschauung . This expression has fascinated me throughout my career. The word means “world view’, or how a person interprets the whole of reality. It seeks the bigger picture into which one processes the many-faceted biases of our philosophical, religious, political, cultural, ethical and racial views. It is a wondrous overview of “the world” in this life, and can even extend beyond life, to death and eternity.

If college students are going to spend thousands of dollars to enjoy an education at St. John’s, each and every one should receive a stylish vocabulary. The word Weltanschauung certainly qualifies as an elegant and uplifting term. Admittedly, the expression is not easily worked into an everyday conversation.

Weltanschauung is a very broad picture or mural of life. It contains the broad strokes of our nationality, our family traditions, our educational background, our respect for law and order, and our religious beliefs, or lack of faith. It can even indicate why fanatical terrorists may initiate a suicidal mission of mass destruction. These misguided people obviously have their own unique Weltanschauung.

An old cliche asserts that “East is east, and West is west, and never the twain shall meet”. This statement describes the basic differences in Weltanschauung. Even in this postmodernist 21st-century world we constantly observe the clashes of cultures and mind-sets. Let us not be small-minded. People will always have petty differences of taste. Some people prefer Thai cuisine to Italian cooking. Some root for the Yankees; others cheer for the Red Sox. Weltanschauung goes beyond these insignificant preferences to the more grandiose meaning of life itself—often extending through time and into eternity. It is not limited by the confines of the body, but reaches out to the boundless dimensions of the soul.

Weltanschauung expresses itself in the way that we describe dates in history nowadays. I would say that Columbus arrived in America around 1492 A.D. Someone else will assert that it occurred in 1492 C.E. Mine is a Christian view of history. A.D., of course, refers to “anno Domini”, In the year of Our Lord. A non-Christian view might prefer C.E., a secularized “common era” without reference to religion.

Two years ago St. John’s University introduced new programs for the core curriculum. I attended the meetings of the Faculty Council of my college as the members debated the fundamental courses in the liberal arts. I listened to the different departments argue for the importance of their disciplines. It struck me that the school was attempting to maintain the traditions of a Roman Catholic Weltanschauung in a changing environment. A large minority of students and faculty at St. John’s apparently do not adhere to Roman Catholic teachings. That seems quite acceptable in this day and age of the post-Enlightenment. Incoming students bring far different attitudes to class than their predecessors a half-century ago. St. John’s University still advertises its Roman Catholic viewpoint in education. The new core curriculum projects this Weltanschauung, which, if properly presented, can be accepted or rejected within the liberal arts.

Why have any concern about Weltanschauung? It would be advantageous if students could recognize this term. If enough professors incorporate it into their classes, students will look up Weltanschauung in the dictionary. They will see its impact on their lives in multicultural Queens. A few will employ the word when writing in history, philosophy, political science, sociology, theology, art, and even in discovering New York City. The word does not need to be defined. It can simply be experienced.