Explaining Greek life to an outsider of Grove City College often results in confused looks and warranted skepticism. Underage drinking, unruly parties, and hazing plague Greek life at secular universities and contradict the ideals of a Christian school. While these events certainly occur on a smaller scale at Grove City, our fraternities and sororities undoubtedly fall prey to many of the same sins. Students at Grove City routinely take the privilege of Greek life for granted and idolatrize the social status groups provide. An honest assessment of the Greek landscape at Grove City reveals an unfortunate reality: some may do it well, others poorly, but none do it perfectly. Nevertheless, Christian fraternities and sororities, when pursued with Christ-like intentions, can achieve ends beyond carrying on a tradition and strengthening alumni networks. Greek life, though not necessary for fellowship, can – and ought – foster an authentic Christian community.
In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer presents the foundation for Christian community:
Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate. The more clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength of all our fellowship is in Jesus Christ alone, the more serenely shall we think of our fellowship and pray and hope for it.
This spiritual community built on Christ will succeed when it stands on the Word of God. Bonhoeffer also identifies this community as one that “will remain sound and healthy only where it does not form itself into a movement” but “shares actively and passively in the sufferings and struggles and promise of the whole Church.” Creating exclusive social circles on campus fails to meet these standards. Exceeding current expectations for a fraternity or sorority requires individuals to not insulate themselves in a human reality or group but advance the spiritual reality of the whole Christian community.
Those who passionately reject Greek life often point to the individual’s church or family as a sufficient way to achieve authentic community. Without a doubt, regular attendance and involvement in a local church is a non-negotiable source of community. Yet being involved in a fraternity or sorority ideally provides additional, not supplemental, opportunities for spiritual enrichment. An advantage for Christians in Greek groups is proximity to other college-aged believers – even more proximity than they already have through attending a Christian college. The deep relationships gained via shared experiences and constant interaction present the perfect environment for young Christians to be challenged in their faith. Greek groups share the unique opportunity to create group prayer and Bible study habits because of a unified hall atmosphere and accountability built over generations of students. In addition to whole hall events, sharing a meal with a small group between classes or providing an open door, pour-over coffee, and a couch for morning devotions supplies a relationship distinctive to the Christian Greek life experience.
Greek groups share the unique opportunity to create group prayer and Bible study habits because of a unified hall atmosphere and accountability built over generations of students.
With this vision of ideal Christian Greek life established, what about the reality of it? Despite the possibilities of Christian fellowship that Greek groups wave before our eyes, Greek life on the ground involves practices that inherently contradict the ideal of Christian fellowship. Justification for Pledge Week – beyond continuation of tradition – is elusive. Some insist that the knowledge of Pledge before joining a group and the rules laid out by the college justifies the actions of Greek groups. Of course, the process manifests itself differently from group to group, but Galatians 1:10 states the moral dilemma of pledging plainly: “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Public perception of Pledge sees its overall function as seeking the approval of man: new members must pledge their allegiance to their group by performing otherwise-humiliating actions, in addition to – if rumor’s worth any credence – morally questionable actions. The responsibility to reflect on and amend any sinful practices Pledge encourages rests solely on the individuals involved in fraternities and sororities.
Nonetheless, part of the new member process exists as an unavoidable consequence of communal living at Grove City. Only a predetermined number can live in any given hall, so some individuals must be turned away if we are to have campus living groups at all. This creates competition during the rush process, which, for some desiring to join a specific group, inevitably results in idolatry. Additionally, existing members who make the final decisions may subject themselves to the same idolatry and pride.
Again, Bonhoeffer helps us return to basics, setting Christ as the bedrock: “One who wants more than what Christ has established does not want Christian brotherhood. He is looking for some extraordinary social experience which he has not found elsewhere; he is bringing muddled and impure desires into Christian brotherhood.” Undermining Christian community requires only a minority in any given group to replace Christ with some other means. This is “the greatest danger of all, the danger of being poisoned at its root,” according to Bonhoeffer. Communities resting on worldly things – such as the idolatry and people-pleasing encouraged by the Pledge process and New Member selection – inevitably rot from within before their members can identify their error. This leaves relationships broken and people searching to fill a void.
May all fraternities and sororities on Grove City’s campus anchor only on the preeminence of Christ in all they do and watch as the deepened roots bear fruits of sanctification and bring glory to God alone.
