Nonsectarian

Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization may be overtly influenced by the Church they are related to.^[1][2][3][4]

Academic sphere

Examples of private universities that identify themselves as nonsectarian include Berea College, Boston University, Brandeis University, Columbia College in Missouri, Cornell University, Denison University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Franklin & Marshall College, George Washington University, Hawaii Pacific University, Hofstra University, Howard University, Kwansei Gakuin University, National University, New York University, Northwestern University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, Reed College in Oregon, Whitman College in Washington, Rice University, University of Richmond, Syracuse University, Tulane University, the University of Southern California, Washington University in St. Louis, and Woodbury University in California.

Private primary and secondary schools also self-identified as nonsectarian include Allendale Columbia School in Rochester, New York, Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School in New York and Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania (the oldest nonsectarian school in the U.S.)^{[citation needed]}, Friends School Mullica Hill in New Jersey, Pine Crest School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, The Pembroke Hill School, as well as Notre Christi Academy of the Philippines.

Pi Lambda Phi (ΠΛΦ or Pi Lam) is a college social fraternity founded by Frederick Manfred Werner, Louis Samter Levy, and Henry Mark Fisher at Yale University in 1895. It was founded as the first non-sectarian fraternity, "a fraternity in which all men were brothers, no matter what their religion; a fraternity in which ability, open-mindedness, farsightedness, and a progressive, forward-looking attitude would be recognized as the basic attributes."^[5] It currently boasts 35 chapters and four colonies in the United States and one chapter in Canada. The fraternity founded the Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity Educational Foundation^[6]

The first nonsectarian sorority was Phi Sigma Sigma. Phi Sigma Sigma (ΦΣΣ), colloquially known as "Phi Sig," was the first collegiate nonsectarian fraternity, welcoming women of all faiths and backgrounds. Founded by 10 women on November 26, 1913 at Hunter College in New York, Phi Sigma Sigma is now an international sorority with 60,000 initiated members, 115 collegiate chapters and more than 100 alumnae chapters, clubs and associations across the United States and Canada.

Non-academic institutions

Organizations that are explicitly nonsectarian include the Apex Clubs of Australia, those participating in the Ethical Culture Movement, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, and the Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia. In Northern Ireland, nonsectarian refers to groups identifying themselves as neither Nationalist/Republican or Unionist/Loyalist, such as the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.

Other

Some cemeteries are known for being nonsectarian. In the United States, these are typically Christian cemeteries that do not adhere to one branch of the faith. Internment services can therefore be conducted in accordance with any one of various faith traditions, or none at all.

References

1. ^ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonsectarian
2. ^ http://www.reference.com/browse/nonsectarian
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ [2]
5. ^ The Founders' Period History of the Fraternity
6. ^ Foundation Pi Lambda Phi Educational Foundation, Inc.