Berkley Center

When I originally decided to study abroad in Spain, I never expected to find a university so clearly aligned with the style of learning and values we engage in at Georgetown. My host university is Universidad Pontificia Comillas, a relatively small Jesuit university located in the capital of the country—much like Georgetown. Although the two universities are similar in their approaches to learning and cultivation of the student, each are distinct. Given their similarities, the differences between the universities have given me a unique and unexpected opportunity to explore Spanish culture and practices in an everyday context. It is because of the ways Comillas feels so familiar that I am able to easily pick out its otherwise subtle differences and identify key aspects of Spanish education.

One of the most striking things I have encountered is how differently Comillas and Georgetown handle the study of theology despite their similar systemic approaches. Both universities share a Jesuit identity of which they are both very proud and which both universities integrate into everyday life at the university. Similarly to students at Georgetown, all Comillas students must take a course in "Cristianismo y Ética Social" ("Christianity and Social Ethics") regardless of their field of study. My class is with a group of students in the undergraduate school of derecho (law), On the first day of class, my professor impressed upon the students how important it is for lawyers to have a strong foundation in ethics and an understanding of religion and the role it plays, particularly in Spanish society. This seemed intuitive to me given the sorts of introductory philosophy and ethics courses students across undergraduate schools take at Georgetown. What I did not grasp, however, was my professor’s clear emphasis on understanding the function of religion in various societies. Although I knew Spain was a Catholic country, I did not properly understand what that meant for Spanish society and how it may differ from norms I have become accustomed to in the United States.

Towards the end of the class, my professor asked any international students to raise their hands. Only a fellow Georgetown student and I raised our hands. The professor enthusiastically asked us where we were from, to which we responded, “Estados Unidos, estudiamos en la Universidad de Georgetown” ("United States, we study at Georgetown University"). At this, the professor said she was very happy to have us and would like to speak to us after class. When we met with the professor, she said she was interested to hear how we felt about the class and how it compared to how we learn theology back in the United States. We both looked puzzled for a second, so she clarified she understood religion has much more influence on daily life in the United States than it does in Spain. My friend and I considered this and agreed, but left the class eager to see if this distinction would become clearer.

In the next class, the professor began to discuss religion in Spanish society and how the country has moved away from direct political involvement by the Church. This seemed familiar given the way we tend to discuss religion and politics in the United States. It was not until my professor transitioned to a segment on religion in politics in the United States that I realized taking a theology course at a Jesuit university in Spain may teach me more about religion in the United States than I ever would have expected. The professor highlighted that the United States has a unique system that both separates religion from and integrates religion into our political system. The students in the class seemed genuinely surprised by such a dynamic, and it was the first time I fully understood this is not the religion and politics mix in Spain. Learning from my peers and the questions they ask has been one of the most beneficial aspects of direct matriculation at Comillas.

This is not at all to say Spain’s Catholic identity does not play any role in the country’s culture and politics, but the relationship is far more subtle and complicated than I anticipated. I look forward to delving deeper into Spanish religion and politics and hope it will continue to help me reflect on my own culture. Later in the semester, my "Cristianismo y Ética Social" class will have a guest lecture from a Georgetown theology professor. I cannot wait to see what I learn both from his lecture and from the class’s reaction to his words.