Conant Emphasizes Values In Today's Secular Society

Undergraduates, their relatives and friends, attending the annual Baccalaureate Sermon in Memorial Church Sunday, heard President Conant counsel that this nation must deploy its spiritual forces in the contest against the Soviet Creed.

"There must be moments in these grim days," Conant said on the occasion of the first commencement week event, "when even the most optimistic among us feels as if Western civilization were in a foxhole."

Religion In Society

Pointing out that there has been an increasing interest in theological matters, Conant discussed the place of religion in a secular society. "The problem is most clearly seen if one examines the question of our schools and colleges as instruments for transmitting the moral and spiritual values inherent in our American traditions," he said.

After tracing the history and importance of religious toleration in the U.S. Conant stated.... "public institutions, including tax-supported schools, shall be secular... Long ago this University chose the secular path." But, Conant pointed out, "To equate secular with Godless and the Godless with immoral... is surely a fallacious line of argumentation."

American Values

He stated that the world of values of the American citizen "reflects the Judiac-Christian tradition." And, he continued, if there were wide agreement on a common basis for standards of judgment of human action, "this fact is of supreme importance."

"The secular institutions of American society draw their content of moral and spiritual nourishment from the common denominator of all religious faiths," Conant said. "It seems to me important that American public opinion lay emphasis on our ability to agree on a secular basis for moral conduct."

Concluding, he stated,"... as a citizen you have a collective responsibility as to spiritual matters... Without a set of values no society can prosper long."