By Tom Duggan

Although it is strongly denied, it appears that Boston College has appointed an atheist as the person in charge of theology for undergraduate students - and it is hoping that the matter will just fade away.

But that doesn't appear to be happening because the faculty is in a veritable war over the matter.

The controversy occurred because of the appointment of David Vanderhooft as "Director of Undergraduate Studies" which is a steppingstone to the Chair of the Theology Department. 

The faculty member most prominent in the opposition is Prof. Margaret Schatkin who says that Vanderhooft is a "functional atheist." She says she was threatened and told that she would "suffer professionally" if she pursued the matter, and the official actions of the College appear to indicate the truth of that charge.

The official college position has many obvious untruths:

• It says that Vanderhooft was appointed as the "Assistant" to the Director even though the title on his door says that he is the Director.
• In addition, Vanderhooft was not nominated to be the "Assistant," but "Director of Undergraduate Studies," according to the official "Agenda" for the Theology Department for April 12, 2000. 
• Prof. Schatkin has been viciously attacked by the college on a personal level. Although she has been on the faculty since 1969 and tenured since 1975, they say she is troubled by this appointment only because "he got [the job] that she wanted." The official spokesman, John Dunn, Director of Public Affairs, told Massachusetts News about Prof. Schatkin: "It's a vendetta and a witch hunt, and there will probably be a lawsuit filed."
• The officials at Boston College hope the matter will just die. The official spokesman told Massachusetts News that the Boston Globe and the Herald have dropped all stories after talking to him. "I would hope Massachusetts News wouldn't do this story because it is a witch hunt," he said.

One faculty member told us, "You can not have someone who doesn't believe in the divinity of Christ in charge of undergraduate studies in theology at a Catholic University. I would suspect that when the summer is over and everyone is back to work full time, this will be rectified by the president and the board of directors. David is a great scholar and has much to contribute in other areas. But he is not a Christian and that fact can not be overlooked when considering someone for this position." 

Therefore, the question becomes, is David Vanderhooft a Christian?
The biggest concern appears to be that he is obviously active in the Unitarian Church. Yet, despite this obvious fact, the official spokesman at the College denies it.

If it is not troubling to them that Vanderhooft is active in the Unitarian Church which is dominated by atheists, why do the officials at BC fight so hard to deny his activity?

Mr. Dunn told us, "She [Prof. Schatkin] has accused this gentlemen of being a Unitarian because he got the job that she wanted. He is not a Unitarian, he is a Protestant, the same as she." 

Dunn said that Vanderhooft has never been a Unitarian and when Dunn was specifically questioned about any possible affiliation with the Unitarian Universalist Church, he unequivocally denied that Vanderhooft was ever affiliated with the Unitarians in any way. 

But that's not what it says on the Curriculum Vitae that Vanderhooft submitted to the college. It lists his community activities to include; "Religious Education Instructor at Follen Community Church, Lexington for eighth grade biblical studies class." Phone calls to the Follen Community Church reveal that it is a Unitarian Church that does not recognize the divinity of Christ. 

"He teaches Sunday school there, and yet people are denying he is a Unitarian," stated a recent graduate from the Doctoral Program of the Theology Department at BC. "They are lying because there is a larger agenda here. The Director of Undergraduate Studies has been a stepping stone for the chairmanship of the department. It has broad and undefined powers, including the guidance of eighty theology majors, the majority of whom are Roman Catholic. It would appear as though the people running the Theology Department's Executive Committee are trying to systematically exclude Christian Theology as the mainstay of the department's teachings."

More Attacks from Dunn
The attacks from Dunn about Prof. Schatkin were astonishing. Dunn said, "[Vanderhooft] is stunned by all this. He says he has never slighted her [Schatkin] in any way, and this will probably end up in a lawsuit. It's a false accusation and I find it repugnant because Boston College is a University founded for the Irish Catholic immigrants who were not allowed into ivy league schools....Vanderhooft is a Canadian Protestant Dutch Reformist much like Harry Truman." 

Dunn even denied that Vanderhooft was appointed to the position of Director of Undergraduate Studies in Theology. "There is a minor position in the Theology Department called the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies. What that person traditionally does is, if a student wants to take a particular course, the Assistant Director is someone who will advise the students of each professor's strengths and weaknesses. They will guide them through which classes are right for them or not. This is the position Dr. Vanderhooft was appointed to. It's a minor assignment that Professor Schatkin wanted, and she didn't get it. It's kind of silly, really. She is angry because it went to someone else who is also a Protestant, and that is the problem we are dealing with here. It's a vendetta and a witch hunt, and there will probably be a lawsuit filed." 

Dunn called the story "trash." He said, "The equivalent is if someone else refused to take out the trash and you volunteered to take it out for them. I would hope The Massachusetts News wouldn't do this story because it is a witch hunt." 

Among the many professors, alumni and staff with whom we spoke, even those who are most upset with the appointment of Vanderhooft agree that he is a kind and intelligent person. Not one of them said anything derogatory about his character as an individual, despite the claims of Mr. Dunn. "This is a matter of principle, not a personal attack against any individual," said one faculty member. 

Prof. Schatkin Is Concerned About College
Professor Schatkin told Massachusetts News: "It's not about job advancement or anything else. I don't care about that. I believe in the Christian faith, the promotion of Christ and Christian Doctrine in a Catholic University. I love BC. The work we do here is so important. We shape the minds of young people and help them to see the true Christian doctrine. This is a matter of right and wrong. 

"Father Leahy is trying to raise $400 million for the University and he's doing so on the basis that the school is Christian. We raise money by telling people that BC remains faithful to the Christian tradition. The Theology Department is undermining the mission of this University. In fact, placing Vanderhooft in that job is the tip of the iceberg. His position is more important than the Dean because it is the heir apparent to the chairmanship. He has undefined and unlimited power. This person denies Jesus is the Messiah and he is in charge of the entire undergraduate curriculum. He personally directs 80 theology majors and yet he is a functional atheist. This cannot stand.

"I don't think the type of people who donate money to our college would continue to do so if they knew a Unitarian was running the Theology Department and wielding such power over the minds and faith of these young people. This is much deeper than a difference in religious beliefs. It's the promotion of secular humanism. I can't sit by and allow this to happen to a school I care so deeply about."

Professor Vanderhooft did not return calls from Massachusetts News during the two-week process of researching this story.