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[atheist]

Could someone such as myself get hired there? Could they be happy there?

[organic_prof]

No, and absolutely not. It is a very Baptist place. I think they may require a statement of faith from faculty, and they also frown on those who do not attend church regularly.

[antiphon1]

Baylor is also known as Jeruselm on the Brazos.  For whatever it's worth of course.

All the strip clubs, liquor stores, pawn shops and eight liner parlors are near the army base on the other side of town.

[j_source]

NO, NO, NO!!!!   Super Baptist, and not in a good way.  Waco would be an armpit of a town in any state but the fact that it's in Texas makes it that much worse.  You would hate it.

[afm_man]

It can be a good place if you like Dr. Pepper.

[athena1]

I'm an atheist in a very conservative town in the south. I thought I'd be a fish out of water but the university attracts a fair number of liberals. You may be surprised. Can't hurt to apply.

[someoneatbaylor]

Baylor is a terrific place to work, and Waco is -- sorry -- NOT an armpit of a town, though it does lack some of the things that bigger cities have.  It's a good place to raise a family, with several towns around it (sort of the "greater Waco area"), where faculty choose to live because of quality public education and nice neighborhoods.  Obviously it's a bit on the conservative side, but there are plenty of cool people around, and they tend to be, for the most part, genuinely nice folks. 

And I don't get the knee jerk anti-Texas sentiment that always seems to pop up here.  Texas is fine.  I'm not from here, but I like it -- aside from the ungodly heat in the summer.

BUT -- Baylor is definitely only looking for people who are willing to make a clear expression of faith.  It all goes to the mission and the intent -- they want to become a major institution that maintains its Christian heritage.  So, my feeling is that there are some people hired who are "nominal Christians" -- but they're still Christians who go to church.

FWIW...

Someone at Baylor

[gerbera]

It's not just that you need to go to church and be at least a nominal Christian, however.

The Baylor website states faculty must abide by the college's Sexual Misconduct Policy:  http://www.baylor.edu/student_policies/index.php?id=32294

It says,

In all disciplinary procedures, Baylor University will seek to be redemptive in the lives of the individuals involved and to witness to the high moral standards of the Christian faith. Baylor will be guided by the understanding that human sexuality is a gift from the creator God and that the purposes of this gift includes (1) the procreation of human life and (2) the uniting and strengthening of the marital bond in self-giving love. These purposes are to be achieved through heterosexual relationships within marriage. Misuses of God's gift will be understood to include, but not be limited to, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, incest, adultery, fornication and homosexual acts.

(My emphasis.)

And

Due to their unique positions as mature role models, faculty members and staff members are held to a standard of exemplary conduct. The sanctions that the University may impose against a faculty member or a staff member for an act of sexual misconduct range from censure to separation.

In other words, even if you are a straight church-going Christian, if you work at Baylor and have sex outside of marriage, this seems to be saying you could be fired/denied tenure/etc.

(Forget about being gay, obviously.)

[clift1ke]

I grew up in Texas and the comments are all correct. Baylor thinks of itself as the Harvard of Baptist colleges, so why would an agnostic or atheist, let alone someone gay, even think of applying there?

[losemygrip]

Troll post.

Lock.

[atheist]

My question was legitimate. Thanks to everyone who replied.

[larryc]

Troll post.

Lock.

Stop that sh*t. Hair trigger accusations of trolling are far worse than actual trolling because they corrode the trust on which any internet forum is based.

[sciencephd]

I've known many people from Baylor in the medical and science departments over the years, some of which are fairly high profile, and really had no idea that Baylor was more than 'religious affiliated'.  Does that mean all of those scientists are likely all pretty religious people, and have signed a statement of faith ?  This type of thing is just is so far outside of my experience that it is pretty surprising.   

[takapa]

Yes and yes.  I know several people there who find the university a welcoming and open place.  Don't knee-jerk yourself into a (possible) lost opportunity. 

[organic_prof]

I grew up in Waco (a nice town, by the way). My understanding when I was growing up was that Baylor was Baptist but fairly tolerant of different viewpoints and cultures among faculty, staff and students.  From what I hear now (my parents still live in Waco and are friends with several people on the faculty at Baylor) it has gotten much more explicitly Southern Baptist with all the ramifications relating to that.  Of course, atheist, you might like to send in your application anyway, with the understanding that it may be a bad fit for you.  If you get to the interview stage you can decide that for yourself by asking people who are there now.