Introduction

                   Although it is not difficult to claim a particular religious faith, it is much harder to act           in accordance with those beliefs in the modern, pluralistic American society.  College
          campuses across the nation, including the University of North Carolina, are filled with
          students holding to different religions, and with varying levels of commitment.  For some
          students, religious beliefs are central in their lives, dominating their choice of activities and
          friends.  Other students also profess to be religious, only occasionally take part in religious
          traditions, services, and fellowships.  At UNC-Chapel Hill, this diversity is apparent in the           Greek system of fraternities and sororities.  Although Greek students may not accurately
          represent college students as a whole, fraternities and sororities sponsor many social
          events that reach college students from different walks of life.  Therefore, in order to
          explore how religion affects social activities at UNC, we investigated both Christian and
          non-religious affiliated fraternities and sororities. 
                   In American Evangelicalism, Christian Smith concludes that evangelical Christians
          are a part of successful, thriving movement in America today because of their ability to
          spiritually separate from the secular world around them and at the same time remain a
          part of that outside world.  According to American Evangelicalism, evangelicalism
          "involves a heartfelt, personal commitment to and experiential relationship with God, from
          which springs a readiness to take a stand and speak out for faith" (Smith 242).  Smith
          found evangelicals to be faithful to their beliefs, consider their religious faith a salient part
          of their lives, and among other things, participate actively in church activities.  It is likely
          that more members of the Christian Greek organizations will fit the description of
          evangelical Christians, both by their characterization as evangelical Christians
          and their strong commitment to their beliefs.  In Grief and Mourning by Paul Rosenblatt,
          R. Patricia Walsh, and Douglas Jackson, the authors illustrate ways in which different
          religious groups handle death.  Within some groups, members turned to the group, and
          relied on their peers; however, in other groups, individuals tended to isolate themselves in
          times of crisis.