Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

Updated July 15, 2022

ReligionAndPublicLife.org is a membership-based social learning community that is owned and maintained by 1791 Delegates (“Company”), a not-for-profit organization registered based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. 1791 Delegates is solely and independently responsible for its own Terms & Conditions and Privacy practices. These Terms & Conditions sets out the framework as to how, when and why 1791 Delegates govern your use of ReligionAndPublicLife.org, its subdomains, apps, and other Products and Services (“Services”). As some of our Services may be software that is downloaded to your computer, phone, tablet, or other device, you agree that we may automatically update this software, and that these Terms will apply to such updates. Please read these Terms carefully, and contact support@religionandpubliclife.org if you have any questions. By using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms, including the policies referenced in these Terms.

These terms include an arbitration agreement and class action waiver that apply to all claims brought against Company. Please read them carefully as they affect your legal rights.

1. Using Services

Who May Use our Services

You may use our Services only if you can form a binding contract with Company, and only in compliance with these Terms and all applicable laws. When you create your Company account, and subsequently when you use certain features, you must provide us with accurate and complete information, and you agree to update your information to keep it accurate and complete. Any use or access by anyone under the age of 13 requires a legal guardian’s consent to use the service, and certain regions and Content Offerings may have additional requirements and/or restrictions.

Our License to You

Subject to these Terms and our Policies, we grant you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to use our Services. You may download content from our Services only for your personal, non-commercial use, unless you obtain our written permission to otherwise use the content. You also agree that you will create, access, and/or use only one user account unless expressly permitted by Company, and you will not share access to your account or access information for your account with any third party. Using our Services does not give you ownership of or any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you access.

2. Content Offerings

Changes to Content Offerings

ReligionAndPublicLife.org has full and final editorial control over all content. In its executive editorial capacity, Company publishes courses and content (“Content Offerings”) created by individuals as well as academic, research, and cultural institutions and other providers (“Content Providers”). While we seek to provide expert Content Offerings from our Content Providers, unexpected events do occur. As executive editors of all Content, Company reserves the right to cancel, interrupt, reschedule, edit, modify any Content Offerings for any reason. Company reserves the right to change the point value or weight of any assignment, quiz, or other assessment, either solely, or in accordance with Content Provider instructions.

No Academic Credit

Unless otherwise explicitly indicated to you by a credit-granting institution, participation in or completion of Content Offerings does not confer any academic credit. Even if credit is awarded by one institution, there is no presumption that other institutions will accept that credit. You agree not to accept credit for completing a Content Offering unless you have earned a course certificate or other equivalent documentation of your completion of the Content Offering. Company, its faculty and staff, and the associated Content Providers have no obligation to have Content Offerings recognized by any educational institution or accreditation organization.

Disclaimer of Student-Content Provider Relationship

Except as described in the Certificate Programs section below, nothing in these Terms or otherwise with respect to your participation in any Content Offerings by Content Providers : (a) establishes any relationship between you and any Content Provider; (b) enrolls or registers you in any Content Provider institution, or in any Content Offering offered by any Content Provider institution; or (c) entitles you to use the resources of any Content Provider institution beyond participation in the Content Offering.

3. Your Content

User Content

The Services enable you to share your content, such as homework, quizzes, exams, projects, other assignments you submit, posts you make in the forums, and the like (“User Content”), with Company, instructors, and/or other users. You retain all intellectual property rights in, and are responsible for, the User Content you create and share. User Content does not include course content or other materials made available on or placed on to the ReligionAndPublicLife.org by or on behalf of Content Providers or their instructors using the Services or Content Offerings. As between Company and Content Providers, such Content Offerings are governed by the relevant agreements in place between Company and Content Providers.

How Company and Others May Use Your Content

To the extent that you provide User Content, you grant Company a fully-transferable, royalty-free, perpetual, sublicensable, non-exclusive, worldwide license to copy, distribute, modify, create derivative works based on, publicly perform, publicly display, and otherwise use the User Content. This license includes granting Company the right to authorize Content Providers to use User Content with their registered students, on-campus learners, or other learners independent of the Services. Nothing in these Terms shall restrict other legal rights Company may have to User Content, for example under other licenses. We reserve the right to remove or modify User Content for any reason, including User Content that we believe violates these Terms or other policies including our Acceptable Use Policy and Code of Conduct.

Feedback

We welcome your suggestions, ideas, comments, and other feedback regarding the Services (“Feedback”). By submitting any Feedback to support@religionandpubliclife.org, you grant us the right to use the Feedback without any restriction or any compensation to you. By accepting your Feedback, Company does not waive any rights to use similar or related Feedback previously known to Company, developed by our employees, contractors, or obtained from other sources.

4. Security

We care about the security of our users. While we work to protect the security of your account and related information, Company cannot guarantee that unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security measures. Please notify us immediately of any compromise or unauthorized use of your account by emailing support@religionandpubliclife.org.

5. Third Party Content

Through the Services, you will have the ability to access and/or use content provided by instructors, other users, and/or other third parties and links to websites and services maintained by third parties. Company cannot guarantee that such third party content, in the Services or elsewhere, will be free of material you may find objectionable or otherwise inappropriate or of malware or other contaminants that may harm your computer, mobile device, or any files therein. Company disclaims any responsibility or liability related to your access or use of, or inability to access or use, such third party content.

6. Copyright and Trademark

ReligionAndPublicLife.org respects the intellectual property rights of our users, Content Providers, and other third parties and expects our users to do the same when using the Services. We have adopted and implemented the Company Copyright and Trademark Policy below in accordance with applicable law, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

7. Education Research

ReligionAndPublicLife.org is committed to advancing the science of learning and teaching, and records of your participation in courses may be used for education research. In the interest of this research, you may be exposed to variations in the Content Offerings. Research findings will typically be reported at the aggregate level. Your personal identity will not be publicly disclosed in any research findings without your express consent.

8. Paid Services from Company

ReligionAndPublicLife.org offers paid Services (e.g., event tickets, constellation services, course certificates for certain courses) for a fee. Unless otherwise stated, all fees are quoted in U.S. Dollars. You are responsible for paying all fees charged by or for Company and applicable taxes in a timely manner with a payment mechanism associated with the applicable paid Services. If your payment method fails or your account is past due, we may collect fees using other collection mechanisms. Fees may vary based on your location and other factors, and Company reserves the right to change any fees at any time at its sole discretion. Any change, update, or modification will be effective immediately upon posting through the relevant Services. Refunds may be available for paid Services as described in our Refund Policy below.

9. Scholarship Codes and Gift Certificates

Scholarship Codes, Gift Certificates, Coupons, Vouchers, and Credits (herein “Gifts”) issued and received on ReligionAndPublicLife.org  further the mission of building a social learning network and collectively promoting the public understanding of religion. To honor your generosity while creating a safe and secure site, all Gifts are subject to the following:

  • Unless otherwise defined by the extermination date of the product or service, Gifts are valid for six months from the date of purchase.
  • Anyone with a verified account at ReligionAndPublicLife.org may redeem a Gift.
  • Suspended or expelled users are not eligible to redeem Gifts.
  • Gifts are non-refundable, cannot be exchanged for cash in part or complete, and are only valid for a single transaction.
  • Gifts may not be valid during a sale or as a special promotion.
  • ReligionAndPublicLife.org retains the right to reject any Gift that has been tampered with or found unacceptable.
  • ReligionAndPublicLife.org is not responsible for a lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed Gift, and no replacements will be provided.
  • Please contact support@religionandpubliclife.org, or use the Live Chat to connect with an advisor if you need assistance purchasing or redeeming a Gift.

Thank you for your generosity. We are honored to be in community with you.

10. Content Providers' Policies

The Services may allow you to enroll in non-degree certificate programs, courses, or conferences, and events offered by our Content Providers on the Company platform. Our Content Providers serve as the distance education providers of these programs and determine admissions, refunds, and completion policies and requirements. Nothing in these Terms shall restrict the applicability to you of any institutional policies established by our Content Provider in connection with these programs (e.g., student codes of conduct); such policies shall supplement these Terms and to the extent there is a conflict between such policies and these Terms, as between you and our Content Provider, our Content Provider’s policies shall govern.

11. Modifying or Terminating our Services

We are constantly changing and improving our Services. We may add or remove functions, features, or requirements, and we may suspend or stop part of our Services altogether. Accordingly, Company may terminate your use of any Service for any reason. If your use of a paid Service is terminated, a refund may be available under our Refund Policy. We may not be able to deliver the Services to certain regions or countries for various reasons, including due to applicable export control requirements or internet access limitations and restrictions from governments. None of Company, its Content Providers and instructors, its contributors, sponsors, and other business partners, and their employees, contractors, and other agents (the “Company Parties”) shall have any liability to you for any such action. You have the right to choose not to use our Services at any time.

12. Disclaimers

The services and all included content are provided on an “as is” basis without warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied. The Company parties specifically disclaim any and all warranties and conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, and any warranties arising out of course of dealing or usage of trade. The ReligonAndPublicLife.org parties further disclaim any and all liability related to your access or use of the services or any related content. You acknowledge and agree that any access to or use of the services or such content is at your own risk.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Company parties shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from: (a) your access to or use of or inability to access or use the services; (b) any conduct or content of any party other than the applicable Company party, including without limitation, any defamatory, offensive, or illegal conduct; or (c) unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your content or information. In no event shall Company’s aggregate liability for all claims related to the services exceed twenty U.S. Dollars ($20) or the total amount of fees received by Company from you for the use of paid services during the past six months, whichever is greater. You acknowledge and agree that the disclaimers and the limitations of liability set forth in this terms of use reflect a reasonable and fair allocation of risk between you and the Company parties, and that these limitations are an essential basis to Company’s ability to make the services available to you on an economically feasible basis. You agree that any cause of action related to the services must commence within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues. Otherwise, such cause of action is permanently barred.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company Parties from any and all claims, liabilities, expenses, and damages, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, made by any third party related to: (a) your use or attempted use of the Services in violation of these Terms; (b) your violation of any law or rights of any third party; or (c) User Content, including without limitation any claim of infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property or other proprietary rights.

15. Governing Law and Venue

The Services are managed by Company, which is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. You agree that any dispute related to these Terms will be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, excluding its conflicts of law provisions. In the event of any dispute related to these Terms that is not subject to binding arbitration, you and Company will submit to the personal jurisdiction of and exclusive venue in the federal and state courts located in and serving Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania as the legal forum for any such dispute.

16. Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

You and Company agree to submit to binding arbitration any and all disputes, claims, or controversies of any kind, whether based on statute, regulation, constitution, common law, equity, or any other legal basis or theory, and whether pre-existing, present, or future, that arise out of or relate to our Services, these Terms, and/or any other relationship or dispute between you and us, including without limitation (i) the scope, applicability, or enforceability of these Terms and/or this arbitration provision, and (ii) relationships with third parties who are not parties to these Terms or this arbitration provision to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law (each a “Claim,” and collectively the “Claims”).

Any and all Claims shall be submitted for binding arbitration in accordance with the Consumer Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA Rules”), as amended, in effect at the time arbitration is initiated. The AAA Rules are available online at www.adr.org or by calling (800) 778-7879, and are hereby incorporated by reference. In the event of any inconsistency between this arbitration provision and the AAA Rules, such inconsistency shall be resolved in favor of this provision. If you decide to initiate arbitration, you agree to pay the initiation fee of $200 (or the amount otherwise required by the AAA Rules), and we agree to pay the remaining arbitration initiation fee and any additional deposit required by AAA to initiate your arbitration. We will pay the costs of the arbitration proceeding, including the arbitrator’s fees; however, other fees, such as attorney’s fees and expenses of travel to the arbitration, shall be paid in accordance with the AAA Rules and applicable law. We will pay all costs associated with any arbitration that we commence. A single, neutral arbitrator selected in accordance with the AAA Rules shall decide all Claims.

The arbitrator shall be an active member in good standing of the bar for any state in the continental United States and shall be either actively engaged in the practice of law for at least five years or a retired judge. The arbitrator shall honor claims of privilege recognized at law. Unless inconsistent with applicable law, and except as otherwise provided herein, each party shall bear the expense of its respective attorney, expert, and witness fees, regardless of which party prevails in the arbitration. Any arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in the federal judicial district of the corporate headquarters of Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and you will be given the opportunity to attend the proceeding and be heard. The arbitrator’s decision will be final and binding upon the parties and may be enforced in any federal or state court that has jurisdiction. You and we agree that the arbitration shall be kept confidential and that the existence of the proceeding and any element of it (including, without limitation, any pleadings, briefs or other documents submitted or exchanged and any testimony or other oral submissions and awards) will not be disclosed beyond the arbitration proceedings, except as may lawfully be required in judicial proceedings relating to the arbitration or by applicable disclosure rules and regulations of governmental agencies.

Neither you nor Company may act as a class representative, nor participate as a member of a class of claimants, with respect to any Claim. The Claims may not be arbitrated on a class or representative basis. The arbitrator can decide only your and/or Company individual Claims. The arbitrator may not consolidate or join the claims of other persons or parties who may be similarly situated. Accordingly, you and we agree that the AAA Supplementary Rules for Class Arbitrations do not apply to our arbitration. This arbitration provision and the procedures applicable to the arbitration contemplated by this provision are governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, notwithstanding any state law that may be applicable.

This arbitration agreement does not preclude you or us from seeking action by federal, state, or local government agencies. You and we also have the right to exercise self-help remedies, such as set-off, or to bring qualifying claims in small claims court so long as the matter remains in such court and advances only on an individual (non-class, non-representative) basis. In addition, you and we retain the right to apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for provisional or ancillary relief, including pre-arbitral attachments or preliminary injunctions, and any such request shall not be deemed incompatible with any of these Terms, nor a waiver of the right to have disputes submitted to arbitration as provided in this provision.

A court may sever any portion of this Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver Section that it finds to be unenforceable, except for the prohibitions on any Claim being handled on a class or representative basis, and the remaining portions of this arbitration provision will remain valid and enforceable. No waiver of any provision of this Section will be effective or enforceable unless recorded in a writing signed by the party waiving such a right or requirement. Such a waiver shall not waive or affect any other portion of these Terms.

This binding arbitration and class action waiver section limits certain rights, including the right to maintain a court action, the right to a jury trial, the right to participate in any form of class or representative claim, and the right to engage in discovery except as provided in the aaa rules. Other rights that you or Company would have in court also may not be available in arbitration.

17. General Terms

Revisions to the Terms

We reserve the right to revise the Terms at our sole discretion at any time. Any revisions to the Terms will be effective immediately upon posting by us. For any material changes to the Terms, we will take reasonable steps to notify you of such changes, via a banner on the website, email notification, another method, or combination of methods. In all cases, your continued use of the Services after publication of such changes, with or without notification, constitutes binding acceptance of the revised Terms.

Severability; Waiver

If it turns out that a particular provision of these Terms is not enforceable, this will not affect any other terms. If you do not comply with these Terms, and we do not take immediate action, this does not indicate that we relinquish any rights that we may have (such as taking action in the future).

Content Providers

Our Content Providers and integrated service providers are third-party beneficiaries of the Terms and may enforce those provisions of the Terms that relate to them.

Notice for California Users

Under California Civil Code Section 1789.3, California website users are entitled to the following specific consumer rights notice: The Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs may be contacted in writing at 1625 N. Market Blvd., Suite S-202, Sacramento, California 95834, or by telephone at (800) 952-5210.

18. Related Policies

The Company’s Terms & Conditions also apply and reinforcing with the following policies:

  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • Community Conduct Policy
  • Copyright and Trademark
  • Infringement Policy
  • Honor & Integrity Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund Policy