Spirituality, Religion and Campus Ministries at Quaker Colleges

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Spirituality, Religion and Campus Ministries At Quaker Colleges
(Editor's note: The four authors featured below all received the same
set of queries, however their responses were submitted in two
distinctly different formats. Two developed their articles discretely,
query-by-query, while the other two submitted holistic essays. I
have clustered the query-by query responses together in a single
section, presented first so the full set of queries can be clearly
reviewed by the reader.)
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Quaker Ministries at Guilford College and William Penn University
By Max Carter and Spencer Thury
1.
What informs your students about what it means to be a college student
today? Popular culture? Religious faith? Influence of peers? How does
ministry on campus fit in the mix?
(Guilford) One of my colleagues is fond of saying that even our Quaker
students are "products of American teen culture." Indeed, they are.
While Guilford students are a bit different from some college
students, given that they have chosen this place, they still come to
campus having stewed in the soup of American popular culture. The
majority of our students list no religious preference, and those who
do are typically nominally religious. They might describe themselves
as "spiritual"
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or "seeking," but they are predisposed to distrust religious
orthodoxy. However, once they hit Guilford College campus ministry and
recognize the Quaker affinity for openness and seeking, we see many
begin a spiritual (and often religious!) journey here.
(WPU) College students at William Penn University get their identity
from all of the above. Many will say that they have a religious
affiliation, but often that influence is debatable. Campus ministry at
WPU fits into that mix and I have found it to be accepted. Most of the
student leaders are either involved in campus ministry and / or
committed to their church. There is a genuine support for each other
between spiritual life and campus leadership which has been worked for
and maintained. Most of the student body leaders are consistently
involved in spiritual life at some point.
2. Does religion and spirituality have a place at the table on your
campus? Is it integrated into campus culture or relegated to an office
where such issues are addressed?
(Guilford) Our students tell me that this is a place where they can
openly talk
about spiritual issues, even G-d, by whatever name they might call the
Divine. It is not unusual for classes to begin with a moment of
silence; there are more than 17 weekly worship, prayer, meditation and
other religious opportunities; religious issues are not frowned upon
in class discussions; students and faculty acknowledge an appreciation
for the open, inquiring, and respectful atmosphere
(WPU) Campus ministry definitely has a place. As an example, the
student body president asked the activities director very directly
about giving campus ministry whatever we want for activity dates
because of the way we serve the rest of the campus and fill holes with
our programming. Spiritual issues are addressed in offices, but are
also integrated into the campus culture where students have the
opportunity to decide who and what they will represent.
3. What role do the normative testimonies of Friends play on your
campus?Do they inform the campus ethos? In what ways are they lifted
up by organized campus ministry?
(Guilford) The normative testimonies have helped shape Guilford's
published core values, are embedded in the strategic plan, and are
integrated into the campus ethos religiously, culturally, and
academically. Campus ministry regularly offers programs on the peace
testimony, simplicity, community, and spirituality. Equality and
integrity deeply inform attitudes. Specific courses are taught in
these areas, and speakers, volunteer work trips, and other programs
address the normative testimonies consistently.
(WPU) The normative Quaker testimonies are played out as they are
relevant to students. Fortunately, a culture of silence and mediation
is popular among today's God seekers. Justice and mercy are hot topics
for students that have been on the mission field. Chapel attenders
enjoy and value the open worship time of praying for each other and
being heard. The universality of the priesthood is celebrated as
students, staff and faculty all share responsibilities of the chapel
service where I as chaplain facilitate.
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The peace testimony has not been addressed in a forum, but has often
been referred to in counseling and in small groups positively,
especially in the light of the Iraq war and the crisis at Virginia
Tech. Simplicity works its way into everything I do, as well as
different definitions of integrity. William Penn University is a very
diverse campus for a small Iowa town with a rich history of serving
people in crisis. Racist comments are not consistent with maintaining
the environment here, but continue to be a hot topic for discussion.
Quaker testimonies are often discussed, but they are not always
credited as being our testimonies, just simply as a universal wisdom.
"Quaker values" are taught in the classroom as required for graduation
by a recorded Friends minister/professor of which there are many on
campus.
4. In what ways does campus ministry address the issue of substance
use, materialism, individualism, and other characteristics of current
campus culture?
(Guilford) We have formed small groups for those who are seeking
accompaniment in remaining healthy in college. Two of these are called
"Am I the Only One?" and "Friends Along the Way." Campus ministry
consistently publishes pieces about these issues in our bi-weekly
newsletter, hosts weekly substance counseling small groups, and
advocates with the Administration for alcohol and other drugs-free
programming. Campus ministry offers alternative programming when
alcohol events are afoot on campus.
(WPU) Campus ministries use the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
program called, "One Way To Play." Eighty per cent of the student body
at WPU are athletes so programming must work around their games and
students being drug free is important for the coaching staff. OW2P
discusses being drug and alcohol free supported by faith in God and
leadership, committed to the team, and accountable to others who are
playing clean.
5. What are the most vital ministries on your campus now? What
characterizes them and accounts for their success?
(Guilford) Hillel is active, connecting Jewish students as minorities
in American and Guilford culture; Buddhist meditation is huge,
pointing to a hunger for spiritual practice; Quaker quiet worship in
the morning and evening is well-attended, again displaying an openness
to religious discipline. Work trips are over-subscribed, underscoring
the interest students have in getting out of their own skin and "doing
good" in the world.
(WPU) Chapel has brought together a number of people from different
backgrounds, but InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, the one evening
program on campus has seen the most and quickest growth. They have
their finger on the pulse of today's college student. They are
spiritual leaders using solid truth, and relationships to direct their
meetings. They have a simple, team-led, biblically based program and
do it very well. Free pizza at the start of every meeting has not hurt
them either.
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On the whole, campus ministry is alive at William Penn University. I
was hired on at part-time, but a number of supporters have forced the
issue to make me full-time. I end up in the middle of heated
discussions about issues that concern us often over lunch or a hallway
chat, and people come back later to my
office to fill the holes in for me. Quaker campus ministry is more
than what you
can see, and the glory belongs to students who make the right choices
as they are led by the spirit of God.
Max Carter is Director of Friends Center and Campus Ministry
Coordinator at Guilford College. Spencer Thury is Campus Minister at
William Penn University.
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The Nature of Campus Ministry at Wilmington College
by Martha Hinshaw Sheldon
Each year at New Student Convoca-
tion, the Admissions office welcomes new
students and shares with them their class
academic characteristics.
"As of this hour, there are 446 new students, including 383 freshman &
63 transfer students. The most popular area
of academic interest is education, which
nearly 20% of our new students listed as
their preferred major. The other most pop-ular majors are athletic
training, business
& accounting, agriculture, and undecided." (which I prefer to call
open minded). "The average ACT score is approximately 21,
the average high school GPA was nearly
3.2. Their out of class interests include mu-
sic, art, theatre, athletics and community
service. This is a diverse group of men
and women. They come to us from Ohio
and 8 other states and Sweden. They come
to us from rural areas, small towns, and major metropolitan areas;
from as far
away as Sweden and as close as South Mulberry Street. Sixty-eight
members of
this group are students of color. These
are our entering students."
Each year, I want to stand up and say "Now it is my turn. This is your
spiritual nature. . . ." One member of the Wilmington community, Jim
Reynolds, Vice President of Academic Affairs, sums up the spiritual
nature of students today in the following statement, which also looks
at what informs students about what it means to be a college student
today.
"There is a cohort of students today who are much more religious and
spiritually in tune and who wish to make their spirituality a co-focus
of their lives as they come to college. Many of these students were
deeply influenced by the events of September 11, 2001 and have found
that they wish to find a deeper meaning to their lives than just
finding a good job that pays them well. They are less influenced by
popular culture, gravitate to peers/mentors who share their world
view, stay closely connected to their extended family and are serious
about how they might make a difference in the lives of others. I think
this cuts across all genders, religions, and ethnic backgrounds, and
it is the reason that I have hope for the future of colleges like
Wilmington that provide something other than a quick way to
employment.
The challenge for us, and perhaps for campus ministries in general, is
that many of these students don't seem overly interested in an
organized approach to spirituality.
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If they are, they tend to lean towards the charismatic or ritualistic
religious denominations with which they are fami-
liar and within which they feel grounded. These students are
interested in institu-
tional core values that are congruent with
their own, and that's where I think Wil-mington has an opportunity. It
might not necessarily translate to a broader base of students who
participate in organized
campus ministries, but it should make for
a more engaged group of students, if we
are to connect them to the core values
of the college."
Of course, along with student spirituality on the main campus at
Wilmington College, we must also consider the situation on the branch
campus where the faculty and staff have a greater influence in
informing students about what it means to be a college student. These
students are usually first generation, and have finished a two-year
program at a community college. They come in apprehensive about "real
college" and often are anxious that they will fail.
Regarding whether religion and spirituality have a place at the table
on our campus and are integrated into campus culture, certainly from
the education department the answer is "Yes!" For many the choice to
teach is a calling which some students speak of voluntarily. And some
faculty actively give religion and spirituality a place at the table
by regularly addressing the question of how to be a teacher with
strong religious convictions while working as an agent of a public
school. As faculty member Lisa Bauer reports, "We discuss ideas of how
to ACT as a Christian, as God would have you act, and witnessing in
this way rather than by discussing religion with children or actively
trying to proselytize. We also discuss the need to give respect to all
religions and whether we can appropriately include the study of
different faiths in our classrooms."
In and out of the classroom in the branch campus and on main campus
there are many opportunities to discuss and address spiritual issues.
On the other hand, from a healthy critical position some feel that the
college portrays itself as largely secular and downplays the religious
nature of its Quaker heritage. They know of the potential and feel
that we fall short.
What role do the normative testimonies of Friends play on our campus
and how do they inform the campus ethos? In what ways are they lifted
up by organized campus ministry?
At Wilmington College, Quaker values are discussed in classrooms
throughout the campus in terms of inner light and also in terms of
valuing all people. Some feel that in a private institution we have
more freedom to deal with God than we would in a public institution.
Our Quaker testimonies are made public and referred to fairly often,
more by faculty than students, but there are big questions about
whether they really inform governance policies, student life issues,
and curricular development. We have the added bonus of having a fairly
new and highly visible Quaker Heritage Center that provides
opportunities for the community (students, faculty, staff, parents,
prospective students and families) to be exposed to the testimonies.
Regarding the issues of substance use, materialism, and individualism,
our situations again differ on our branch campus and our main campus.
At the branch campus such matters are primarily discussed by students
and faculty in and outside of the small and intimate classes. Because
the students are mostly adults, individualism is the most-often
addressed topic. Materialism and Quaker values are other important
issues discussed.
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Some feel that on the main campus we too often look the other way
rather than confronting substance abuse. Drinking is a serious issue
on campus which many seem to ignore. Students often hear mixed
messages on these issues and some feel that the presence of
fraternities and sororities on campus has not been helpful in this
regard. Others feel that the presence of fraternities and sororities
are a healthy and useful means of encouraging and developing community
on campus, especially since many fraternity and sorority members are
among the most active participants in student government, service
learning, mentoring and many other socially-related programs.
So what are our vital ministries? At Wilmington College they do not
always look like traditional ministry. Besides the weekly Bible study
and faith groups that are critical in the traditional sense of
building relationships and strengthening faith, our vital ministries
often take the form of programs that challenge and transform the
spirit in
each of us, and they are integrated into significant parts of the
curriculum and
co-curricular activities. These programs include the Westheimer Peace
Symposium - a day of speakers on various issues of justice
transformation; the Issues and Artists series - four speakers
throughout the year; Faith and Life Forums - 4 forums for college and
local community members to discuss faith issues; the on-going strong
relationship between our students and the FCNL lobbying weekends; the
growing activities of the Center for Service and Civic Engagement;
and, as has been mentioned earlier the physical presence and programs
of the new Quaker Heritage Center which are many and varied.
Finally, the most vital ministries on campus are not always apparent
as they involve personal relationships between students and
instructors that grow and transform the mind and spirit. We
intentionally take care of our students and try to minister to each
individual according to his or her needs. Everyone working in the
college has a ministry, the ministry of helping students along in
their academic and spiritual journeys.
Martha Hinshaw Sheldon is Campus Minister at Wilmington College
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Quaker Integrity and Haverford's Honor Code
by Helene Pollock
Haverford's student-administered Honor Code challenges each student to
live a life of integrity. In my experience, Haverford students
actually do take the Honor Code seriously - not only
academically, but also in their broader experience. Haverford's Honor
Code is
not a set of rules; it is a way of life that
grows out of an inner intentionality relating to academics and social
life on campus.
At first glance, Haverford's Honor Code looks quite Quakerly. So is
the Honor Code a sign of faithfulness to the Quaker testimony of
integrity?
I decided to take this question to two Quaker students (Haverford's
student body is about 6.5% Quaker).
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The first student I spoke with, a senior, began talking about a
personal struggle with what she called "disillusionment." This had to
do with her initial set of expectations about the Honor Code, which
turned out to be unrealistic. As a senior in high school, when she
realized that she would be attending Haverford, she concluded that the
Honor Code was going to be so pervasive and all-encompassing that
people would be thinking about it most of the time. By the time she
reached her sophomore year at Haverford it had become clear to her
that people didn't actually think about the Honor Code very much. So
she began to have doubts. Is the Honor Code irrelevant?
During my 16 years at Haverford, I have often heard students talking
about a "disillusionment" with the Honor Code that tends to show up
during sophomore year. The experience seems to be so common -- among
Quaker and non-Quaker students alike - that I've wondered if it isn't
a predictable aspect of the maturing process that goes on during the
college years, as adolescent idealism is deepened and tempered by
increasing life experience.
So I moved on from the student's sophomore disillusionment to ask her
about the way she sees the Honor Code now, as a senior. In doing so, I
had confidence that she and I would be operating on a common set of
assumptions regarding the behavioral standards associated with the
Honor Code, in the social realm (where all relationships are expected
to be governed by "trust, concern and respect") as well as in the
academic realm (where the faculty expects the highest level of
academic integrity).
So I asked her this question: "Even though there isn't a great deal of
discussion about the Honor Code, is it something that you and your
friends follow, in terms of your behavior?" She shot me a piercing
glance that said, unmistakably: "What kind of a question is that? Of
course we follow the Honor Code!" Duly chagrined, I said nothing, but
I went ahead and I asked her about the wider student body. She lowered
her glance, and said softly that she imagined that there might be some
classmates who would be capable of violating the Honor Code, though
she hadn't met anybody who had actually violated it. Clearly, the
possibility of anyone violating the Honor Code - however tentative -
was deeply troubling to her.
Then I asked her if, in her opinion, adherence to the Honor Code meant
that students were living the Quaker testimony of integrity. She said
yes, quite tentatively, but she went on to point out that the Honor
Code is not associated with Quaker faith and practice. So, we were
left with the unmistakable question: How can we know whether or not
the Quaker testimonies are being followed at Haverford if we don't
talk about the Quaker testimonies?
The student went on to state clearly that she wished there could be
more conversations among students about the Honor Code, Quaker issues,
ethical concerns, etc. So I asked her why that wasn't the case. She
speculated that it could be due to the fact people in her age group
generally avoid talking about "religion," even though many students
consider themselves to be "spiritual." She said that she discusses
spiritual matters with her friends, such as the question of whether
abortion or suicide can ever be justified, and they don't agree. She
and her friends also criticize the lack of genuine commitment to
community service among Haverford students in general. While these and
other topics are apparently addressed
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informally, there seems to be an underlying desire that there be more
frequently and open discussions about Quaker-related topics -
presumably in relationship to the Honor Code as well as other matters.
I posed this same question -- about the Honor Code and the Quaker
testimonies -- to another student, a young man who is a sophomore. He
had this to say: "People support the Honor Code because it's a great
idea, but they don't have any idea where it comes from, or where we
could be headed towards. People don't see spirituality at all. The
Honor Code springs from the same basis that Quakerism does - the
commitment to live devotionally, to be continually conscious of the
way we interact with ourselves and others, which leads to the
testimonies of community, stewardship, service, and equality, and the
absolutism of Love, which is really important in bringing the Kingdom
of God on earth. The Honor Code is based on some of those same
concepts - primarily the idea of building a perfect community. I keep
thinking about how it applies to everything in life, not just one
aspect of life, but very few people see it that way. Most people have
a definite commitment [to the Honor Code] at some level - they want to
reach an understanding - but some are stagnant. It's in the back of
all of our minds, but very few people understand it. But in the end,
we can't fully understand everything."
What I heard from these two students sounded quite similar to what I
have been hearing from students during my years at Haverford College.
I find that Quaker students generally perceive a connection between
the Honor Code and Quakerism for themselves, but they reject the idea
that Quakerism should be presented in a way that is coercive or
normative in relation to the Honor Code. Students strongly reject the
idea that Quaker faith and practice should be seen as a "party line."
That reticence is one factor leading to a certain ambiguity in the way
in which some Quaker students experience the Honor Code.
There can be a tendency to decry the ambiguous position that Quaker
students are in, and to criticize Haverford College for its lack of
clarity regarding the Quaker elements in its institutional ethos. From
that starting point it's all too easy to point to secularism as the
culprit -secularism in families and schools, secularism in academia,
even secularism in Quaker meetings. One might wonder how much openness
there is to a life-changing experience of the Inner Light in a
situation where so much energy is turned toward materialism,
competitiveness and "measuring up" in terms of outer, conventional
measures of success. In Generation Me, Jean M. Twenge suggests that a
narcissistic self-focus is pervasive as a generational characteristic
for young adults today. She sees an excessive emphasis on "self-
esteem" in K-12 education as a contributing factor.
As we face these pervasive trends, in our ambiguous situation at
Haverford College, Quaker students and others are asking for more
frequent and deeper conversations about spirituality, ethics and
meaning. It is clear to me that instead of decrying the ambiguities we
need to probe them. We need to seek Divine Guidance to lead us along a
newly illumed pathway. If we were to take the advice of George Fox and
the early Friends, we would trust in Truth and the Principle of God to
guide us, knowing that the Light will "judge out" all the "self" that
needs to be discarded.
Helene Pollock is Director of Quaker Affairs at Haverford College