November 6, 1998: Volume 44, Number 9

Campus Faiths More Diverse: Inter-Religious Services Planned

Just a few years ago, it was uncommon to see a student on campus dressed in traditional Muslim garb, says Viki Brooks-McDonald, Protestant chaplain.

Today, however, the sight serves as a reminder of what Brooks-McDonald calls the "changing landscape of faiths" at Union and other college campuses. "Faith traditions on campus are becoming as diverse as any other aspect of culture," she says. "We need to be aware of what people of various faiths bring to campus."

So, Brooks-McDonald and a committee from the campus community have begun to explore the possibility of celebrating an "inter-religious service" that will include elements of a number of faith traditions. "Our hope is to increasingly uphold spiritual aspects of who we are as individuals," Brooks-McDonald says.

"This is a very difficult path to walk," she acknowledges. "There is a difference between tolerance — where you pat somebody on the head and tell them it's OK to be different – and pluralism — which is truly understanding and respecting what is involved with the faith and practice of another."

Brooks-McDonald and other members of the campus committee recently attended a conference titled "Education as Transformation: Religious Pluralism, Spirituality and Higher Education" at Wellesley College, where they learned that a growing challenge on nearly all campuses is that more students, faculty and staff are not from Judeo-Christian faiths. Or, if they are, they have little knowledge of other faiths.

"I have a congregational background," says Brooks-McDonald, citing herself as an example. "So I'm not all that familiar with eastern religions."

Brooks-McDonald, who joined the College this fall, is an ordained Presbyterian pastor. She earned her masters in divinity from McCormick Seminary in Chicago, and her bachelor's degree from the College of Wooster. She has served in the congregational ministry for 13 years, specializing in pastoral care and the nurture of an integrated faith.

For information or to join the committee to develop an inter-religious service, call ext. 6618.

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