There are many religious students at Brown. Cheery students from the Christian Fellowship frequently give out hot chocolate on the Main Green. Catholic Mass is packed with students. The Muslim Students’ Association and Brown/RISD Hillel are central parts of many students’ college experiences. But remarkably, it is still taboo to be religious at Brown. There is a general level of disdain toward religion, as many students associate religiosity with dogmatism or incorrigibility.
For all of the talk of acceptance and tolerance of ideas at Brown, I feel that religious individuals often receive the most flak. Labeled “anti-intellectual,” religious students frequently retreat from political discussion or social commentary.
Many forget that religion is not anti-intellectual — at least not the religion we see at Brown. Most religions are founded upon beliefs of questioning, learning and challenging. Proper study of religious literature revolves around discussion and critical inquiry. Surely there should be little place for those attempting to impose their religious beliefs on others, but Brown students do not do this. From my experience, our students are interested in educating and learning from others.
The ostracism of religious students is magnified in political conversations. Religious individuals are considered reactionary or ultra-conservative, and cast as opponents to progressive causes. And ironically, many religious students at Brown have progressive beliefs that stem from their religiosity. I once asked one of my Catholic friends about his faith and politics. Because he is a staunch Democrat, I assumed that his faith played a minimal role in his political values. Instead, he asserted that his Catholicism influenced his strong belief in social justice and aiding those who are less fortunate.
As a campus, we cannot afford to ignore the voices of our religious peers in political conversations. We must remember that Brown is not a sampling of the American populace. Americans consider religion a key part of our social fabric. Certain things that the Brown student body takes for granted are often rejected by other parts of the country, or by populations with different political persuasions. While I would guess that most Brown students oppose prayer in public schools, data from the 2012 General Social Survey revealed that 73 percent of Southerners disapprove of the Supreme Court’s ban on prayer in public schools. Though I am not suggesting that religious students at Brown categorically support school prayer, this statistic illustrates the great disparity between College Hill and other parts of the country. When we pursue careers in policy or public service after graduation, we will encounter diverse religious and political beliefs. It is thus crucial that we listen to them on our own campus.
I imagine our historically progressive campus has seldom been a welcoming place for overtly religious students. That said, I believe that this intolerance exists in part because there are limited opportunities for serious discussion about faith. While various religious groups have their own discussions, there does not exist a common space for Brown students to engage with their peers about spirituality, God and religion. This initiative would empower students of faith and allow others the chance to learn and listen. These exchanges would go far toward fostering interfaith understanding and creating a network of students who consider religion an important part of their lives.
The groundwork is laid for this quiet revolution. The Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life is a tragically underused and widely misunderstood institution. The office is not only for religious students seeking conversations on faith, but also for students simply looking for another voice, opinion or outlet for questions and answers. Reverend Janet Cooper Nelson, the University chaplain, inspires me every time I hear her speak. In addition, student-run religious groups are more welcoming than one might think. More students should attend a mass, hear a lecture or celebrate a holiday they’ve never experienced. Last year, I invited my Protestant religious studies professor to accompany me to Friday night services at Hillel. It was one of my most memorable experiences at Brown.
In the Book of Judges, the tribe of Gilead defeated a rebellious tribe of Ephraim near the Jordan River. As individuals scurried back to their respective lands, those of Gilead required each individual to say the word “shibboleth,” a password that would identify the Ephraimites amongst the victors. Early on in my time at Brown, I felt I had to use a proverbial password in order to ascertain whether or not the person I was talking to would be tolerant of my dedication to religion. While I am now beyond that stage, I hope that soon enough no Brown student will have to murmur “shibboleth” again.
Zach Ingber ’15 would love to talk to you about religion. Or atheism. Or anything in between. He can be contacted at zachary_ingber@brown.edu.
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