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BY JULIAN CHENDER

In print | May 1, 2008

It is no question that religion holds great power in this world. From the Judeo-Christian faiths to Zoroastrianism, from Scientology to the Elián Gonzalez Religious Movement, religion commands significant sway over most of the globe’s 6.6 billion people. In fact, religion is so important that, on his visit to New York City, the Primate of Italy (one of the Pope’s funniest names) proclaimed before the United Nations General Assembly: “Indeed, the Holy See has always had a place at the assemblies of the Nations, thereby manifesting its specific character as a subject in the international domain. As the United Nations recently confirmed, the Holy See thereby makes its contribution according to the dispositions of international law, helps to define that law, and makes appeal to it.” (Unfortunately, this was not the first time an ex-Nazi stood on that podium.)

While the Catholic Church regrettably stands strong in international politics, the Catholic community at Swarthmore, like all religious groups here, holds little sway in campus politics. For the past year I have, in this space, explored the role and nature of religion at Swarthmore, and though I have certainly toyed with the idea from time to time, I have never asked the question: Are religious groups on campus somehow more important than other groups? Certainly the Catholic Church holds more clout than the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, but does that translate at all to Swarthmore?

While religious groups on campus don’t have nearly the power that their larger groups do internationally, there is something special about religious groups here. The College has placed religion on a small, yet noticeable pedestal. For instance, religious life has its own website separate from the Student Activities website, which houses all the groups, including a repeat of the religious groups. There is also the Interfaith Center, which, according to the site, “exists to promote dialogue and understanding among faith traditions, and between people of faith and those who do not belong to a faith tradition.” The College obviously deems religion important as it pays two student Interfaith Interns to run the Interfaith Center. These two are in charge of programming for the center, and work to “foster communication between different faith groups on campus.” Finally, there are the three religious advisors (there would be four but the Muslim Students Association declined the College’s offer to have an Imam join up), Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, though they “are available as counselors, resources and friends regardless of students’ religious affiliations.”

I think there are two reasons for the added support Swarthmore gives to religion on campus. First, Swarthmore seems to give special attention to cultural life on campus, which includes religious life. It greatly supports the large institutional bases such as the Intercultural Center, the Black Cultural Center and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (under which religion falls). While religious life has its three advisors, cultural life in general benefits from having two deans: Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs Darryl Smaw and Assistant Dean and Director of the Intercultural Center Rafael Zapata. While the College supports all student groups, there isn’t such specific, institutionalized support for groups without cultural delineations, such as Knit-Wits or Folk Dance Club. Religion’s pedestal, therefore, comes from the fact that it falls under the cultural category of student groups.

Second, the College administration pays special attention to religion because it believes that religion can play an important role for students at this time in their lives. During college, many students forge a distinct sense of self, one that exists outside of the family life they have grown up with. At the beginning of last semester, Assistant Dean for Student Life Myrt Westphal explained to me the importance that religion and spirituality can play in the lives of college students. “I think spiritual growth or development is important for many individuals, and I think at a time when people are figuring out their identity, and what their values are, and who they want to be in their lives, that that’s an element that should be part of the conversation and available to those that want to explore it.” Therefore, in the interest of fostering personal growth Swarthmore makes sure to maintain a vibrant religious community. It’s not for everyone, but for those who want it, it’s there.

Julian is a junior. You can reach him at jchende1@swarthmore.edu.

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