The Collegian Weekly: The opinion of The Collegian editorial staff
Say 'no' to Religious exclusion
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Opinion
Forty Hillsdale College students have been banned from using campus facilities for worship because the deans of men and women "don't want to set up two different horses pulling in different directions," Dean of Men Aaron Petersen said.
What? Discrimination in the name of unity? Wow. That would snap Hillsdale tradition.
First, some facts. The Collegian reported in last week's article "Dean denies student group campus meeting space" that several students began meeting together for ecumenical prayer and worship. And by "ecumenical," we mean Protestants and Catholics, not Christians, Emersonian universalists, Bhuddists and the local witch. When the almost absurdly tame group grew to 40 students, they applied for permission to meet once a week in larger, centrally located, on-campus rooms. And were denied.
The administration would rather keep campus worship groups under the umbrella of Hillsdale Christian Fellowship, Petersen said.
But the Catholic Society adamantly refused to join HCF last year, and still retains its permission to meet on campus. Students from St. Paul's Lutheran Church have held Bible studies on campus not affiliated with HCF. Before HCF, many campus ministries flourished separately. No resistance there. So why did administrators quash the fledgling Hillsdale chapter of University Christian Outreach?
Petersen also objected that UCO brings staff from Lansing to lead the Saturday worship and prayer meetings. Excuse the mention, but Catholic Inquiry, the campus-located Orthodox Presbyterian Church and HCF have brought outside leaders to this college for years. What gives?
That 40 students cannot access facilities which their student fees supply is ridiculous. Clubs like Cravats and Bluestockings have half the members, and happily reserve campus space (to the enrichment of many). If administrators want to limit students' options for on-campus, Christian worship, they should move to denomination-affiliated colleges or ban religious groups altogether.
What? Discrimination in the name of unity? Wow. That would snap Hillsdale tradition.
First, some facts. The Collegian reported in last week's article "Dean denies student group campus meeting space" that several students began meeting together for ecumenical prayer and worship. And by "ecumenical," we mean Protestants and Catholics, not Christians, Emersonian universalists, Bhuddists and the local witch. When the almost absurdly tame group grew to 40 students, they applied for permission to meet once a week in larger, centrally located, on-campus rooms. And were denied.
The administration would rather keep campus worship groups under the umbrella of Hillsdale Christian Fellowship, Petersen said.
But the Catholic Society adamantly refused to join HCF last year, and still retains its permission to meet on campus. Students from St. Paul's Lutheran Church have held Bible studies on campus not affiliated with HCF. Before HCF, many campus ministries flourished separately. No resistance there. So why did administrators quash the fledgling Hillsdale chapter of University Christian Outreach?
Petersen also objected that UCO brings staff from Lansing to lead the Saturday worship and prayer meetings. Excuse the mention, but Catholic Inquiry, the campus-located Orthodox Presbyterian Church and HCF have brought outside leaders to this college for years. What gives?
That 40 students cannot access facilities which their student fees supply is ridiculous. Clubs like Cravats and Bluestockings have half the members, and happily reserve campus space (to the enrichment of many). If administrators want to limit students' options for on-campus, Christian worship, they should move to denomination-affiliated colleges or ban religious groups altogether.
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