She laily Sar Heel
Campus and Faith
Come Together
Anyone who thinks religion is not an integral part of the
UNC community need only walk through the Pit on
any given afternoon. Without fail, a crowd of students
will have been drawn into a heated discussion with a
Pit Preacher about the “evil” lifestyles of UNC students. These
impromptu religious debates are as much a part of UNC tradition
as Silent Sam or the Old Well.
The number of religious organizations on campus also points
to a definite student interest in religion. There are at least 24
religious organizations more than any other kind of student
group —with memberships ranging from six to 750.
The emphasis placed on religion is nothing new to the Univer
sity. It has been a part of its history since the first students walked
through the doors in 1793. After Old East, the second oldest public
university building in the country is Person Hall, which once
served as UNC’s chapel.
But despite religion’s long history and popularity among stu
dents today, it is a controversial issue. Concerns have been raised
about the exclusive nature of religious organizations. Some stu
dents view these groups as fanatical and socially conservative.
There exists much confusion about the beliefs and practices of
religious groups and the role they play in the University commu
nity.
In July, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in the Rosenberger vs.
University of Virginia case that denying a campus religious
publication university funding simply because of the group’s
religious affiliation violated students’
freedom of speech and free exercise
of religion. Following this decision,
religious organizations at UNC
started requesting money from Stu
dent Congress. Now, UNC is grap
pling with the challenge of deciding
on what basis student religious
groups should be recognized and
funded.
The DTH sponsored a roundtable
discussion toaddresstheseandother
issues surrounding religious organi
zations. The leaders of five groups
were asked to participate in the dia
logue. While this is in no way a
comprehensive sampling of the opin
ions and views of all religious orga
nizations, it does provide a sense of
what the purpose, beliefs and func
tions of these organizations are at
the University.
The following is a list of those
who participated in the discussion
and the groups they represent:
■ Allison Dunnavant, a senior
international studies major from Intervarsity Christian Fellow
ship, a non-denominational Christian group.
■ Elisheva Ende, a senior psychology major from N.C. Hillel,
a Jewish organization.
■ Angelique Bartlett, a senior journalism and Spanish major
from the Newman Catholic Student Center Parish.
■ Annika Harris, a senior sociology major from New Genera
tion Campus Ministries, a student prayer movement targeting
black students.
■ Joel Wilson, a senior psychology and sociology major from
Kallisti, a student pagan organization.
An Open Discussion
The Daily Tar Heel: One of the hot issues with religious
groups on campus since the Rosenberger decision has been
obtaining funding from congress. Do you think Student Con
gress should fund religious organizations? Why or why not?
Wilson: I am really happy with the Rosenberger decision. I
think it is religious discrimination to not fund someone based on
their religious nature. Up until a week and a half ago, Kallisti was
funded by the people in it. This year, we have $l2O from Student
Congress. It’s not major funds, but it takes a lot of the burden off
of the four officers who end up footing a lot of the bills.
Ende: We are funded from the national Hillel, partially from
the Jewish Federation and partially from donations. I recently
went in front of Student Congress to ask for money, and we did get
some money to do programs we couldn’t have done otherwise.
But I have mixed feelings about universities giving religious
organizations money, because you get into a lot of stickiness of
who gets how much, and if one group gets it and another doesn’t,
there’s going to be a controversy there between the two groups.
W ilson: They (Student Congress members) have done a couple
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ANGEUQUE BARTLETT
you have to be Christian to do certain things.
Dunnavant: We don’t have a running roster of members, so
there’s no list with an ‘X’ by your name if you haven’t signed a
statement of faith. You only have to sign a statement of faith if you
hold a leadership position.
Wilson: They told us funds received cannot be used for
religious practice. If you want to fund educational programs or
speakers, that’s fine, but no money for communion wine or a
retreat.
Bartlett: We are getting ready to go up for funding. Our center
is funded partially by the parish that we coexist with, our parents,
STORY AND INTERVIEW BY JILL DUNCAN
alumni and our fundraisers. We thought
we should be part of this process as well, so
we’re asking for funding for Catholic
Awareness Week.
We were hesitant of asking for anything
else because we figured what would con
gress fund, and it would have to be some
thing not religious exactly, but educational.
Since this is anew thing, there are going to
be problems.
One thing I think is there needs to be a
guidebook for the funding procedure to
make it clearer for those of us who have
never asked for funding.
Harris: We were the first religious orga
nization on the campus to receive funding
from the Student Congress. We support
ourselves through our own efforts as well.
I agree religion should be no way of
discriminating against somebody. Even in
the mission statement of the entire campus
it says the University of North Carolina
does not discriminate based on sexual ori
entation, religion or whatever. Just to say
you can’t have funding because you are a religious organization,
I don’t think that’s necessarily fair. One of the reasons they agreed
to fund us was because of our newsletter. We said
ANNIKA HARRIS
tice together. We also help members explore their spiritu
ality.
Harris: Our role is to bring about a reality and a
relevancy of Jesus Christ on the campus. We histori- /
cally target the black community because we see a /
great need and the desolation that is currently taking /
place. /
We are definitely not ethnically controlled, just
ethnically conscious. We recognize there is a need
for God in the black community, but also in society as a
whole. We want to represent a standard of Godliness and show
other people there is another way besides drugs and partying or
whatever routes people are taking.
Dunnavant: Our role on campus is to provide a place for
people to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then to explore the
way it can apply to their lives. We are predominantly a white
organization and part of our mission statement is to engage the
campus in all its ethnic diversity. Annika (Harris) and I have
become friends this year, trying to work friendships between our
fellowships. We want to address the needs of the entire campus
population, not just one group.
DTH: Earlier in the year the DTH ran a cartoon depicting
student religious groups in competition over membership, a
view which some people on campus hold about religious orga
nizations. How do you think your organization is viewed by
other people on campus?
Wilson: One: “There are pagans?” Two: “Euhhhh!”
There’s not much reaction. Nobody is really sure what a pagan
is and what pagans do. They figure they're funded by Student
Congress, and they exist here so they can't be too strange. We’ve
been trying to publicize more, but the pagan community is one
that is hard to get plugged into.
Dunnavant: I think we get a real wide variety of responses. I
could never say I know what everybody else is thinking, but I think
some people view us as fanatical. Some people think we are
conservative. Some people think we are just interesting, just
another Christian
of things. One is
that IVCF and
Muslim Student
Association were
denied funding not
on the basis of their
religion but be
cause membership
is largely based on
religion. It’s one of
the provisions in
the Student Code
forfundingthatyou
have to not dis
criminate in any
way in your mem
bership. MSA, al
though it allows
anyone to become
a basic member,
has levels of ad
vancement you
cannot reach if you
are not Islamic. I
think it was the
same thing with
Intervarsity, that
group.
I would say in
reference to the car
toon, because I
know that had to
do with
Intervarsity, some
of what that car
toon had to say isn’t
hue, but it was a
real wake-up call
for the Christian
community. A lot
of us started talking
and saying we’re
not like that, and
we need to show
people it’s not
Intervarsity here,
Campus Crusade
over there, New
Generation over
there and Fellow
ship of Christian
Athletes way back
there. We know each other; we have friendships with each other.
We like each other, and we’re not at war. While the cartoon
showed us what some of the campus might perceive, it also
encouraged us to show that’s not all that’s there.
Harris: The cartoon definitely sparked something in me: We
have to be more unified. We each play a part, and when we come
together it’s really awesome. We come together and meet and do
a lot of things that people on campus don't e ven know we ’re doing
because we don’t announce: “Look at the Christians! We’re
coming together!" But at the same time, we really want to
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we wanted it to be used to teach other people
about Christ and the ministry.
DTH: What do you see as your role in the
University community?
Ende: It is my opinion that the main thing
Hillel is there for is to say, ‘Here is a place for
Jews to gather and to educate the rest of the
campus about what is Judaism and what do we
do.’ The second major thing is to unite Jews
either socially or religiously or educationally.
Bartlett: I see the Newman Center as a place
where college students can go and feel comfort
able. It provides a place where they can practice
their faith and learn more about it and also to
acknowledge that religion is an important part of
their lives.
We try to educate people—dispel ignorance
about what Catholics really do. That’s why
we have Catholic Awareness Week.
Wilson: Kallisti, I feel, is different from
most religious organizations on campus in
that we are not a place for religious practice.
We serve to connect pagans on campus and
to steer them toward smaller groups who
have a religious community who do prac- I
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ELISHEVA ENDE
OP-ED
ALLISON DUNNAVANT
Catholics, some people say, “How can you believe what the
Church says when you see all this knowledge out there, and that’s
what college is all about?”
But I think religion and the university have something in
common. They’re both searching for truth, and when you put it
like that, we’re all here for sort of the same reason. There is a
feeling among some people of how can you be religious and be an
academic? And, “Is it cool to be religious?,” and, “Can you still
have fun?” I think to be a religious organization, sure, it’s easy. But
to be a practicing, faithful person is a different issue.
Ende: I don’t see being liberal and being identified with a
religious organization at odds. I think we try to embrace that
diversity or the liberalness. We have gay and lesbian program
ming and political talks all the time. Those people who see religion
and being liberal as two different things, I think can still
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Harris: Just by be- is some v
place for ing at a liberal university, it al- Somepe
xplorethe lowsthatfreedomtopracticeyourreligion. usobvio
a culture. 6?/“,
Harris: Just by be
ing at a liberal university, it al
lows that freedom to practice your religion.
I can’t deny what I see as being immorality taking
place in Chapel Hill and just on our campus. In a lot of ways, I
think being a Christian can be a liberal approach because it goes
against what is the norm on campus.
There are a lot of people who don’t feel the way I do, but I don’t
find it hard.
Dunnavant: I think there are hard decisions to make some
times. You’re faced with a behavior or value decision where your
faith definitely influences which direction you go, but I think the
Religion, Education Go Together Weft
When I was first approached to write
this column, regarding the purpose
of religious organizations, I was
excited. For one thing, I would have my
picture in the DTH, and for another, I
would be able to voice my opinion in the
campus newspaper. But then the recent
controversy in Student Congress came to
mind. Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
was denied funding due to the fact that
their leaders had to sign a statement of
faith. Also, the Muslim Student Associa
tion was denied recognition by the Univer
sity for requiring voting members to be
Muslims. These events give my message a
timely importance.
To look at the purpose of religious orga
nizations, I must first understand the pur
pose of the one I am active in, Campus
Crusade for Christ. The purpose statement
of CCC is, “to glorify God by loving Him
and trusting Him to develop a movement
of students all across UNC who are willing
and able to win, build, and send others
worldwide for Jesus Christ in a culturally
relevant way.” What does that mean to
those of you who are not involved in CCC?
Nothing. But I believe there exists an ex
tremely important, underlying intent in all
religious organizations. That intent is for
members to know what they believe and to
be firm in those beliefs. But it is at this point
where society comes in and heads begin to
butt.
American society cherishes religion, as
it does all matters of private conscience,
but it’s a society in which tolerance and
relativism are the highest ideals. We are
told that when we are public with our
beliefs, we have crossed the line and be
come intolerant of others’ views. Our cul
ture presses the religiously faithful to be
other than themselves, to act publicly, and
Ever since UNC’s founding as the nation’s firs?
public university, religion has been a part of
student life. Now more than ever, it is also
part of the political scene, as questions about
funding raise the issue of separation of church
and state in public education.
represent a true picture of what Jesus rep
resents.
I really want to promote good race
relations, reconciliation and unity and just
showing I can sit at a table and talk to a
Catholic, a pagan, a Jew, and at the same
time never compromise my stand on Christ
but be open to what everybody else has to
say.
DTH: UNC has a reputation of being
a liberal campus. Do you find it hard to
be a religious organization —and a reli
gious person here at UNC, or do you
think that’s a completely inaccurate rep
resentation of UNC? Is the atmosphere
at UNC conducive to being a religious
organization or person?
Bartlett: It’s not hard for us at the
Newman Center, because we’re represent
ing a church that’s been around for thou
sands of years. It’s not like we’re trying to
forge new territory. But the question of
what does it mean to be a religious person
on campus really interests me. At least for
find a place at Hillel, because we also have
purely social things. Judaism,
along with being a reli-
gion, is also
sometimes
even privately,
as though their
faith does not
matter.
Not to dwell
on it, but the
recent Student
Congress inci
dent comes to
mind as a prime
example ofthis.
On Nov. 8,
Intervarsity
Christian Fellowship was denied funding
for being discriminatory in their choice of
leadership (in order to be an IVCF leader,
one must be a Christian). Congress’ action
was in line with the cultural shove to be
tolerant of others and not discriminate. In
asking Christians to be tolerant of others’
beliefs, society says that our existing views
have become intolerable, making this high
est of ideals a paradox.
We have a Constitution that requires
our nation’s leader, the president, to be a
natural-bom citizen. Wait! Hold on! But
that means that our president can't be Ca
nadian, Japanese or whatever. That’s in
tolerance! No, that never comes into ques
tion. However, if a non-Christian can’t be
a leader in a Christian organization, the
bells sound.
Society asks the religiously devout to
act rationally. What is rational? Tolerance
is good, but by making it the highest ideal
people are living in a society the views of
which are ever-changing and which con
tinually asks people to accept new norms.
In this environment, we find it difficult to
establish a firm world view, as culture
unceasingly prods us to amend our exist
ing view for the sake of tolerance or relativ-
Monday, November 20,1995
. r
atmosphere here is actually good for religious
because it’s a challenge to become a Christian and to become
involved in the faith.
You have to take it seriously. There’s thousands of thffigi
coming at you, thousands of different points of view everyday
and so you really have to decide if this is what I believe.Tnrjji#
sense, I feel like this atmosphere is conducive to prodding
genuine faith.
Wilson: We haven’t been harassed. No one calls my h'cSre
with death threats. We haven’t had people jump into our meetlhgi
and call us all sinners or tell us we’re going to hell. ~ ;33d
We don’t face any of the conservatism of campus. Nobody ftg?
given us a hard time, even the Pit Preachers. Most of us at saqme
point have talked to them and told them we’re
trying, and they have told us to keep on searching, and Gotfwill
lead you where you’re suppose to go. 1 3228
DTH: What do you consider to be the greatest strengthnii
the greatest weak- TOW
ness of you indi
vidual organiza
tion?
Wilson: Our di
versity is our
strength. We have
Christians, we have
atheists, we have
agnostics, druids
and witches. Every
body on the planet
is a member of
Kallisti.
It is also our
greatest weakness,
because no two
people believe the
same thing. It
means that it be
comes very hard to
worship together as
a community.
Bartlett: One
of our weaknesses
isthatalotofpeople
JBrf!
who come to us may not be coming because they’re really
searching for their faith. It’s just the comfortable thing
Our strength is the community feeling. J- ,
jfc Harris: Even though we’re small in numbers; TO
sj people who are involved are really committed to Gofl
V and each other. At the same time, oheofthe ffrmgs Csee
/ a need for is to'fCachbuftO otherdthhic
we’re not trying to be another black organization.
I Dunnavant: Our strength is that we are a family. We
really love each other, and we have a wide variety of
Christian and non-Christian backgrounds.
Our weakness is real closely tied to that, in that we daaSt
engage enough in dialogue with other religious groupsife
campus. j-jof
DTH: What function do you think religion serves on
campus?
Ende: That goes back to what you think religion shoulrj.serve,
and I think religion should serve die individuals. I think it serves
the purpose of letting the individual find the place of worship or
the place of comfort that best suits them.
Bartlett: And to find strength. I think religion to many pe&sfe
is somewhere where you do find strength and meaning in youifi©
Some people would say religion is not an answer, but to manjjjf
us obviously it is. j yr
It’s something to hold on to, to give you hope. , v
Wilson: I think direction and meaning are two key words.
Long ago, I was confronted with the question of, ‘Why, with®
rise of science, has religion not fallen away?.’ 3vil
What science does is tell you how the world works, but
or who cares or what you should do about it or how you
behave. It’s nice to know that putting one foot in front of the qthep
lets me walk, but where do I walk to and why and with what
intentions? 'dw
ism. Being caught in this wave of accfcjr
tance causes us to be washed away by t&SB
changes. tl
The University is supposed to be a mar
ketplace of ideas where a person can defin<
his or her way ofthinking. However, it ha:
recently become a place where we an
asked to sacrifice our beliefs for the ideal o'
tolerance or relativism. Rather than df|£n
ing ourselves (or allowing God to define
us), we are shaken and moved to when
culture wants us to be. In this wave! o ’
tolerance, it is easy for people to cotn<
along for the ride and not have their .
world view, because they’re continually
amending it to fit the mainstream.
Tome, it would be more rational
to know one’s beliefs and be firm in them
rather than always to conform tO,jsh<
culture’s views. This is where religion;
organizations have come to play a cruriia
role in university life. These organization:
have held up through a wave of changing;
ideals, and they have remained rooted ii,
their doctrine. When society tells us Gw t;
to be nothing more than a hobby and tha
we should give Him up for
can look to these organizations, and sei
that they have been an anchor in this ejffir
changing society.
What these organizations have tatijth:
me is it is imperative that we kno\ty,|h<
beliefs we stand for, or we are no strange
than the beliefs we are relinquishing forth*
sake of others. My question to you
you know what you believe, or are youijhs
along for the ride going wherever gjgci
ety takes you?
Take this question seriously. It define
who you are. *•
IT
Vimal Patel is a senior math sciences major °
from Franklin. t.
VIMAI PATEL
GUEST COLUMNIST
11
JOEL WILSON