2008 Woodie Awards
A crisis of faith
Among other college transitions, a student's religion can also be called into question
By: Kate Snyder
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Campus
When coming to college, the obvious changes include dorm life, new classes, a new town and different food. But for some students, many of these transitions can impact their religion as well.
One of the biggest differences between practicing religion at college and during high school is the lack of parental influence.
"The main thing is once a student comes to college, he or she has a decision whether or not to continue on with their faith and make it their own," said Ryan Rahrig, president of Creed on Campus, a Catholic organization.
They need to understand why it's important for them, Rahrig said. They need more than just somebody telling them it's good for them.
And everybody practices faith differently.
Some flourish by joining organizations and getting deeply involved socially. Others might choose to only attend formal church worship, while others might not even participate in organized religion.
"They could be raised in a strict religious background and reject all of that," said Jeremy Wallach, a former adviser of Hillel, a Jewish organization.
For those who choose to continue with their practices, they also have to adjust to a new congregation.
"The network they have at home has to be extended or rebuilt when they come to college," said Bishop Craig McClanahan of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.
Socials and activities organized by a church or group can help take the place of the role of the parental support, McClanahan said, but also "hopefully for most of them the parental involvement continues, but is just long distance."
Another big difference that could impact students' religion in college is time.
There are so many conflicting demands on students' time and energy that they have to decide how to invest their effort and figure out what to take seriously, Wallach said.
There's a lot of pressure to achieve academically, and making money is another concern that might not have been so important before.
One of the biggest differences between practicing religion at college and during high school is the lack of parental influence.
"The main thing is once a student comes to college, he or she has a decision whether or not to continue on with their faith and make it their own," said Ryan Rahrig, president of Creed on Campus, a Catholic organization.
They need to understand why it's important for them, Rahrig said. They need more than just somebody telling them it's good for them.
And everybody practices faith differently.
Some flourish by joining organizations and getting deeply involved socially. Others might choose to only attend formal church worship, while others might not even participate in organized religion.
"They could be raised in a strict religious background and reject all of that," said Jeremy Wallach, a former adviser of Hillel, a Jewish organization.
For those who choose to continue with their practices, they also have to adjust to a new congregation.
"The network they have at home has to be extended or rebuilt when they come to college," said Bishop Craig McClanahan of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.
Socials and activities organized by a church or group can help take the place of the role of the parental support, McClanahan said, but also "hopefully for most of them the parental involvement continues, but is just long distance."
Another big difference that could impact students' religion in college is time.
There are so many conflicting demands on students' time and energy that they have to decide how to invest their effort and figure out what to take seriously, Wallach said.
There's a lot of pressure to achieve academically, and making money is another concern that might not have been so important before.
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JFD
posted 4/11/08 @ 4:19 AM EST
Students may discover that they only prctice a religion because their parents taught them, because their parents taught them etc. Some of thewisdom imparted in higher education may be the realization that religion is a crutch for those that cannot handle life on their own. (Continued…)
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