Chapel fosters religious diversity

Nestled between classrooms and University buildings is a small brick structure that resembles a cottage. A long sign in front of the building announces that it is the Helen Eakin Eisenhower Chapel.

Not many public universities foster a student's right to practice his or her faith because they advocate separation of church and state, said Thomas Poole, director of student activities. The University, though, strays from that practice.

"(Students) shouldn't have to check their religious sentiments at the gate," Poole said.

As a diversity-conscious university, Penn State attempts to promote exposure to different religions existing on campus but does not always provide all that those groups need.

Though the University is not required to provide Eisenhower Chapel, it must provide space in the HUB for religious groups who wish to practice their faith because it houses a variety of student organizations, Poole said.

But Eisenhower Chapel -- which holds offices for registered religions, an all-faith chapel and various multipurpose rooms -- does not meet the size requirements of the different groups who use the building.

Different religious organizations must be registered with the University to use facilities at Eisenhower Chapel and ensure that their activities do not interfere with Penn State's educational purposes, Poole said.

But the limited space has caused some problems.

"We are so short of room -- some people wait for four years for space for meetings," said Jim Mitchell, adviser of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Student Association.

Tuvia Abramson, director of Penn State Hillel Foundation also said there is an extreme lack of space for religious services on campus.

"The High Holiday services can't be held in the Chapel because it's just too small," Abramson said. "We use the Chapel as a major center for programming. We have students who are concerned with religious parts of life and we have to have space for them and our staff."

But Mitchell said Eisenhower Chapel is "a lifesaver" and the Mormon students he advises are grateful to have the center on campus.

"If we didn't have the chapel, we would have to go very far off campus for services. It would be very inconvenient," he said. "We use the Chapel so much for worship services, classes and other gathering times. It's great."

Pipe dreams

Poole said talk of adding a new all-faith building to the campus has surfaced, but the possibility of building it is a "pipe dream."

"It's just in the talking and dreaming stage," he said. "The proposal is not even considered in the University's 10-year plan."

This is disappointing to Frank Greco, co-president of Silver Circle, the University's Pagan student discussion group.

"It would've been nice to have it. Eisenhower doesn't provide what we need," he said.

The pews in the chapel hinder his group from forming the necessary circle practiced in most Pagan ceremonies, Greco said.

Although Silver Circle rarely holds group meetings because beliefs of individual members are so diverse, the larger meetings they do have are usually in private homes, said Co-President Rani Huber.

"I once asked for a room (at Eisenhower Chapel) for one of the holidays, but the only one available was open to the public," Huber said. "Our services need to be held in private. People can't just walk through. It would be like someone walking in in the middle of a (Catholic) mass."

Huber said she would not feel comfortable doing anything in the all-faith chapel because many Christian groups often use it.

But Poole said efforts have been made to make the chapel more inviting to non-Christian religions. "We've tried to de-Christianize it," he said.

The structure and name, however, have Christian tones.

The Protestant style of the chapel does make some Jewish students feel uncomfortable about worshipping there, Abramson said.

"My Jewish students feel strange going into the chapel because they feel it looks like a church," he said.

Mike Blumberg, co-president of Hillel Foundation, said although he does not necessarily feel uncomfortable going into the chapel, he thinks it has a Christian theme.

"The word 'chapel' symbolizes Christianity in some way," he said.

Both Abramson and Mitchell said they want Eisenhower Chapel to serve as a center for a truly all-faith community.

"My philosophy is that we are here to build a spiritual community. It's a challenge to make all groups harmonious, but I believe that one building creates a better understanding of all groups," Abramson said. "It is extremely important to promote understanding rather than hatred."

Cooperation and community

Mitchell said all groups that use the chapel are vying for the same space, but he has experienced nothing but cooperation from different faith groups. All groups at Eisenhower Chapel promote a feeling of community and belonging, Mitchell said.

Jeff Shultz, vice president of the Newman Catholic Student Group, said it is a good idea to have all faiths meet under one roof.

"I think (the Chapel) is a little small, but I don't think having separate buildings is a good idea," Shultz said.

Other faith groups expressed the desire for religious buildings of their own to be built on or near campus.

Blumberg said he would like to see such a building for Jewish students on campus.

"I would personally like to have a Hillel house on campus to get away from it all," he said. "It would be great to have a place to go and be able to separate campus life from religious life."

Mitchell also said the Mormon students would like to someday have their own facility, but for now, are appreciative of the available space at Eisenhower Chapel.

But wherever different religious groups hold services, they should not feel unwelcome to do so. Poole said the University cannot discriminate against any religion once it opens its doors to one of them.

"We're public -- either you accept everybody or you don't," he said.