Editor's note: Jan Fuller is Elon University's chaplain, and is not a staff member for The Pendulum. Her views represent her own.
You likely know that Elon has multi-faith initiative, and commitment, as part of our strategic plan to an “unprecedented commitment to diversity.” You may also believe that it has nothing to do with you. I’ve been having conversations, lately, with members of our community who wonder if only those of smaller or even “exotic” religions constitute our multi-faith interests.
Let us begin this new academic year with some clarity, inclusion and communication.
The Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual life is one of the programmatic centers that takes part in our multi-faith work. Our physical hub is the Numen Lumen Pavilion. We have three simple goals, articulated by Edna Truitt Noiles: "The Truitt Center enables members of the Elon University community to learn about their own and other faiths, and to live lives of reconciliation."
These three goals lead our work:
To help our community explore, understand, and deepen commitments to the religion, spirituality, tradition, or worldview perspective of their choosing; to help our community know and understand religious and world view traditions that are different from their own; and, to help our community engage across lines of difference, in order to make a difference in the world.
It might be easy to ignore the first, but it’s where we all begin, and where I focus in this column! Most students come to university with an inherited loyalty to a tradition or faith given to you by birth or family. One of the developmental goals of young adulthood is to clarify what our “religions” will be, what our deepest convictions are, and what we will do about any of them.
So our priority is to help you discover, explore, more deeply understand, and take ownership of your faith. Whatever your tradition we aim to encourage your knowledge and practice. We won’t make you something you’re not. We want you to be a rooted and good at who you are and choose to be.
As you can see, Christians — who are still a majority at Elon — are included in this. There are many ways to be Christian. At the Truitt Center, we have 11 different ministries that come from a Christian point of view. Each is unique, honorable, and faithful. We want you to see and know them. Other religious perspectives within the Truitt Center include Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Secular, and Interfaith. If your perspective is secular, or if you are on a search for what fits, then this includes you too. Whatever your mindset and point of view, we want you to be part of our conversation.
Rumi, the Sufi mystic, wrote:
“Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come.” This my invitation to you as well. Share the journey with us!
It begins with you—your questions, joys, and commitments!
Read more about recent changes to the Truitt Center
Chaplain Jan Fuller can be reached at jfuller3@elon.edu. Contact truittcenter@elon.edu to receive a weekly newsletter describing opportunities or to request more information about programs, ministries, or student organizations.