Seeking Purpose and Understanding

This week’s topic of spirituality on the secular campus was incredibly interesting to research. The article that struck me the most was one by Peter Laurence entitled, “Can Religion and Spirituality Find a Place in Higher Education?” Although somewhat dated (1999), it really spoke to my thoughts and feelings about this concept in the life of a secular campus.

First of all, I want to express that I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that only through Him can one achieve eternal life. I respect the right of others to have their beliefs and do not believe it is right to judge those who do not share my beliefs. Having said that, there is an obvious difference between religion and spirituality. While religion generally refers to a set of beliefs and practices designed to guide the believer into a particular lifestyle, spirituality relates more to a search for a connectedness and purpose.

Peter Laurence expressed three patterns of expression as it relates to spirituality:
Spirituality as it relates more to an “inner” rather than and “outer” experience

“Whole” and “holistic” thoughts, such as seeing oneself as a part of the bigger picture, and

Having a relationship with the entire universe.

Truly, the number of definitions and concepts of spirituality you can gather will depend on how many people you survey. But once compiled, they all lead to one central theme: Going beyond a search for academic knowledge and into a quest for the meaning and purpose of life.

Parker Palmer wrote a book that anyone interested in how religion and spirituality relate to the educational setting should consider reading. The book entitled, The Courage to Teach, deals with the manner and reason why academia feels threatened by concept of spirituality and education. The answer is simple. Academia is primarily empirically based, while spirituality is completely subjective. Others fear that mixing spirituality with education will lead to curriculum skewed toward specific religious views. The reality is that spirituality (or connectedness) on the secular campus can be a very positive force in breaking down the fragmentation associated with our educational structure.

Stepping out into another area, I would like to address the concept of spirituality as it relates to religion on the secular campus. As an instructor, I am always very cautious to not to make religious references when dealing with my students. However, I hear more and more students referencing their religion to me. I believe the “diversity” concept has actually served to strengthen the Christian beliefs on the secular campus. For so many years it seemed almost taboo to even mention the word “Christian” in the academic setting. I believe the move in recent years towards a more accepting attitude of other religious beliefs, such as Muslim and Buddhism, has lead to an awakening of Christian values and expression on the secular campus. Although they have been around as long as I can remember, Christian groups are finding a rebirth on the college campus. I personally, feel this is a positive move.