According to the New York Times, America’s campuses are experiencing a religious revival.
Across the country, on secular campuses as varied as Colgate University, the University of Wisconsin and the University of California, Berkeley, chaplains, professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervor than at any time they can remember.
What’s bringing all these kids to religion? The Republican party! But not in the way that you think.
The Rev. Lloyd Steffen, the chaplain at Lehigh University, is among those who think the war in Iraq has contributed to the interest in religion among students. “I suspect a lot of that has to do with uncertainty over the war,� Mr. Steffen said.
“My theory is that the baby boomers decided they weren’t going to impose their religious life on their children the way their parents imposed it on them,� Mr. Steffen continued. “The idea was to let them come to it themselves. And then they get to campus and things happen; someone dies, a suicide occurs. Real issues arise for them, and they sometimes feel that they don’t have resources to deal with them. And sometimes they turn to religion and courses in religion.�
Sounds promising…but will Hillel catch the wave?
