A group of Augustana University students gathered in solidarity, sitting in a circle and chanting prayers from their respective faiths one after the other, to commemorate the official reopening of the interfaith hall.
Students covered their heads with scarves as a sign of respect for the sacred space, while symbols of different non-Christian religions surrounded them, adding color and vibrancy.
The opening of the interfaith hall, located in the Morrison Commons building at Augustana College, took place on February 28 and was intended as a revival of sorts. It was a marked moment of healing after a traumatic moment that occurred in January 2023, when the sacred space was confiscated by the administration without the consent or knowledge of the council.
In December 2022, the hall was stripped of its religious symbols and sacred texts for a brief period, with its identity as an interfaith space symbolically removed for this period. The lack of respect with which the sacred objects were handled reflects the students’ lack of religious and spiritual freedom, according to previous Argus Leader report.
While students were assigned the interfaith room to January 2023the opening held in February was intended to officially reclaim ownership of the space and its symbolization of students’ freedom to practice their traditions and religiosity without interference.
The event was hosted by the Augustana College Interfaith Council, a student-led group dedicated to elevating the voices of non-Christian faiths on campus. The group, representing five religions, is made up of Isha Hooda and Ashirvad Sharma of Hinduism, Raleigh Lunderman of Native American faith, Avneet Tiwana of Sikhism, Nasteho Abdi, Mariam Alinizi and Maya Madson of Islam and Michael Schmidt of Christianity.
“Being part of the interfaith council has allowed me to learn about different religions,” said Hooda, council president. “And also, I think it’s a really good way to create a sense of belonging on campus, when people feel like they have a place to be every week.”
The opening of the Interfaith Room began with the Native American smudging ritual to purify the atmosphere of the room, followed by a circle of prayers and intentions shared by everyone. The end was the recitation of a Sikh prayer for a new beginning, what this reopening meant for the hall.
“I’m very grateful to the students who came before us to help us create this space, and I’m very grateful to the students we have here,” said interfaith chaplain Jen Dreiske, who is of the Jewish faith and serves as an interfaith chaplain. board supervisor. “I am grateful to the administration and faculty who understand the importance of how interfaith work brings a sense of belonging and connection.”
How long has the Interfaith Room existed?
The interfaith reflection room, first created in 2017 with resources from the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), was one of the first stops in Augustana’s interfaith journey over the past decade, documents show of Augustana Interfaith History.
The interfaith conversation at Augustana began in 2014 when two Christian students at Campus Ministry approached me and expressed their desire to learn more about religions other than their own, said campus senior pastor Ann Rosendale, who is supervisor of the board. This led Augustana to form a relationship with IFYC, now known as Interfaith America, a Chicago-based nonprofit.
As the conversation grew, numerous organizations were founded along the way, documents show. Better Together was founded as an official student organization in 2015 and Open Minds was created in 2016 to represent non-religious worldviews.
It was in fall 2021 that the Interfaith Council became a separate body, a year after Augustana saw its first non-Christian students serve as interfaith leaders.
The Interfaith Council and its impact
As the reach and impact of the interfaith counseling group grew, the addition of meditation rooms and interfaith rooms, the arrival of an interfaith chaplain on campus, and the change in the brand name to “Campus Ministry” in “Office of Faith and Spiritual Life” are some of the projects. many changes have been noted.
“I think the Interfaith Council is a sign of hope. “It’s a sign that the university is more willing to listen to all students on campus who may not be Christian,” said Tom King, former board member and current member of the Better Together group. “It (also) worries me sometimes, because when religious groups have to work with the board of directors of an institution, there can be conflicts. So I was interested to see how the new generation of interfaith council members handle these frictions.
The council’s most recent victory was the students’ trip to Blaine, Minn., in January of this year to consult with Augustana’s doctor of physical therapy department about an interfaith room. The trip was an enriching learning experience during which they visited many places of worship belonging to different religions, the students said.
“It was humiliating. And it was humbling on so many levels,” said Dreiske, who accompanied the students on the trip. “It was humbling to realize what you don’t know and realize that you want to be curious and you want to get it right.”
Religious learning continues to take place through new weekly discussions called “Chai and Chat” where students learn about a different religion each week, as well as celebrations of religious holidays on campus. The council is also currently working to introduce an “interfaith week” on campus to increase awareness and recognition of the group.
“We partner with other organizations on campus to host events because we believe religious holidays can help create a sense of belonging on campus,” said Hooda, who proposed the idea of “Chai and Chat.” “We’re actually planning to have an interfaith festival, hopefully this summer.”
The collective goal of the council is to actively create a space for conversations about non-Christian faiths and celebration of their practices within an Evangelical Lutheran Church institution. It’s about understanding and understanding how their religious beliefs fit into the larger picture of diversity in the world, especially as they each continue to learn more about religions different from their own, a Schmidt said.
“To me, it shows a sign of unity, that all these different religions and spiritualities on campus can come together. I think it’s really powerful,” said Alinizi, a member of the Interfaith Council. “I enjoy educating other students on campus, because we go to a Christian university (and) most people aren’t used to seeing these different religions and cultures.”
What’s next for the Interfaith Council?
Alinizi said she wanted to bring more attention to the Muslim Student Association, an organization created in 2017 during President Donald Trump’s administration’s “Muslim ban,” because it is a another group strictly associated with religion. Similarly, Tiwana, also a board member, said she wants to bring more Sikh traditions and festivals to campus because Sikhism is not as represented among students as Hinduism and Islam.
Hooda and Schmidt reiterate the council’s goal of creating long-term event calendars and timelines to follow, which would list a concrete set of celebrations and the resources needed to carry them out. Lunderman, for his part, spoke of wanting to create a sort of multicultural center, which would have divisions so that each religion would have its own representation.
“A space where we can have a section to ourselves, but also be collective with each other when we need to be,” Lunderman said.
