BY QUITTERIE GOUNOT

In print | Published September 17, 2009

In religion as much as in academics, Swarthmore remains a place where individuals are willing to explore, question and debate the big ideas of life. On Sunday, Aug. 30, new and returning students were invited to the Interfaith Open House. This event was an opportunity for students to meet representatives of various religious groups on campus. Since then, religious life has been gearing up.

Every Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m., Swarthmore Progressive Christians host “Pizza and Parable” in the Bond Common Worship Room. Joyce Tompkins, the Protestant religious advisor and Interfaith Center Director, chooses a Biblical passage for study. Participants hail from all Christian denominations and read different Biblical translations. The resulting discussions can get heated, with participants raising such controversial questions as “Did God really have a plan all along?” and addressing delicate issues relating to interfaith dialogue.

Regular Christian activities include the Swarthmore Christian Fellowship’s “Large Group,” a worship meeting with themed discussions, which meets every Friday at 7 p.m. in Kohlberg 115. Swarthmore Christian Fellowship also oversees “Small Groups” that meet to pray, talk and read Scripture virtually every day of the week all across campus. These groups are broken down by dorm locations, except for one designated especially for freshmen, but everyone is welcome to attend.

The Swarthmore Catholic Community “Newman” has Mass at 10 a.m. every Sunday in Bond Hall, and is currently developing a set of activities.

Hillel, the Jewish umbrella organization at Swarthmore, is for the upcoming Jewish High Holy Days, a ten-day holiday period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. The main Jewish event is the weekly Shabbat service held every Friday night at 6:45 p.m. in the Bond Common Worship Room. Participants—some Jewish and some not—gather in celebration to usher in the Sabbath with ritual songs and prayers, mostly in Hebrew. It is a time to reflect on spiritual topics like the importance of maintaining traditions or the cyclical nature of life. After the service, there is a dinner in Bond Hall with more opportunity to socialize with fellow group members.

The Muslim community at Swarthmore is currently observing Ramadan, a month-long fasting period. The Muslim Students Association held a Ramadan dinner this past Sunday, Sept. 13. Through a panel of personal testimonials, students and professors shared their joys and difficulties relating to the Ramadan experience, both here and abroad.

Nida Atshan ’12 said, “We don’t just observe Ramadan because God wants us to…We do it because we want to. It brings families and friends together. It allows us to take a step back from everyday life and makes us more grateful for what we have.” After the panel, those who had fasted during the day were invited to break the fast with a rich dinner, and with non-fasters from a variety of faith backgrounds.

These groups represent only a limited sampling of religious life at Swarthmore. There is a Society of Friends (Quaker) meeting every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the Whittier House. Groups representing the Ba’hai, Hindu and Buddhist communities at Swarthmore also meet on campus. The frequency and nature of groups’ events vary, but all are dedicated to a similar spiritual quest for truth and understanding. They reflect the great diversity of thought and belief thriving at Swarthmore.
Religion fills in the greater intellectual dialogue essential to Swarthmore. Professor Helen Plotkin of Hebrew for Scriptural Study, commented on the dual aspect of religion as both a “spiritual and intellectual pursuit”. “The great thing about Swarthmore is that you can take any personal interest and make it academically rounded,” Plotkin said. Benjamin Dorfman ’12 added that “even outside [the Swarthmore bubble] religion plays a part in a large percentage of people’s decisions every single day.”

All religious events on campus are open to people of all faiths or lack thereof.

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