Although the majority of the Andover student body identifies with a specific religion, faith often finds itself lost in the background of conversations on our campus. The 2014 Strategic Plan demonstrated this most recently, as it did not include any mention of religion. The Andover community must be more welcoming towards the prospect of religious discussion, and the student body needs to let go of many misguided preconceptions regarding people of faith. Students should not forget that one’s self-identification as a member of a certain religious group does not necessarily translate into a full acceptance of any or all doctrines in any given system.
Even though religion may not prove to be an essential element of every student’s life — it does not in my own, as I am Atheist — it certainly holds considerable value for religious students on campus. It is quite common for people to care more strongly about how their religions define their relationship with the divine than the social rules and roles with which it may necessitate the believers to conform. When considered solely in a spiritual context, religion may even act strengthen the bonds within a community and provide mental healing and peace.
Religious belief often possesses the potential to positively impact individuals’ lives not only on a personal level, but also on a communal level. Since religion can deeply affect a great number of people’s lives and shape their collective consciousness, it is, in fact, an important asset to the cultural diversity and richness of Andover. Therefore, although there is a wide distribution of religious and non-religious students at Andover, the entire community can benefit from taking a closer look at how religion is perceived on campus and whether or not it gets the attention that it deserves.
Despite the fact that not all students practice a religion at Andover, it is still important to recognize and demonstrate due respect to those students for whom religion matters dearly and occupies a substantial portion of their identity and life. Rather than ignoring the topic, it would be beneficial for the Andover community to engage in conversations regarding religion — whether that be questioning, disagreeing or learning more about it any specific faith. The more frequently both faith and religion receive attention and become the topic of general conversations, the easier it will be for us to deconstruct the stereotypes that diminish the importance of religious conversations and make students of faith feel uncomfortable.
