The Future of Faith at St. Kate's
Every one of us has theological questions that we are grappling with. This is how theology professor Bill McDonough approaches his course, Theological Questions, every year. In the introduction of the syllabus, it says “All that is required is that you come with an open heart and mind, ready to read, discuss, and write about the questions that arise from our lives as human beings.”
In the chapter on theology in Liberating Sanctuary, a book that examines 100 years of St. Kate’s history, the St. Kate’s theology department asks themselves this: “What kind of religious pluralism or diversity should exist on campus? In campus ministry? Among administrators, faculty, and staff?” These questions grow increasingly pertinent as St. Kate’s begins to consider the various spiritual paths of the student body and think about its legacy as a Catholic institution.
Not all students at St. Kate’s are Catholic. In fact, the majority of students at St. Kate’s do not claim Catholicism as their religion. Catholic teachings, however, are an element of required courses such as The Reflective Woman and Global Search for Justice. Theology is also a requirement of St. Kate’s liberal arts coursework, although, in a theology classroom, students from any number of religious backgrounds may be present. Given St. Kate’s Catholic tradition, to what degree is the university responsible for including teachings of other spiritual viewpoints in coursework?
The hiring of a Muslim chaplain this Fall brought these questions to new light. This August, a committee decided to bring a Muslim chaplain to campus, Dr. Aysha Wazwaz, in order to help the spiritual growth of Muslim students and educate non-Muslim students about Islam.
“We are responsible for the students we have invited to this campus,” said Sister Sharon Howell, who leads the Center for Spirituality and Social Justice. Sr. Howell emphasized that Catholic Social Teaching is what drives the university’s initiative to find understanding across faith groups and that the center’s goal is to support the spiritual journey of all St. Kate’s students.
“It is because we are Catholic that we be inclusive of our community members who aren’t Catholic, and it is because we are Catholic that we being about the dear love of God without distinction” said Sr. Howell.
Other colleges and universities such as Augsburg, Hamline, Gustavus Adolphus, and Carleton have also hired Muslim chaplains within the past few years in an effort to provide support for the growing number of Muslim students on their campuses. Around 8 percent of students at St. Kate’s identify as Muslim.
Dr. Wazwaz is a renowned Islamic Studies scholar and is fluent in both Arabic and English. “Having a Muslim chaplain is an important step in order to build bridges with the Muslim community [at St. Kate’s],” said Dr. Wazwaz. She makes a point to walk around campus and be available for students to approach with any questions or curiosities they may have. She is also an important resource for Muslim students and can offer guidance and understanding. Her office is located in the Center for Spirituality and Social Justice, and she welcomes anyone to visit her in her office when she is around on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 am - 4 pm.
As they are often considered “the other” in Western society, it is not uncommon for Muslim students to be called upon to answer questions about their faith. One St. Kate’s student, Hodan Ali, (Social Work, ‘21), had this exact experience in her theology course, where she was asked about fasting practices in Islam in front of her class. “That’s probably the first time where I have to answer for a group of people. I remember one time where I froze because she asked a pretty basic question, but I didn’t expect it,” said Ali. She is grateful that the university has hired Dr. Wazwaz, because the Chaplin can provide a scholarly perspective on Islam that wasn’t previously present at St. Kate’s. Just because students are Muslim, does not mean they are scholars or experts on everything in Islam, just like a Catholic student would not be the expert voice on Catholicism.
Taking theology is an integral part of getting a St. Kate’s education, and at least one course is required for an undergraduate degree. For many, it will be the first time they have a religious studies class, and this can be eye-opening. “I think the actual class of theology is really important because it is how we broaden our perspectives and understanding of different stories and belief systems. When it’s done wrong is when it is dangerous and incites trauma which students already experience because of their religion,” said Rita Van Der Puije (ASL Interpreting, ‘20).
In our talk, Dr. Wazwaz quoted an Arab proverb, “Learn a language, and you’ll avoid a war.” She strongly believes that more dialogue across religious disciplines will help dispel many of the misunderstandings that have been perpetuated through political discourse and through the media. Even textbooks on Islam written in English can get things wrong. “A lot of stereotypical images are passed down in the scholastic materials,” said Wazwaz. “Many times, the Western academia usually talks about the negative images of Islam, but doesn’t talk about what Islam believes.”
Ali has also encountered these deragatory images of Islam, especially since the 2016 election and appointment of Donald Trump as president. “Because of the political environment, people have a hard time defending Islam, and because of the media’s job of portrating it in all these movies and games as Muslims as this one group of people when in fact, most Muslims don’t even live in Arab countries! Most live in Asia. There is so much diversity in the Muslim world,” said Ali.
Dr. Wazwaz believes that a Muslim chaplain position at St. Kate’s will also bring about more understanding about what Islam really stands for among people who are not familiar with the religion’s principles. Religious study is a way to find similarities among seemingly disparate belief systems and cultures.“The differences will create those divisions. When you focus on the similarities, you will be surprised,” she said.
The hiring of a Muslim chaplain goes along with other efforts to be more inclusive of different faith backgrounds and theologies. The theology department is currently looking to hire a new faculty person that specializes in liberation theologies, including Black, Womanist, Asian, Native American, and Latinx theologies.
“St. Kate’s is in a better place to help tradition in a way [tradition] doesn’t know it needs” said McDonough about the university’s legacy. It seems, then, that by having interfaith dialogue, St. Kate’s is leading the way for religious pluralism. At the end of our interview, McDonough handed over a quote by the writer Jacques Dupuis, a Belgian Jesuit theologian who investigated the relationship between Christianity and other faiths and advocated for the practice of religious pluralism.
“If, however, religion and the religions originate in a self-manifestation of God to human beings, the primary foundation for the principle of multiplicity is the super-abundant riches and variety of God’s self-manifestation to humankind... Religious pluralism in principle is then based on the immensity of God who is Love and communication”.
Communication across religious faiths is important to the theology department, and the hiring of a Muslim chaplain is a step forward to build bridges with the Muslim community.
