It was a Friday night, Reyna Dominguez ’17 recalled, when she was in Journal Square celebrating a Hindu block party. As a Catholic, Dominguez described the celebration as having a big impact on her by strengthening her connection and appreciation of a faith not her own.
“It was fun, which is not a word you often associate with religion,” said Dominguez, smiling. “I like to be open-minded and explore new things.”
Dominguez was no stranger to experiencing a different faith firsthand. In fact, she is one of many students who have visited a variety of places of worship through the rich array of interfaith field trips co-sponsored by the Department of Theology and Office of Campus Ministry. The collaboration between the theology department and campus ministry enabled the field trip series to be offered campus-wide to all of the University community.
“You’re welcomed into these places and are able to see and feel these customs as if they are your own religion — it makes you gain a lot of respect for these cultures,” explained Dominguez. “You become more educated, which is important because you’re around people of different religions all of the time.”
Since joining the theology department, Susan L. Graham, Ph.D., associate professor of theology, helped expand the program, which currently includes six interfaith trips offered in the fall. This semester, students have visited places of worship of faiths such as Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism in the local Jersey City area. From synagogues and temples to churches and Islamic centers, this exposure allows students to better maneuver and succeed personally and professionally in a world that only continues to become more diverse.
“We’re just opening the door — we’re not answering all the questions or converting people. This is an intellectual session where we distance ourselves from our own beliefs to appreciate those of others,” explained Dr. Graham. “Sometimes students face psychological obstacles and these field trips help them to overcome being afraid of being introduced to a religion that is not their own.”
Often religious participation is described as waning among today’s young adults. However at Saint Peter’s, Dr. Graham reported an increase in student participation, which has helped create a robust, stable roster of undergraduate attendees for these interfaith trips.
“Those in their late teens are interested — they just don’t have a repertoire of approaches to follow up on their curiosities,” explained Dr. Graham. “They’re feeling their own spiritual hunger; they need to explore it a bit and they need to be validated in their exploration.”
Regardless of the place of worship, Dr. Graham emphasized the generous hospitality and warm welcome with which she and her students receive during their visits whether they are taking part in a Diwali celebration or observing the painstaking work of a Jewish scroll. She recalled one trip to an Islamic Center where an imam was brought in specifically so the students could hear the sermon in English.
Dwayne Paul ’08, assistant director of campus ministry for community service, could attest to the importance of these experiences. He recalled taking an undergraduate theology course with Dr. Graham in which he visited Temple Beth-Am in Bayonne and the St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church in Jersey City. As a theology student, it was eye-opening for Paul to experience so many places that he would often pass by on a daily basis.
“In higher education, there is a focus on how to graduate people who are competent, successful citizens in a global world,” added Paul. “These field trips give students a cool bit of access in a real way; they are seeing firsthand how they make sense of the world.”
For more information, visit saintpeters.edu/theology.