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So where does religion exist at Hamline?

Since this year is the 150th anniversary, many students are well-aware of Hamline’s beginnings; most of us know that Hamline was founded by Leonidas Hamline, a Methodist bishop.

Although it was never a school exclusively for Methodists, a century ago, the university was more conservative, said Linda Gesling, head of church relations at Hamline.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, dorm curfews and mandatory weekly chapel visits were seen as normal and part of every college student’s daily life, Gesling said. These requirements were expected of everyone, even non-Methodist students.

However, appealing to a more diverse student body has long been on the university’s mind.

“The general constituency of Hamline is too narrowly limited at the present time to the Methodist Episcopal Church,” wrote one Hamline student in a 1927 Oracle editorial. A broader base at Hamline is necessary for its survival, the student added.

The idea of changing Hamline’s religious atmosphere has always had its proponents and opponents, but such a change is inevitable, Gesling said; in the 1970s, Hamline’s religious affiliation noticeably lessened. The civil-rights movement caused upheavals in society that affected Hamline’s campus, as well as other college campuses across the nation.

Afterward, the religious diversity of the students and administration began to increase, and the changes became too large to try to ignore, Gesling said.

For Hamline, it became vital that the ideas of religion on campus were being adapted to the life situations of many of its students, said Theresa Mason, Hamline’s chaplain. The relationship between the church and university had become less restrictive, and more “give and take.”

While a large percentage of today’s students may not be closely affiliated with any particular religion at all, Hamline is still a place to find answers to questions of growth and understanding of life, Mason said.
When broken down, those questions are religious no matter when or where they are addressed, she said.
Hamline is a place to try to come to a better understanding of one’s life and purpose, to sort through the uncertainties, and to have a chance to get a taste of spirituality, but not necessarily through any particular church, Mason said.

So where is the current Methodist connection?

The connection isn’t strong, according to admission numbers. The religious affiliation of the incoming class of 2003 broke down into five main categories: 21 percent Catholic, 29 percent Protestant, 22 percent with no preference, 15 percent other and just nine percent Methodist.

Mason said although the connection may not be visible, it’s there, and it’s strong.

“Methodist values and theology esteems the act of learning to be sacred, but doesn’t tend to advertise it,” she said. “From their beginnings, United Methodists have emphasized what we do in service to our neighbor as critical; spirituality and action go hand in hand together.”

Methodist values may not always be visible on the surface, but they are the core foundation of the university and what it is founded upon. That will always be crucial to what Hamline is and what it will be in the future, Gesling said.

Trevor Maine, a Hamline student studying to be a Methodist minister, said Hamline’s diverse student body is an example of it religious side.

A clear, absolute statement on religious policies, or “Christology,” as Roman Catholic and Lutheran institutions call it, may not exist at Hamline, but spirituality exists because of the emphasis put on education, Mason said. Education may be viewed as a holistic notion to experience the many aspects of life and its allowance for exploration, she said.

Anyone can practice religion at Hamline, and if people want to avoid it, they can do that also, Maine said, although he added that it would be beneficial if Hamline did more to celebrate its Methodist connection, as long as it doesn’t impede on other students’ experiences.

Gesling said the university has worked to explore more modern ways of celebrating Hamline’s Methodist connection.

“We’re looking for a new way of relating to one another,” she said.

More universities are looking at how to incorporate a more diverse student body, and Hamline feels it is asking all the right questions, she said.

Hamline student life has opportunities for those interested in getting a taste of religion, whatever that may be. All religious student organizations are open to all students č Intervarsity Christian Fellowship,
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, United Methodist Student Movement, Word and Table, Buddhist Meditation and the Jewish Student Alliance.

Additionally, the Religious and Spiritual Life Office offers a variety of programs, from Ramadan celebrations to Christian praise bands.