Hidden In Plain Sight: Non-Christians at ACU

“I won’t fit in.”

 

“My parents don’t know.”

 

“My friends will try to convert me.”

 

“I feel ashamed.”

 

These are sentiments of several students who do not identify as Christian and are on campus. According to the chapel office’s 2022 end-of-year survey, 7% of the ACU student body comes from a different or no faith tradition. It is easy as a Christian to walk around ACU’s campus and feel a sense of community knowing most of the people you run into at the Bean, in the residence halls or in your classes, believe in the same God and Bible as you. The challenge is greater when your beliefs are countercultural to the university you attend. Wanting to fit in, find community, and be loved and accepted is part of the human experience.

 

To not be a professing Christian on campus is countercultural. In fact, several students asked to interview for this article declined because they feared if they publicly acknowledged they were not Christian they would suffer repercussions socially and perhaps also academically. The university does not intentionally separate these students, but nonetheless, many express feelings of isolation.

 

One way ACU tries to build community is through chapel. However, this experience does not feel like the celebratory praise day Friday to those who do not believe the same. Moody chapel is filled with a buzz of students talking about classes, relationships and if the lunch line for the Bean will be egregiously long. Once worship begins, singing and dancing fill the coliseum but look up to the top of the seating. You will find people on their phones, talking or sleeping. When praying, some students are wringing their hands, shifting their weight uncomfortably from foot to foot, and looking around desperately trying not to stand out. Everybody’s engagement with chapel looks different. The experience of someone who is not Christian includes hiding in plain sight.

 

Often, people will grow tired of hiding and find themselves in Cyrus Eaton’s office where a blue chair welcomes students from all walks of life to sit and ask hard questions about Christianity and belonging. “To the students who are coming from a tradition that's not Christian, I would say we're really glad they're here, and the opportunity for us to learn and grow with them and from them is really important to who we are becoming as people with convictions of Christian values and who desire to follow Jesus,” says Eaton. Those working in the chapel office are not attempting to reject those of other traditions. In fact, they are encouraging the community to learn from one another.

 

Learning, specifically in the classroom, can be another intimidating component of an ACU education for those who are not Christian – specifically in Bible classes. With the required five courses, some students may feel like the ask is too much of non-Bible majors. Once in these classes, non-Christian students can feel overwhelmed. Dr. Chris Flanders, a professor in the Graduate School of Theology, says to his students, “You will always have respect in this class, and none of my classes are aimed at converting you. I will never use my position of professor power to call you out, to embarrass you, to belittle your ideas.” This eases the fear of many students.

 

A resource available to those who are still fearful or feeling lost is SOAR – Student Opportunities, Advocacy and Resources. This program creates a safe environment for students to discuss challenges and connect them to resources, according to their website. These resources include help finding community. SOAR coordinator Ashley Hemphill recommends “finding a small group that is about something that you’re interested in or people you enjoy being with.” Some small group chapels are focused on those who want to know more about other faith traditions as well as diving into Christianity which can be found through the chapel office. “There are going to be people we experience every day who are different, but they can be the most influential people we can meet,” says Hemphill.

 

According to Flanders, a large population of students are in limbo of not entirely agreeing with Christianity, but they are not ready to step away. “College is a time where lots of people are either experimenting and flexing into a new identity and sometimes that involves God,” says Flanders. Learning independence and thinking for oneself is part of the college experience. Eaton says, “For those who are struggling with their Christian tradition or faith, my encouragement to them would be you are not alone.”