Azusa, California
2020
To study the experience of students of color in chapel programs at Christian colleges and universities, and to assess the influence of chapel worship practices on the stated goals of these institutions with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Researcher(s): Nate Risdon
Academic Discipline: Research Study
Project Summary
The purpose of this study was to examine how Christian college campuses that have adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion statements integrate the tenants of these statement into the discourse of their chapel and worship. We looked at five different Christian colleges and universities around the country who required students to attend their chapel service online during the pandemic. These chapel services were also available for public consumption and easily accessible. The study will shed light on the influence of the larger institutional culture and traditions and how these affect what is considered normative and acceptable discourse in the context of chapel. Results from this study will have practical implications for chapel programs.
What questions have you asked about worship in the past year? List at least two questions that have generated theological reflection and have helped shape your project.
How are the stated DEI statements for an ecumenical Christian college or university integrated into the worship practices of chapel? How have chapels responded to the significant national discourse around race and social justice? Are chapels acknowledging the collective pain and lament of students, staff, and faculty in their community? Do chapel leaders know how to respond appropriately. Does remaining silent on social justice issue have an unintended, yet significant impact?
In what ways has or will your project strengthen the worship life of congregations?
In previous studies, students of color have described experiencing a lower level of a sense of belonging than White students (Johnson et al., 2007). Chapels on Christian campuses can perpetuate microaggressions through messages that exacerbate a lack of a sense of belonging (Kim, Kendall, and Bau, 2021). If a sense of belonging and spirituality is important for college students’ success, then understanding the chapel experiences of students of color is critical for institutional leaders to make the necessary changes in their chapel programs. Such changes can create a worshiping community that fosters spiritual health for all of the students that enter. Leaders must have significant theological understanding for why this work is important.
What have been your greatest challenges (or challenging opportunities)
The Covid pandemic was a significant challenge for us. Mid-study, we had to change our entire research design as we had planned to do a comparative study that required travel to visit campuses. Also, the analysis of discourse of these chapel services is helpful, but can only go so far. We recommend that a future study interview members of chapel teams and students at the colleges and universities we focus on in this study. This can give great depth or potentially challenge our findings.
What advice would you like to share with other Teacher-Scholars?
We believe that there is a great need to study the intersection of race and faith in these tumultuous and somewhat unprecedented times. We believe that this study will highlight the ways in which a chapel program in a Christian higher education institution, through its polity, theology, and worship practices, can open students to broader understanding of the beauty and complexity of their and others’ identity in Christ.
Additionally, we believe that this study will help chapel leadership better understand how to effectively and pastorally lead an increasingly diverse student population. We also believe that much work needs to be done in many Christian institutions to more effectively, transparently, and humbly address social justice.
What products will emerge from your project?
We plan to publish our findings in a peer reviewed journal. We would also like to publish an article in a more mainstream publication directed at Christian higher education leadership. We are also open to developing supplementary materials such as workshops or seminars delivered in person and online that will train chapel leadership to conduct localized analysis on their chapel programming.