Students from dozens of colleges converged at the University Thursday for an innovative four-day conference of collegiate interfaith councils.
Sponsored by the Religious Life Council, "Coming Together: A venture across religious boundaries" has brought together 75 students from 25 universities across the country.
"[This event] is something completely new and exciting," said Rabia Ali '04, student coordinator for the conference, adding that there was an overwhelming response from university groups interested in discussing issues regarding faith on college campuses.
This weekend will be an opportunity for various interfaith councils to discuss ideas and issues that have arisen in their own programs, said Paul Raushenbush, associate dean of religious life.
"The hope is that there'll be a loose federation of interfaith councils," he said, as this event is the first time that interfaith councils from different schools have come together.
Speakers this weekend will include religion professor Jeffrey Stout and Steve Waldman, founder and editor-in-chief of Beliefnet.com. The conference will also feature religious services, discussions on being religious on a college campus and a workshop on running interfaith councils.
Religious groups on campus will also participate, including the Center for Jewish Life, which is hosting a Shabbat service and dinner for the conference on Friday night.
In addition to organizing the multi-university event, Princeton's Religious Life Council is also promoting communication between different interfaith groups by starting an intercollegiate journal of religious life.
Both Ali and Raushenbush discussed the need for interfaith councils to provide a comforting atmosphere for religious students on campus.
"One of the biggest challenges [in being religious] is being able to be yourself. One of the problems is, on a secular campus, in order for that to happen, you need to be healthily challenged," Ali said. "You need to have an environment where people are able to talk to each other.'
The Religious Life Council at the University holds meetings that bring together students from 12 religious backgrounds to discuss their beliefs and plan campus events.
"It's a way for student religious leaders to create a positive religious atmosphere on campus . . . [and] a great way to ensure that Princeton has a positive relationship among religions," Raushenbush said.
He hopes that students will come away from this conference with a wider perspective on the role of interfaith councils on university campuses.
"I think this is going to be the start of a major trend in universities in the country, so we're kind of on the cutting edge of that trend and it'll be a great opportunity for all of us to learn from one another," he said.
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