Curious, that little thing called "faith". I've never been one to deride the faith of any person, or any religion. But I do often wonder why faith is so often tied to a symbol that it causes consternation in so many when the symbol becomes more important than faith itself.
I'm drawn to this question today because my law school alma mater, William and Mary, has now been put front and center in what I call the "faith wars". It was a seemingly innocent move by William and Mary's president, Gene Nichol, that has caused an uproar and a nationwide story to take hold. I found out about it in my e-mail inbox, and I'd like to share my thoughts with you (follow to the flip).
Anybody who has ever been to Williamsburg, Virginia, or the campus of William and Mary, knows that the College is steeped in tradition and history. The focal point of the campus is Wren Building, erected between 1695 and 1699. It is the oldest academic building in continuous use in the United States.
Contained within the Wren Building is the Wren Chapel. Back during the time William and Mary was founded, it had an obvious relationship to the British crown, and by extension, to the Church of England. This relationship ended around the time of the American Revolution, when the College began a relationship with the American Episcopal Church.
Of course, the formal relationship gave way some years later when the College became a public, state-funded institution. However, as part of the history of the College, the Wren Chapel remained as a non-denominational place for worship and for other functions.
Herein lies the problem: in side the Wren Chapel, and behind the altar, is the "Wren Cross", a brass cross originally commissioned in 1907for the Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg. A brief history of the Cross is given by the Bruton Parish Church historian:
Like most Episcopal churches and chapels, Bruton and Wren Chapel had no altar crosses until the gift of 1907 to Bruton of the handsome brass (not gold) cross dedicated to the Millingtons. The Millington Cross remained the focal point of worship at Bruton until the restoration of 1938-40, when the church obtained its present cross. No longer needing the Millington Cross, the church offered it to the college for use in the chapel. It has been present on the Wren Chapel altar ever since, except when removed by request.
So, the Cross does not have a long history within the Chapel proper. It has only been present since around 1940.
It hasn't been much of a story, until this past October, when the Cross was removed from the Chapel. As President Gene Nichol explained in an e-mail:
Questions have lately been raised about the use of the Wren Chapel and the cross that is sometimes displayed there.
Let me be clear. I have not banished the cross from the Wren Chapel. The Chapel, as you know, is used for religious ceremonies by members of all faiths. The cross will remain in the Chapel and be displayed on the altar at appropriate religious services.
But the Chapel is also used frequently for College events that are secular in nature--and should be open to students and staff of all beliefs. Whether celebrating our happiest moments, marking our greatest achievements, or finding solace during our most profound sadness, our Chapel, like our entire campus, must be welcoming to all.
I believe a recognition of the full dignity of each member of our diverse community is vital. For this reason, and because the Chapel is surpassing important in William and Mary's history and in the life of our campus, I welcome a broader College discussion of how the ancient Chapel can reflect our best values.
Now to me, this sounds perfectly reasonable. But of course, it is not reasonable to most, and a movement is afoot to return the cross to it's "rightful" place behind the altar. First, I received an e-mail from a current student at W&M, a Joe Luppino-Esposito, urging me to sign a petition to "save" the Wren Cross. (Never mind, of course, that the cross does not need "saving"...it's not being destroyed). Attached to the e-mail are several news articles and opinion pieces, including those by the likes of Michelle Malkin, explaining why it is necessary to save the cross. A website has been set up to save the cross, even suggesting that President Nichol will next move to eliminate all references to "God" in William and Mary's alma mater (which I for one find to be an absurd suggestion).
What raises my ire about this is that what seemed to be a seemingly innocent move to be more inclusive gets drowned out in calls of political correctness and religious discrimination. More to the point, though, is the lack of recognition that the Wren Cross is merely a symbol, and a symbol that represents not merely Christianity, but in the case of the Wren Cross, one denomination of Christianity. One wonders if Mr. Luppino-Esposito would prefer a "return" to the days when the College was tied exclusively to the Anglican Church, thus further honoring the rich tradition of the College at a time when white, protestant male land-owners were the only ones allowed to enroll and attend classes at the College.
More directly to the point, however, why is it that such consternation is causes over a symbol of faith? The Chapel still allows for all faiths to come and observe their faith, regardless of what that faith may be. That's the point of a non-denominational chapel. Why is it that one's faith must be tied to the symbol?
Faith, by nature, is stronger than a symbol. And I suggest that those in an uproar about the Wren Cross search their faith fully and strengthen their faith not through the presence of a cross, but through the power of their belief.