CHAPEL AND EDI
If this school existed , its approach would fall far below the strides taken by others reflected in this month ’ s Connections . Yet , this painfully thin version of inclusion represents the norm within many of our Chapel programs .
It ’ s a road paved with noble intentions . We hold a special service during February to mark Black History Month because Black Lives Matter . Diyas are lit for Diwali , reflecting our desire to open ourselves to festivals other than Christian . The Pride club leads an annual session , displaying our interest in its members ’ lived experience . Every few years , we might even invite someone to talk about how they approach life from a non-religious perspective because some of our students identify as such . Without doubt , all of this can be meaningful .
At the same time , it can also be superficial , like celebrating an elevator that runs one week a year .
Fortunately , there ’ s nothing like an intermittent elevator to remind us that our current mode of travel isn ’ t taking us where we want to go . In this case , it leads me to wonder , “ What would it take for all of these special Chapels to be thoroughly unnecessary ?”
The truth is that most of them are currently necessary because they fill an EDI gap . The Black History Month gathering is necessary because it ’ s one of the few times we explicitly celebrate Black figures and culture . We light diyas because otherwise there will likely be no other reference to Hinduism . Pride members need their moment on the platform because no other Chapel will directly reflect the LG-
“ What if elements drawn from IBPOC figures and culture regularly find a place within Chapel ?”
BTQ2 + community . Someone has to talk about non-religious approaches to life on a specific day because every other Chapel will include touchstones to belief in God , including the one featuring the atheist — a delightful irony .
Instead , what if there were no gap ? What if elements drawn from IBPOC figures and culture regularly find a place within Chapel ? What if a quote that happens to be Sanskrit sets up a message referencing a couple that happens to be of the same gender ? What if an average gathering doesn ’ t include overt religious expressions like prayers ?
Every school must approach this EDI-aware path with its own Values and Mission in mind . In sharing our journey , I ’ m not suggesting that our steps are appropriate for every school . At best , I hope they illustrate how productive a re-imagining of Chapel can be .
At SMUS , we ’ ve been navigating an EDI-aware path for 15 years . It ’ s a slow process that at times has been burdened by its own noble intentions . That being said , we ’ ve made some progress in our thoughts , if not always our actions . Here are some key understandings that have emerged .
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CSEE Connections Summer 2022 Page 13