Spiritual Life

A Message from the College Chaplain

Dear Potential Student,

The other day, while leaving college chapel I read the back of a T-shirt worn by a Bryn Athyn College student. It said, Not the most liberal, but the most liberated. It got me thinking about education in general, and about the reasons people choose to go to a particular college. I thought about my own motivations, over forty years ago, when I was first thinking about choosing a college. And I thought you might be interested...

At that time my main concern was finding a small college with a good reputation that was far away from home. The "small college" motive had to do with my love for sports. I wanted to play college football, but I knew that I would need to go to a small college in order to make the team. The "good reputation" motive had to do with my desire to "look good" by being associated with a prestigious college. And the "far away from home" motive had to do with my girlfriend: it was time to break up, but I didn't have the heart to tell her. Instead, I thought that going away to college would solve my problem!

As I look back over the years, I have to smile at the motivations of my seventeen-year-old self. Today, if I were choosing a college, my motivations would be very different. These are some of the things that I would consider:

What will the classroom experience be like? Will I be challenged to think deeply about things that matter? Will I be able to explore my thoughts with others in an atmosphere that will be engaging, encouraging, and inspiring?
What will my extra-curricular experience be like? Will I meet other young people who are also seeking to explore the spiritual dimension of their lives? Will their emphasis be on developing deep and meaningful relationships of the spirit rather than shallow and meaningless hook-ups of the flesh?
How will this college help me find my true purpose in life? Will I have opportunities to reflect on who I am as a human being and what my unique contribution to the world might be?

The T-shirt motto, Not the most liberal, but the most liberated, really made me stop and think. It not only took me back to the days when I was first applying to college, it also took me back to the days when Jesus said, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

This is really our foundation, and the essence of everything we do at Bryn Athyn College. While the truth demands moral discipline ("You shall be my disciples"), it also liberates us to become the finest people we can be ("The truth shall set you free").

To sum up: If you come to Bryn Athyn College there's a good chance that you will be able to play on our sports teams and you will be able to take advantage of our growing reputation. But more importantly, you will meet people who will bring the best out of you, and you will develop deeply spiritual friendships that will endure forever.

With best regards,

Rev. Ray Silverman
College Chaplain

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For more information about our chaplain, religious and community life at Bryn Athyn College, weekly chapel, devotional chapel services, weekly announcements, or the religious offerings of the surrounding community, please click here.

To download the chaplain's message, please click here. (PDF)