UNIVERSITY OF NEBR.
LIBRARY
The writers against re
ligion, whilst they oppose
every system, are wisely
careful never to set up any
of their own.
Edmund Burke
JUL 201965
. Religion, una not
atheism, Is the true remedy
Urn ...m.UUm ARCHIVE-
I .-0-1 .l..-'4
. Edmund Burke
Tuesday, July 20, 1965
Lincoln, Nebraska
No. 6
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CamBii
jneiigio
n Dyin
g or Changing?
By Priscilla Mulling
The Church to the college student appears like the
preying mantis it seems to be sincere in its reverence,
but the student fears that it is really waiting to grab him
and drag him into its stale, musty traditions, forever to
stifle him.
The Church, realizing this attitude of students is mak
ing a concerted effort to minister to the needs of the Uni
versity of Nebraska student today.
The campus ministers at the University campus today
generally agree that religion' is not dying at the campus
although It is undergoing a change. This change possibly
accounts for the impression of a slow death of the church
In the lives of the college student.
Methodist Viewpoint
The Methodist viewpoint for the University was ex
pressed by Rev. Duane Hutchinson, of the Wesley Founda
tion. "The church is changing," he said, "but anything
that's alive must change."
The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson said that a differentiation
must be made in considering whether or not religion is
dying. That differentiation takes in the definition of reli
gion. The first definition he suggested was that of the de
votional aspect of religion. This aspect, which includes the
traditions and services of the church, is changing, he
said.
The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson's second definition of reli
gion envisions it as man's ultimate concern that which
a man loves most.
If defined in these terms, he said, religion is very
much alive. "There is actually a revival along this line
of thought."
"There is intense concern with social problems today
centering around theological issues, the cosmological
revolution and the nature of the universe. These questions
are causing increased interest," he said.
The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson said that the student reli
gious center at the university, while it used to be a place
of protection from the "Godless university," is now a place
for recreation, for study groups, for drama groups, for
choir or theological study.
The campus church today is concerned with religion
as an inter-personal relationship, he said. The emphasis
Is on man learning how to talk to other men. The Wesley
Foundation conducted a 'Seminar in Dialogue during this
past school year for that reason, he said.
The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson went on to say that the
"church Is alive today as never before. Man is forgiving his
fellow man and overcoming prejudice. That's why we sent
students to Alabama; that's why students are going out in
greater numbers than ever before to work in the mission
field."
The idea of a Department of Religion at the Univer
sity is favorable, according to The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson,
because "the University has a responsibility to do research
in and to teach every significant discipline of man."
The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson said that a problem arises
here because the Nebraska State Constitution allows no
state support for any sectarian group. "But a Department
cf Religion wouldn't have to be sectarian," he said. "It
should be an objective study of religion as a factor in the
life of man. It ought not to be controlled by or work for
the benefit of religious groups," he said.
Of the 'anti-Christian' professor who lets his feelings
enter into his class lectures, The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson
had this to say:
"Whether this is good or bad depends quite a bit on
the integrity of the professor. Every man's position is a
faith.
"I'm suspicious of any man who's too much of an
evangelist," he said. "I think we have more to fear in the
man who is nominally a Christian, but doesn't practice his
Christianity, than in the man who is frank about his posi
tion." The Rev. Mr. Hutchinson added that "I have a fair
amount of confidence in the students. The brightest stu
dents will say 'back this up' when confronted with an anti
Christian statement
"Many students need to have doubts raised," he con
tinued. "Anyone who blissfully accepts the seven-day Crea
tion needs to have some doubts raised.
"The value of the Bible is not in the historical accur
acy, but in the confession of a faith," he said.
Catholic Viewpoint
Speaking from the Catholic view, The Rev. Raymond
Haine, director of the Catholic Student Center on the cam
pus said that he, too, felt the Church is undergoing a
change.
Father Ilaine said that for the Catholic student this is
resulting in a real awareness of religion and its role in
their lives. "They are trying to get away from the in
stitutionalized approach to Catholicism," he said, "in the
sense that they're not looking for the traditional position,
but asking rather, what it should be."
Father Haine was quick to add that because of this,
today there is a "more vibrant and dynamic Catholicism
than we've had in a long time."
He said that the change that is taking place in the
Catholic Church was needed. "It was so comfortable resting
on a set of doctrines," he said. "Actually, we can never
say we arc right, only that we are searching. Maybe canon
law ought to be looked at again."
He added that if this change had not begun to take
place, "the Catholic Church would have died and never
known the reason for its death. The people would have
still come, but there would have been something missing,"
he said.
He said he was not sure what form a Department of
Religion should take, but added that the University "needs
it"
"The students have an influence on our society and
culture," he said, and should be allowed to learn such an
important aspect of their culture.
The college student today Is seeking religion which will
be meaningful In the context of medern life.
Father Haine said of the influence of the 'anti-Christian'
professor, "The students are intelligently critical. Just
because one man says it, doesn't mean he's molding their
minds."
He added that "most of our professors at the Univer
sity are not this way, but unless we have people to chal
lenge the beliefs of the past, we learn nothing. They ac
tually do us a service in getting us to think," he said.
"In some ways our youth today are more religious,"
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The college student today is seeking a religion which
will be meaningful in the context of modern life.
he said. "They are willing to go out and join the Peace
Corps, where previously all we thought about was the
strictly institutionalized Church."
JJCCF Viewpoint
The Rev. Dr. Alan Pickering, director of the United
Campus Christian Fellowship (UCCF), said that religion
is dying "If we mean the old sentimental 'I'll walk in
the garden alone' kind of religion. And for this we can all
rejoice."
The scientific revolution and the new morality have
killed off the chance for it to be meaningful to the students,
he said.
However, he said, if you mean by religion an involve
ment with the world the student lives in, this is not dying,
but realizing increases in those participating in it. He
cited as examples the Peace Corps involvement and the
concern today over equal justice for all.
He said that religion as a set of legalisms is dead.
The do's and don'ts and the rigid unchangeability is dying,
he said. "There is no universal ethic. There is a contextual
ethic, but no universal. This kind of absolute just isn't
being lived by any student I know," he said.
The Rev. Mr. Pickering cited four reasons for the ex
istence of a Department of Religion at the University.
First, he said, religion is one of the facts of existence.
It is man's attempt to relate himself to that which is ulti
mate. "The University can't pretend to offer a liberal edu
cation unless it offers all the facts of life," he said.
"This implies that the University would not teach reli
gion, but rather teach about religions It teaches about the
Isms, not the actual Isms."
His second reason was that religion is a fact of the
history of the past. "There are no people, nations or any
thought anywhere in the world where religion has not
played a significant part."
The third reason the Rev. Mr. Pickering -cited was
that men will ultimately live or die in society on the basis
of their ethical systems, and all ethical systems are based
on religion. If that base isn't known, then the system of
ethics soon collapses, he said. "So if the University is
serious about turning out useful citizens, then it must have
a Department of Religion to teach religion as a base for
ethical decision-making."
The fourth reason he listed for the need for a Depart
ment of Religion is that the separation of church and state
demands it. "If the church and the state are separate, they
must be defined. You can't keep them separate if both are
not known, examined and criticized.
"To preserve this position," he said, "it is necessary
that the maximum amount of knowledge about both of
them be known to everybody."
Referring to the 'anti-Christian' professor, the Rev.
Mr. Pickering said "We learn only because of conflict.
Let all opinions be heard. Let the University be the arena
where the gladiators of the mind struggle for supremacy."
He added, "If a faith can't stand abuse, it's not worth
being held."
It has three major purposes for its existence, he said.
First, it serves to establish lines of communication and
dialogue. "The more complex the University becomes, the
more it suffers from academic schizophrenia. It needs
people whose job it is to help communication among
humans."
The second purpose is to learn as well as to teach.
"We must listen to the University, and then criticize, or
respond to it. We must be a priest to the University and
remind it what it's purpose is. We must bolster it where
it is weak, or do whatever is necessary. We must also listen
to what it has to say as a system of thought," he said.
Tha third purpose, according to the Rev. Mr. Picker
ing, is to get the University involved in the world and
not permit it to be an ivory-tower. It must involve the stu
dents in programs and service, he said.
Episcopal Viewpoint
Rev. G. H. Peek, the director of St. Marks on the
Campus, the Episcopal center at the University, expressed
some concern that Christianity has been losing ground in
the United States for the last 20 years. He said that this
trend is bound to show up on the campus.
The Rev. Mr. Peek said that the problem in the student
area is centered, to somewhat of an extent, around the
fact that the student who is 'forced' to go to church when
he is at home will tend to want to rebel when he experi
ences the freedom and independence of university life.
He said that an additional Influence appears when the
student is confronted with the 'anti-Christian' professor.
He said that with the laws as they are, the University
doesn't give any emphasis to Christianity. "The student can
learn about most other religions at the University," he
said, "but not about Christianity."
The Rev. Mr. Peek added that Cotner School of Reli
gion, which offers religion courses, is not treated as a regu
lar part of the curriculum of the University, although it is
located just across the street from the main campus.
"The University needs a Department of Religion on
campus," he said. "If we did have one, it would probably
have quite a large enrollment. The idea has been proven
out at the University of Iowa."
Because of this intrinsic teaching of religion by every
professor, there is a further need for a Department of
Religion, he said. "The basic nature of the country is
Christianity, and this should be presented as well as other
religions," he said.
The Rev. Mr. Peek added that "My great concern Is
not that Christianity will suffer by comparison I'm
afraid that it's just not going to be compared."
Missouri Synod
Lutheran
Pastor A. J. Norden, director of the University Lu
theran Chapel (Missouri Synod) said that he feels that re
ligion is basically not dying any more on the campus than
anywhere else. He said the campus trend is a picture of
the general religious situation.
The student is exercising a new liberty in being away
from home, and therefore are rebelling somewhat in not
attending church, he said.
Pastor Norden said that in 14 years of serving at the
University, his work has become more difficult because
the students have so much more to do. He attributed these
extra pressures academic and extra-curricular to
"the age we live in."
Pastor Norden added that "We live In a secularized
age and it's happening throughout society." He said that
this is always a "dangerous trend." "There is the danger
that people will lose their spiritual values with the in
creasing emphasis on material goods.
"These goods are good and worthwhile, but in abund
ance they can become gods," he said.
Continued on Page 2.
Cotner School
Offers Courses
The Cotner School of Re
ligion, located at 1237 R, al
though it is not an official
part of the University, does
work with the University in
teaching students religion
courses.
Students may earn up to
12 hours of elective credit at
the School and have it trans
ferred to their University rec
ords. The School follows the samt
schedule as the University
in terms of vacations and
hours for classes, according
to Raleigh Peterson, Jr, dean
of the School. ;
The School "functions unof
ficially as a Department of
Religion for the University,"
according to Peterson.
Support for Cotner comes
from the Disciples of Christ,
Peterson said. Teachers are
ministers from the various
churches, who teach without
pay, or are paid by the re
ligious body they represent.
A variety of courses are of
fered at Cotner e ach semes
ter, ranging from Beginning
Hebrew to the Life and Teach
ings of Jesus to the Psychol
ogy of Religion to Christian
Existentialism. Twelve
courses will be offered this
fall, but the number varies
from semester to semester,
Peterson said.
During the past year there
were 185 different students
taking courses at Cotner dur
ing the two semesters. Peter
son noted an "interesting phe
nominon." A large number of
student who profess no spe
cific religious background take
courses at Cotner. Previous
ly this group numbered about
one per cent, but it now num
bers about ten per cent.
Peterson said he thought a
Department of Religion is
"very desirable" for the Uni
versity, although interpreta
tion of the state constitution
seems to prohibit this.
"Religion ought to be a part
of the University, but where
that's not possible, the Church
has the responsibility to pro
vide it," he said.
Goulet To Appear
For Homecoming
Broadway's star of Came
lot, Robert Goulet, will be in
Lincoln for the University's
Homecoming this fall.
Goulet is scheduled to per
form for both students and
alumni.
Personality, appearance and
campus loyalty will be the
main basis for choosing th
candidates for queen. No over
emphasis will be made on ac
tivities and scholarship, ac
cording to Miss Crosier.
Crowning of the queen and
her attendants will be at a
dance in Pershing Auditorium
the week end before Home
coming. The dance music will be
provided by a combo rather
than a dance band, as in the
past.
Theatre Presents
4The Rainmaker'
The Rainmaker, an answer
to Nebraska's long, hot sum
mers, will be produced by
University Theatre on Howell
Stage August 2nd and 3rd at 8
p.m. under the direction of
Steven Cole.
The amusing, romantic
comedy written by N. Rich
ard Nash, brings into play
the conflict of a firey turmoil
invoked by a summer drought
and the simmering emotions
of a girl approaching spinster
hood. Into this teaming situa
tion strolls a Rainmaker, an
acknowledged charlatan and
con man with a promise of
rain and continued life for the
parched country and alonely
girl.
The cast for The Rainmak
er is: Phyllis Knipping from
Beatrice as Lizzie Curry;
Ross Graham of Lincoln as
Starbuck; John Guinty from
Grand Island as H.C.; Rich
ard Mahood from Kearney as
Jimmy Curry; Larry Dobbins
of Lincoln as Noah Curry;
Noel Thomas Schoenrock
from Grand Island as File;
and Everett Lawton from
Syracuse as the Sheriff.
'Allegorical Apes' Set
As Concert Highlight
Apes will be allegorically
substituted for humans in the
first part of "Incidental Mu
sic to Aldous Huxley's Ape
and Essence," which will be
presented tomorrow at 8 p.m.
in the Union Ballroom as part
of the summer school concert.
The piece was composed
by Robert Nelson, a graduate
assistant in music at the
University. Nelson will direct
four of six parts of the
piece.
Nelson's work is a satire
dealing with the Bomb and
the end of contemporary ci
vilization. He wrote it as a
movie script in the form of a
sound track.
The second book to be
played, "Dr. Poole and Loo
la," deals with the antithesis
of Christian society that
emerged in Los Angeles.
"Shelley," the last part, un
derscores the cermony which
sacrifices babies deformed by
radiation.
Summer school music stu
dents annually give a concert
following the summer session,
according to Arnold Schatz,
assistant professor of music
"We invite music faculty
and local musicians to help,"
Schatz said.
The chorus and orchestra
had previoulsy given separate
concerts, Schatz said. Each
group will present its part in
dividually but combine on one
piece this year, conducted by
Earl Jenkins, director of the
chorus.
"Toward the Unknown Re
gion," by Vaughan Williams is
described by the composer as
a "song for chorus and orches
tra." The words are from
Walt Whitman.
The chorus will sing "Cat
ulli Carmina," a pantomine.
Index to Inside Pages
CLARE MCPHEE GRADE SCHOOL, recently constructed
in Lincoln, was built with Teachers College students in mind.
For the story on the University's role in this school, see....
Page 2
THE 'FAR EAST' CAMPUS is the University College of Med
icine in Omaha. For a profile look at the College, past and
present, see
Page 3
PAHUK, HOLY HILL of the Pawnee Indians, was once speci
fied by the Nebraska Legislature as the site of the Nebraska
statecapital.For the story of this historic landmark, see....
Page 4
FROM BEEF TO RICE is the story of former Husker foot
ball star Bruce Smith. To learn the story of Smith's new rict
diet, see
Page 4
