“My mom made sure I attended [Islamic] Sunday school every Sunday where you learn of the stories in the Quran,” she said. “I grew up with a Quran in the house; we had a sign of God in every room. I had a teacher come two to three times a week to teach me how to read in Arabic.” Despite being born a Muslim, she didn’t truly embrace the faith until she was an undergraduate. IFC Vice President Andrew Goldsmith said he grew up in a religious household. “My Mom was Christian Scientist, but she was also very eclectic in her faith,” Goldsmith said. “From a very early age, I was exposed to Christianity, Hinduism, Mystical Islam, [and other] Eastern religions. I didn’t feel particularly drawn to any religion back then besides Christianity, but I knew and was aware about the other ones.” However, as a teenager, Goldsmith said he didn’t think about religion. When he was older, after experiencing feelings of faith that he wouldn’t
Who are we?
Courtesy of Al Sturgeon Unity in Diversity | People of all different faith backgrounds make up the Interfaith Council at the School of Law. The group explores how to nurture a diversity of faiths at a Christian university. classify under any religion, he decided to become an atheist. “Religious faith continues to be one of the driving engine of world progress [and even] world destruction. Everything,” Goldsmith said of the Council’s importance. “Religion
is diffused in everything, I mean, even in the modern era where a lot of people in the West are ‘losing their faith.’ It’s been around longer than philosophy, longer than science and way longer than Facebook. It’s very important.” C
Other Non-Christian = 1.3% Episcopal = 1.4% WE ARE THE (NOT QUITE) 1 PERCENT
Orthodox = 1% Evangelical Free = 0.8% 7th Day Adventist = .5% Islamic = .5% Jewish = .5% Latter Day Saint = .4% Hindu = 0.4% Congregational = .3% Assembly of God = .3% United Methodist = .3% Church of God = .2% United Church of Christ = >.1% Buddhist = >.1% Unitarian Church = >.1%
Methodist = 2.2% Protestant = 2.6% Lutheran = 2.8% None = 3.1%
Christian Church = 4.8%
Baptist = 6.8%
Catholic = 16% Presbyterian = 7.9% Other Christian = 15.7% Undeclared = 15.5%
Church of Christ 13.4%