Christianity on campus Dutch research of theologians Tempelman en de Bruijne (2014) states that Christian students live in two separate realities: the environment in which they grew up, and their student community. These students struggle to unite these two realities. Next to this, it’s important for students with a religious background to realize that the content of their study may be contrary to their beliefs. The question is: can they handle these dilemmas? We asked Henkjan van Dijk, a religious Law freshman, about his experiences. Henkjan was brought up with Protestantism, a branch of Christianity.
I’m not super strict, not Reformatory, but I am someone who wants to follow the precepts of the Bible.
Are you an active part of a religious community? Or a religious student association? Right now, not really, because of corona. At first I did join the categesation at the church, but that all kind of got diluted over the years. I used to go to church every Sunday, voluntarily, because I’m eighteen now. So in that sense you could say that normally I would go to “I don’t church, if there was no really corona.
feel like a student at heart.”
How strict are you in your religion compared to others of your faith? I always find that difficult. In some ways I’m very liberal, so I’m someone who might cuss someone out and just mean it in a funny way, but there are some things that I’m really strict about. It’s not like I’ve never once said something by accident, but basically I’m strictly against blasphemy.
How do you combine your studies and your religion? I definitely don’t work on a Sunday. Studying is just something I don’t really see as work. On Saturdays I go running and work, so I often don’t have the energy to be busy with school. This all has a reason,which I learned from a pastor and Paul also says it in the Bible: the Ten Commandments exist, but you don’t necessarily have to keep to them, because they’re guidelines.
