Christianity on Campus By Désirée van den Berg & Sandra Pham

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.

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.

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 “I don’t normally I would go to church, if there was no really corona.

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.

Ultimately, a Christian has his conscience. And if a Christian knows ‘this is not good for me or for others’, then they shouldn’t do it. But the moment I start imposing this obligation on myself and not doing myself any favors, then maybe I will start hating the faith and that would not be God’s intention.

How do you handle it when content in your studies or comes up that conflicts with your religious views?

Yes, it happens frequently. For example, in European Legal History, there’s a lot about either Pagan Law or Catholic Law and Catholics, I always dislike a bit. If God is so all-powerful (that’s what I believe) he doesn’t need people to play judge, but the Catholics thought so. This is contrary to what I myself believe. I can separate it just fine, because if everything about my faith went against it and I wouldn’t want to learn it I would be able to leave out half the material sometimes.

How do you deal with it when things come up that conflict with your religious views?

It’s often the case that people do it by accident. Then they curse and then they say ‘oh yeah, you’re religious, so I won’t do that’, but I myself am not someone who will start correcting people. Maybe I’m supposed to be, but I’ll always continue to see Christianity as a faith and not something that can be known for sure and therefore, not something that is necessarily a truth. It’s also part of being tolerant of the other faiths and not saying ‘this is my faith, this is my truth, so everyone must adhere to it’.

Are your faith and traditional student life sometimes at odds?

Yes, but I don’t really feel like a student at heart, because I’ve dated a girl for three years. 95% of all students might have lost their virginity, but I’m still a virgin, to put it out there. The average student wouldn’t understand that. I’m definitely up for small parties, but that’s something else. I understand that people choose to do it and that these things happen. As a student you want to reap the benefits of your time as a student and live as if it were your last day, but that is not how a Christian should live. A Christian should always live with an eye on the afterlife.

Do you comfortably tell your fellow students about your faith?

Yes, it may not be easy, because you become ‘the Christian’, and a label is put on you. But if people ask me if I am religious, I am not afraid to say yes. If you really are a Christian, you dare to say so, I think. Other people may think differently about that, but I think it’s part of faith, that you carry it out.