Interfaith Council at Berry College
Berry College was founded in 1902 by the Christian visionary and
philanthropist Martha Berry who believed that every student is entitled
to an equal opportunity to learn. While Berry is rooted in and
continues to uphold strong Christian values, the College upholds that
people of all religious and cultural backgrounds are to be welcomed
into the campus community.
Following in the steps of the Parliament for the World’s Religions, and
Martha Berry’s vision for equal education for all, Berry College has
created its own small organization for the support of different
religions. Founded in the fall of 2003, the Interfaith Council is a group of
faculty, administrators and students who work closely with the
Chaplain’s Office to help foster a welcoming environment at Berry
College for people of all faiths. It supports and promotes
opportunities for people to learn about and participate in a variety of
religious opportunities, both on campus and in the surrounding
community. Many of its events over the past two years have included
speeches by such prominent writers as Bishop Spong, Elaine Pagels, and
Inés Talamantez.
Through
these and other on-going programs, the Interfaith Council seeks to
foster an appreciation of multi-faith awareness on Berry’s campus and
throughout the Rome area.
In the words of Cary Sanders, a
student at Berry: “Serving on the Interfaith Council has allowed me to
interact with and learn from people of various religious faiths,
enriching my education and spirituality. The [Interfaith] council is
important because it encourages love and appreciation of every human
being, which is a virtue taught in all major religions.”
“The
Interfaith Council exists to assist in wide-spread dialogue about the
various dimensions of religious practice, belief, and faith in the
Christian tradition and in others. We think some of the most powerful
learning during the college years takes place outside the classroom.
The IFC makes possible such learning on a continuing and organized
basis.”
---Scott Colley,
President of Berry College
Dr. Bell and Dr. Colley at "Meet the IFC" Event
“For
me, the first step in following Christ today is to open oneself to the
revelation of God in the other religions of the world. The Interfaith
Council provides the context in which that can happen.”
--David McKenzie
Methodist Pastor and Professor
of Religion at Berry College
Ines Talamentez speaking at Berry
“The
Interfaith Council provides a welcoming environment for people of
different religious backgrounds. Coming to a school where Christianity
is the predominant faith can no doubt be intimidating for someone who
is not Christian. Those who are brave enough to enter into such a
college should be welcomed and their faith should be celebrated. By
being more open to new ideas and beliefs we have the potential to
create a future of greater unity at Berry.”
—Kathleen McMahan
Berry College Student