It is one of the most divisive issues on campus. Perhaps rivaled in controversy only by topics such as women’s roles and instrumental worship. The mention of it can spark hours of debate and it’s been known to destroy friendships: chapel. Love it or hate it, there are few who occupy a middle ground on the subject.
Those opposed to chapel argue that it’s only a waste of time, a distraction from schoolwork or a hindrance to social interaction. Many students feel that by forcing the student body to worship every weekday, the university is in fact compromising the spiritual sanctity it wishes to uphold. To anti-chapelites, students who are being held in an overcrowded room against their will with free Wi-Fi and virtually nothing but the honor system policing them are highly unlikely to do much worshipping anyway.
These students ask, why not make chapel an option? Wouldn’t this decision create a more ideal outcome for everyone? Those wishing to participate would have more room, have fewer distractions and therefore have a more meaningful experience. Those who choose to take a rain check or a pass altogether would not be docked or penalized; it would simply be an opportunity they chose not to take advantage of. Besides, isn’t this matter really between God and the student in question? Why must some out-of-touch school official make a judgment call about his or her spiritual life?
Chapel advocates have a few questions of their own however, such as why would you not want the extra opportunity to worship God? Students understand the expectations and emphasis of the university prior to their attendance. To pro-chapelites, the spare 20 minutes out of the day cannot harm students in any way, but can do so much good. These students see chapel as a choice, not just a choice of attendance, but a choice of participation. Their argument is that chapel will be whatever students make it, either a 20-minute Twitter and Facebook session, or a brief opportunity to praise God and focus on what really matters.
I choose to see chapel as the latter. To me, chapel is an amazing opportunity that is withheld from a majority of the world’s universities. Chapel allows me to put my hectic life on hold. For a few brief minutes Monday through Friday, I choose to remember my priorities in this life, I choose to put myself, my homework and even my friends second and make a statement to the world.
Chapel is a timeout, not a time-out. To clarify, chapel is a suspension from the rat race of our crazy lives as college students, not a punishment that drags us down five days a week. I love chapel. I love meeting and sitting with friends, I love the singing and the prayers, I love the short devotional thought from a student, faculty member or visitor and I even love the nervous and awkward student announcements afterwards.
Students from other schools might look at Oklahoma Christian and similar schools and speak condescendingly of chapel and its requirements, but I feel sorry for those students who never get the experience of chapel. I think chapel is a gift from this university to its students. I look forward to chapel every day and I dread the day when chapel is no longer an option.
I want chapel for the rest of my life. I wish my future workplace would have chapel; I want my kids’ schools to have chapel; I want my retirement home to have chapel.
Outside of this campus, life is a very different place and I think the world could use chapel.
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