In a spring sermon, Scotty McLennan quoted an early Stanford faculty member who compared the eclectic theologies expounded in Memorial Church to a chameleon wandering on a Scottish tartan. "I hope that as someone with a name like Scotty McLennan, I'm able to continue that venerable tradition," said the new dean for religious life.
Stanford's tartan is even more complex today. McLennan describes campus religious activity as moving in "three concentric circles."
- The office for religious life is the umbrella organization and advocate for all religious life on campus. It oversees Memorial Church functions--from denominational and multifaith services to arts performances and lectures to the simple provision of space to sit and meditate. It also works with other campus groups, religious and nonreligious, in areas like program development. Chaplains serve the broader community, coordinating efforts such as food programs, tutoring, or lobbying for legislation to benefit the poor and minorities. ) ) ) ) )
McLennan's team includes two associate deans, Patricia Karlin-Neumann, a Reform rabbi, and Maurice Charles, an Episcopalian priest, as well as an assistant dean, Joanne Sanders, who is also an Episcopalian priest. The chaplains are full-time University employees, and all do some teaching. - Stanford Associated Religions is a group of some 30 self-supporting religious organizations invited to offer their ministries on campus. The largest is the Catholic Community at Stanford. Hillel, the Foundation for Jewish Life at Stanford, is also sizable. There are also about 20 Protestant Christian organizations in the group--about half of them evangelical or conservative and half liberal--plus Greek Orthodox Christian, Baha'i, Buddhist, Muslim, Humanist and Zoroastrian groups.
- About a dozen student religious organizations, registered with the assu, are active on campus, among them the Hindu Student Council, World Peace Buddhists and a number of Christian groups.
