Editor’s note: This reflection is part of a series by chaplains in the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU) on the ways in which God is at work on NECU campuses.
It is late on a Monday night in Salem, Va. The restaurant is nearly empty until they begin to arrive. Spiritual life leaders shuffle in first, followed by a delightful mix of Roanoke College Maroons. The mix includes student athletes, honors students, Greeks, leaders from the student government association, quiz bowl teammates, students from Theatre Roanoke, choir and band members, and a group from RC Pride.
So why are they crossing Main Street to Mac and Bob’s restaurant? Is it to eat some free food? Maybe. Is it a chance to discuss life’s big questions or a major current event? For some. Is it the pub theology-style questions that leave room for everyone’s point of view to be heard? Perhaps. Is it the chance to be part of a gathering that feeds a hunger in the soul of every young adult? In a word, absolutely.
What is this gathering? The students at Roanoke call it “ToT,” which is short for “Theologies on Tap.” It’s an interfaith gathering that blends food and conversation, allowing our students a space to contemplate and discuss life’s big questions as well as pressing issues and events. At ToT, there’s a place for every individual to be seen and to participate. The discussion is open to all students of any faith or worldview who want to discuss issues that matter to young adults in the 21st century. It is also a space for them to listen to classmates who see things differently and to learn about—and from—each other.
Topics have ranged from “Who is God?” to “Where does evil come from?”; from “What is the role of gratitude and hope in our adult lives?” to “What do healthy relationships look like today?”; from “How do you create and maintain a thriving community?” to discussing every headline generating-event that makes us ask who our neighbors are and how we are called to respond.
“ToT is the best part of my day, sometimes even my week.”
For the last 10 years, Roanoke has deployed me as chaplain to facilitate this pub theology-style conversation for our students. It’s my favorite part of the week. I learn so much from their willingness to share, in a respectful and honest way, how they see things and why they believe what they do. Each week, I draw from the roots of the college’s Lutheran liberal arts tradition to generate a series of progressively more challenging questions based on the night’s theme.
Students—50 to 60 participate each week—arrive ready to dig in. They affectionately call the group they sit with their “ToT squad.” Over appetizers, each ToT squad exercises critical thinking together, blending their faith and reason, being civically engaged and creating a community committed to civil discourse. It becomes a sacred space as all perspectives are shared, and the mix of experiences and beliefs deepens the mutual learning.
I’ve heard from students that the conversations deepen their friendships on campus, and ToT becomes a weekly tradition. “ToT is the best part of my day, sometimes even my week,” said third-year student Annalisa Green. Kathryn McElfresh, a fourth-year student, agreed and said she returns as often as she can: “ToT is a place where I can talk about hard topics among friends and others without having to worry about my religious views being used against me.”
Over the course of four years, it has been a joy to watch the evolution of students’ ability to reflect and respond to life’s pressing issues. It gives me great hope that they’re being prepared to help their families, workplaces, faith communities, hometowns and beyond find ways to flourish.
Read more about: