Interfaith Chapel at Chapman

I am deeply bothered by a Feb. 27 photo and article on the ground blessing of Chapman University’s interfaith chapel.

Your photo depicts a campus group which has less than 10 students while ignoring Rabbi Sheldon Donnell praying next to two Muslims on one side and two Native Americans on the other. Jews and Muslims comprise nearly 8% of the student body.

Most students are Christian, one-third being Roman Catholic. All religious groups will use the chapel.

Many of us have worked and prayed for an interfaith chapel for over 20 years; your article did not capture the importance of what an interfaith chapel means to this county and to Chapman University.

There wasn’t even any mention of the excellent speaker, Lawrence E. Sullivan, director of the Study of World Religions at Harvard University.

He is one of the outstanding scholars of religion in the United States and serves as an inter-religious advisor to both our government and the United Nations.

At a time when our world needs more interfaith dialogue and understanding, you chose to focus on that which divides us.

DENNIS W. SHORT

Pastor

Harbor Christian Church

Newport Beach

* I read the article with total dismay. The witches blessing the new Universal Religious Chapel ground caused total unbelief coming from what I always had believed to be a Christian-based university.

A chapel that purports to represent all faiths under the guise of religious tolerance is only fooling the foolish.

It is important to be understanding of differences in people of different races and religions but quite a different thing to think that Jesus will tolerate sharing a place in a chapel with the spirit world of witches.

What a tragedy to think Chapman University has come to this level.

BONNIE C. NYGREN

Orange