Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky's summer wedding brought with it chatter about the secrecy surrounding the event, its guest list and locale — and how the faiths of Clinton, who is Methodist, and Mezvinsky, who is Jewish, would work into the ceremony.
The ensuing conversation about interfaith dating has long taken place on the Hill, too. While dating isn't typically on the proverbial laundry list of "unholy" college student activities, a prospective partner's differing religious beliefs can be a deal-breaker for some Jumbos — and they are not alone.
The majority of American adults in marriages or live-in partnerships are in religiously homogenous relationships, according to a 2009 study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. But a significant 27 percent of those polled overall were in religiously mixed relationships, a number that jumps to 37 percent when relationships between members of different Protestant denominations are included.
Though midterms and upcoming papers may eclipse the issues of dating and marriage for students, the implications of dating outside of one's faith have come up in discussions among religious groups on campus.
"In the past, we have held programs about" interfaith dating, University Chaplain David O'Leary said. Such programs have included film screenings and discussions facilitated by other university chaplains, he said.
According to O'Leary, interfaith dating need not be a problematic issue.
"I wouldn't say it is a problem at all. Eventually dating is supposed to be getting to know other people, and at some point there is a major question that needs to be resolved," O'Leary said. "People should just be respectful."
Hillel Interfaith Co-chair Shauna Pierson, a sophomore, said that the pros and cons of dating people of other faiths often become the topic of conversation at Hillel gatherings.
"The topic of interfaith relationships is brought up really often," Pierson said. "I think that Hillel is well-suited for conversations about it, because being Jewish encompasses culture and ethnicity along with religion."
Pierson, who organizes interfaith events with other religious groups along with the other members of Hillel's Interfaith Relations Committee, said that she has noticed a range of opinions about the importance of dating within one's own religion.
"I would say that the more observant or devoted someone is — from any religion — the more weight they place on faith in their relationship," Pierson said. "The point of interfaith events is to get input from all religious groups and to delve into each other's perspectives, to have open and honest conversations about topics like [interfaith dating]."
Rabbi Danya Ruttenburg, senior Jewish educator at Hillel, agrees that students commonly grapple with issues related to interfaith dating.
"College is a time to sort out who you are, what your identity is, what's important to you and what kind of life you envision for the long term," she said. "Who you date … is definitely wrapped up in all of that."
Tufts Hillel, she said, does not preach any particular attitude with regard to interfaith dating, and recognizes the choice as a very personal one.
"Interfaith relationships are a reality in our world," Ruttenberg said. "Our work here is about helping students develop a deep knowledge and understanding of their Judaism and Jewish identity, and to provide a myriad of opportunities to help them do so."
Senior Kaitlin Zack, president of the Catholic Community at Tufts, said that religion does not appear to be a concern among Catholic students when entering a college relationship.
Catholics date other Catholics and non-Catholics, and the latter is a non-issue, Zack said.
"I dated someone who wasn't Catholic, and it wasn't a problem for my parents," she said. "Maybe it used to be, but that's really not the case anymore."
In contrast, senior Benjamin Hampson, a member of the Vision and Planning Team for the Tufts Christian Fellowship, cited a Bible passage that warns against being "yoked together with unbelievers," which Hampson explained is often interpreted as referring to dating and marriage.
"I think [the verse] speaks to the mutual respect of faith that individuals must have while in a relationship," Hampson said. "We must recognize that a relationship with differing faiths will bring conflict at some point, at least [in deciding] what role faith plays in the relationship."
While in high school, Hampson said his "more personal" faith clashed with a girlfriend he described as only "culturally" Christian, a tension which led them to end their relationship.
"My values and personal relationship with Jesus made our priorities conflict in a way that would eventually force one of us to yield to the other," Hampson said. "I believe that it's not faith or a lack thereof that determines the outcome of a relationship, but how faith constructs priorities and how those priorities interact."
Unlike Catholics, devout Muslims face stricter rules regarding interfaith dating, according to Muslim Students Association President Ibrahim Khwaja.
"Any intimate relationship before marriage that involves any kind of touching, kissing, hugging or sexual intercourse is completely prohibited within Islam," both between two Muslims as well as between a Muslim and a non-Muslim, Khwaja, a senior, said.
However, a Muslim man can marry a non-Muslim woman from the other "Abrahamic" religions, which include Judaism and Christianity, Khwaja said. The same does not hold true for Muslim women.
"[Interfaith relationships] come up informally, and we always joke around about whether we're going to marry a Muslim woman," Khwaja said. "It's on people's minds, but everyone knows that these are pretty crystal-clear rules that aren't debated within any of the factions of Islam. Things like this, which aren't up for debate, don't really cause any controversy."
Still, the topic is somewhat taboo, Khwaja said. "We would never discuss it with any girls," he said. "It's mostly among the guys."
