As a branch of Christianity whose primary founding tenants include a call for lay participation in government and the public affairs of the Church, Protestantism seems especially suited to this active citizenship−crazy campus. If there's anything Tufts students are good at, it's participation.
As of last year, Tufts' Protestant population has a defined forum to join in on the fun — taking an active role in exercising their religious lives at Tufts and reaching out to welcome the participation of their peers through the newly established Protestant Students Association (PSA).
A sense of organization can breathe life into any group of like−minded students — an especially challenging feat to accomplish given the wide range of branches to be found under the Protestant umbrella.
Upon arriving at Tufts, it was a job that Protestant Chaplain Rachael Pettengill was ready to take on.
Finding no official organization tailored for Protestant students when she arrived at Tufts in 2009, Pettengill last year began making motions to start one.
As a preliminary measure, she met with Protestant students to gauge what kinds of things they were looking for in their relationship with the chaplaincy and then moved to establish a leadership structure for the group that would represent the larger Protestant student body at Tufts.
"I believe church is about the people, so I recruited nine students to help out and take leadership roles," Pettengill said.
"The student leaders are a pretty diverse group. We are putting a lot of energy into letting people know that we are here and letting them know that there are lots of ways to get involved."
Given the numerous denominations that constitute Protestantism, Pettengill strove to emphasize the open and welcoming nature of the PSA.
"One of the things we value in the chaplaincy is embracing our diversity," she said. "We welcome everyone to the table, no matter what tradition of Christianity," Pettengill said. "The meaning behind that is that Jesus ate with everyone. He didn't discriminate and so we don't to anyone who comes to the table."
Pettengill herself is an Episcopalian — as are sophomore Anna Graham and junior Virginia Saurman, who serve as the PSA's team coordinator and communications officer, respectively.
Both students were raised Episcopalian, and both have turned to the PSA in their efforts to continue their spiritual journeys after coming to Tufts.
For Saurman especially, the creation of the group last year filled what she saw as a dearth of opportunities for Episcopalians to worship together.
"When I came to Tufts [my] freshman year, I was surprised that there weren't a lot of services for Episcopalians," Saurman said.
"My junior year, [Pettengill] emailed me saying that she wanted to get to know all the students who identify as Protestants to start up a students' association. She requested that I join her — that's how the PSA has its current crop of student leaders," Saurman said.
Graham got involved with the group in a similar way and noted that the experience has helped strengthen her connection to the Protestant community on the Hill.
"I've had a very good experience with it," she said. "Based on the group that I'm in, I've met a lot of interesting people from different walks of life, particularly a lot of very accepting and open people," she said.
Sophomore Keara Jones, who works at one of the worship coordinators for the PSA, further emphasized the progressive nature of Protestant students at Tufts. Jones, who identifies as non−denominational, said that this inclusivity provides a learning opportunity for all of those interested.
"The Protestant community at Tufts is very diverse," she said. "There's this broad range of different people with their different denominations but it never ceases to amaze me how accepting and genuinely interested we are in other practices."
"From what I've seen in the people I've met, the Protestant community at Tufts is a great group of people who have a genuine interest in enhancing their overall awareness or strengthening their own personal spirituality," Jones said.
As part of her duties as the university's Protestant chaplain, Pettengill schedules the regular Protestant services in Goddard Chapel.
To meet the demands of an overwhelmingly Episcopalian presence, Pettengill organizes a pattern of weekly Protestant services that brings Episcopal ministers to Goddard every other Sunday.
In the interest of accommodating the many other Protestant denominations, Pettengill also brings in ministers of different spiritual traditions from the local community every alternating week.
"The goal is to have all the other denominations represented throughout the year," she explained. "In the coming weeks, we are having a Unitarian Universalist minister, and we have a Lutheran, a Methodist and a Presbyterian on in the spring."
Pettengill said that she takes the spiritual needs of the Protestant students she meets into consideration when compiling the list of guest ministers.
"When I meet with students, I make a point to try and find a minister within their denomination."
The PSA takes its own initiative in supplementing the services with activities such as a weekly noontime prayer and Bible study sessions. The group is also trying to coordinate more outreach activities, such as community service, social gatherings and group retreats, according to Pettengill.
Pettengill emphasized that such activities provide an opportunity to socialize and to strengthen spiritual practices.
"The students told me that it's a good way to meet people and build up the Protestant community, and a lot of people say that it provides an opportunity to center themselves in the middle of their busy weeks," she said. "It allows them to find their center and move on."
While Protestants at Tufts come from different spiritual traditions and practices, they agree that their religious beliefs play a crucial role in their daily lives.
"I would say my faith makes me a strong person," Graham said. "I definitely see a higher power in my day to day life, which gives me strength to do things and that keeps me sane."
Jones agreed that a deep religious foundation has helped her navigate through the college experience.
"Even in rougher patches, or ‘not−so−righteous' moments, I always have my faith. I guess I just wake up everyday with good intentions, knowing there's a higher purpose to be served, somehow," Jones said.
