SABRINA JONES
Contributing Writer
At Pepperdine, morning schedules are somewhat spontaneous, but on the whole, something that each of us has worked out like clockwork. Last week, more than a million high school students decided to alter their morning-time rituals to make a religious statement. Originally promoted by the National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM), the 16th Annual “See You at the Pole” gathering encourages students to congregate before school in hopes of uniting the Nation through prayer.
Their “See You at the Pole” event takes place annually on the fourth Wednesday of September.
The national turnout for this yearly display of solidarity attracted a circle of nervous students who prayed for those affected by Hurricane Katrina, for soldiers in Iraq and for peace. Nervous about other students’ reactions to the outright display of faith, the student-initiated demonstration of unity initially started as a meager group of 15. Within a matter of minutes, however, curious onlookers flocked to become eager participants in the nationwide prayer.
Tuscarora High School, a public school in Md., does not have the authority to enforce a school-wide observation of prayer because it is a public institution. Supreme Court rulings established that willing students are allowed to pray on the grounds of their school as long as it does not interfere with or overlap their time in class.
This disruptive public prayer is supported by the U.S. Constitution. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” is a Constitutional argument that was originally laid down as a barrier to keep federal governments from officially sanctioning and enforcing a nation-wide religion. The life-force of this faithful exercise sits completely within the hands and hearts of student-led efforts.
At Pepperdine, students have a wide array of avenues to immerse themselves religiously and spiritually. Pepperdine’s affiliation with the Church of Christ allows us to participate in related church services and faith-based ministries. The opportunities for religious and spiritual involvement at Pepperdine are plentiful and as a result, we not only have the influence to sculpt our on-campus religious experience, but through reaching out, we can find others to share in our beliefs as well. It is therefore our duty as students at a religiously-affiliated university to take advantage of our right to pray. Wherever our religious beliefs may lie, by embracing the power of prayer and respecting our fellow Waves’ right to do so, we are keeping alive a practice which many students nationwide struggle to maintain.
Visit youthworkers.net for more information on leadership opportunities within the NNYM as well as free membership to spread the word about “See You at the Pole” and other nationwide efforts to spread prayer in schools.
09-29-2005
