Interfaith Sanctuary at University of Chicago Set to Open

March 30, 2006

Source: University of Chicago Chronicle

http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/060330/sanctuary.shtml

On March 30, 2006 the University of Chicago Chronicle reported, "To meet the needs of a community becoming increasingly diverse and mirroring the religious complexion of the world, the underground floor of [Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, built on the University's campus in 1928] has been transformed from a basement into the new Interreligious Center... The new space provides a permanent place of prayer, worship and meditation for every member of the University’s religious community, and particularly those who have until now worshipped without a permanent space. Muslim students, for example, would need to carry their rugs with them throughout the day so they can pray. The only current designated prayer space has been a small office in the basement of the Reynolds Club that can hold four or five students at a time. Similarly, Hindu students would have previously needed to transport bulky idols, statues and texts because they, too, were without a permanent place to worship. That is why in the new center, Boden explained, two octagonal-shaped rooms were created and designated specifically for Muslim and Hindu use. A third, great room was created to serve as a fellowship or meeting space for up to 75 students, and two existing meeting rooms were upgraded to serve as additional meditation or study space."