Campuses see surge of interest in religion courses by Mark I. Pinksy The Orlando Sentinel (KRT) In the days following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Anne Chernick still vividly recalls, fel low students on the Rollins College campus in Winter Park, Fla., would approach her with questions, big questions. "How could such evil occur in the world if there is a Godr they asked. "What is God's role in evil?" As a religion major, the Fort Worth native was the natural person for classmates to come to with their concerns. "I've seen how quickly people tend to turn to religion in times of distress," she says. "I've taken the opportunity, through my education, to understand the notion of God, faith and evil from different angles of various religions, in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of humanity." But while Chernick had taken courses in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and even mysticism, she had no courses in theology or Islam. She was at a loss to answer many of the questions growing out of the attacks. "I pointed out how little I know," says Chernick, 22. "That's why I'm studying it." That's probably why a lot of other college stu dents are studying religion these days as well, especially Islam. College and university officials report a surge in course offerings and enrollment in existing classes in the two semesters since 9- 11. This growth shows no sign of diminish ing. Amber Carlson, another Rollins student, agrees that the attacks have had a lasting im pact on her campus. "There is definitely more dialogue about re ligion since 9-11 between students and fac ulty," says the 20-year-old junior from Or lando. "You can't really get away from it." Arizona State University now claims "the largest enrollment in courses in religion in any department of religious studies in the United States," says the department chairman, Joel Gereboff. "This term, 4,500 studerr are in 6 6 i# classes." Among the new courses is "Theology of Ter ror: Bin Laden and the Taliban." That course, which is cross-listed with political science and anthropology, drew around 130 students, com pared to less than 100 for most religion classes. In the fall term it was offered again and drew 140, Gereboff says. Courtney Kunsman of Pittsburgh was al ready taking a course on Islam at Rollins when the 9-11 attacks came. Yet it wasn't until weeks later, after she sat down with her academic adviser for a "deep talk" about the Sept. 11 events that she decided to become a religion major. "It's just important to me that I understand people," says the 22-year-old senior. Other students are seeking a deeper under standing, and appreciation, of their own faiths. In the wake of the attacks, Rollins senior Marcie Weinstein says she was stunned by the connection Osama bin Laden made between U.S. support for Israel and his hatred for America. Almost as a self-defense mechanism, she said, she looked for ways to deepen her Jewish identity. One reaction was to sign up for professor Yudit Greenberg's course, "Jewish Life and Thought." "I wanted to take more courses because it seemed like it was a place to turn to, where I could learn about Jewish culture and meet other Jewish kids," says the 22-year-old se nior, from Swampscott, Mass. "I can't let my self believe in a religion I know nothing about." Many students are selecting courses deal ing with different religions, and the way reli gious differences can lead to global conflict. "Most of it is coming from 9-11," says Philip Goff, director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana Uni versity-Purdue University in Indianapolis. Registration in religion courses at his univer sity is up 20 percent from a year ago, and it shows no sign of dropping. "It's a long time since I've seen students so engaged in a topic," Goff says. "They are in terested in geo-politics and the issue of Mus lims in the United States." Professors at other universities agree. "After 9-11, my students are more interested in the meaning of fundamentalism and, of course, I encourage their investigation," says Amanda Porterfield of the University of Wyo ming. The president of the American Society of Church History and co-author of "Religion on Campus" has noticed something else. "I perceive a softening of what, prior to 9- 11, I might have called Christian fundamen talism, and increased emphasis on tolerance among conservative Christians," she says. "The change is subtle but profound" among her stu dents. At Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., more religion courses have been added for students • •1 ' • 4 • who may be gravitating to the subject as a re sult of 9-11. This fall, the religious studies department is offering a seminar on "Religion and Violence," taught by Donald Musser, professor of reli- ERIE Limited Time Offer! 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He suspects it's driven by the broader cul ture, in which "people are interested in look ing at religion from an academic standpoint, as opposed to a faith-based perspective." Darryl Hart, professor of church history and academic dean at Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, Calif., is equally skep tical. He says he has not seen evidence of the trend, at least west of the Mississippi. "My sense is that there is more interest in civic ideals and patriotism and tolerance than religion," he says. "I haven't seen a religious spin on it. I haven't seen it playing out on the campus." Yet it is clearly playing out in the area of aca demic interest in Islam, and how elements of that faith may be linked to terrorism, accord ing to professors and administrators who are convinced that 9-11 has had great impact on campuses. "I definitely want to take an Islamic course. to have the knowledge of all cultures," says Carlson of Rollins. 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