By Deanna Tran

Whatever faith one may follow or is in search of, and on whatever day it may be, an individual will most likely be able to find a religious group or event that can accommodate their religious exploration here at the University of Louisville.

The Muslim Student Association (MSA) recently brought in six scholars from Saudi Arabia to present a lecture on Islamic law to students. During this week the Baptist Student Union (BSU) will open its doors to all students to host their weekly Tuesday Night Together, where students can experience worship through music and discussion. Students will have the opportunity to partake in Bible study on Thurs., Sept. 14, at the InterFaith Center being hosted by Catholic Campus Ministry.

The panoply of religious diversity on campus is embodied in the InterFaith Center. Located near the base of the Student Activities Center ramp, the InterFaith Center is home to six different faith groups: Hillel, a Jewish student organization, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and United Methodist Campus Ministries. The center welcomes students who want to explore issues of faith and want to have a better understanding of other religions.

Director of Catholic Campus Ministry, Sarah Fellows, said the InterFaith Center is, “not here to recruit students; we’re here to serve their faiths needs. If the center does not have a representative of a requested religion, then the center will work to help students connect to that community.”

In the past 20 years of its existence, according to Fellows, the center has been growing. It includes a multipurpose room with a ping-pong table and a piano, a room for religious ceremonies such as Sunday Mass, and a general open area for lounging and studying. She said the center plans to expand its facilities by adding a prayer room that would be open to anyone on campus. Fellows added that the center is currently facing funding and staffing problems, which is hindering expansion of the center.

Nonetheless, the six denominations at the center have remained committed to answering the religious needs of the campus, by providing a peaceful place for dialogue and working together to host interfaith events for students of all faiths.

Other religious student organizations not associated with InterFaith, such as BSU and MSA, also contribute to the religious impact made on the university.

Established in 1986, the MSA hosted a lecture last week on Islamic law in the Floyd Theatre that drew about 70 people. The event, which was open to the public, attracted attendees young and old, Muslims and non-Muslims. The lecture, which was conducted by six scholars from the Imam Mohammad Bin Saud Islamic University in Saudi Arabia, enlightened attendees on the five pillars of Islam and provided a variety of viewpoints on the importance of faith, unity and charity in the religion. Vice President of MSA Mishalle Ahmed, a senior biology major, said the lecture, “was good for the campus,” and the lecture served to feed the purpose of MSA which Ahmed said is, “to provide awareness, answer questions, and clarify Islam as a peaceful organization, especially after [the events of Sept. 11, 2001].”

Revamped last spring, MSA currently has a membership of about 150 students and intends to expand and reach out to even more students according to MSA president and a senior electrical and computer engineering major, Mohammad Shaban. Both Ahmed and Shaban expressed the wish to become a part of the InterFaith Center and the need for a place for prayer, but these needs are not impeding on MSA’s desire to host more campus events.

With Islam’s holy month of Ramadhan, coming up Sept. 24 through Oct. 23, Shaban said MSA has a string of events planned for the university which includes breakfast sponsored by local Muslim restaurants and a handful of guest speakers. In addition, the InterFaith Center will also be hosting events in celebration of Ramadhan.

Together, all religious student organizations are here to provide students of the university an educational, social and religious experience that is meant to accompany and enhance college life. Most events are free and open to all students, and for more information regarding the religious events and groups visit the InterFaith Center online at http://www.louisville.edu/interfaith/. One can visit MSA at http://www.louisville.edu/rso/msa/home2.html. For more information on BSU, visit http://www.uoflbcm.com/main/home.php.S