Albion College has one of the richest Methodist traditions of any college in America and if John Wesley was still around in 2010 he would surely be proud of the experiential faith transpiring on campus.
Wesley strongly believed that Christians would be better fortified in their faith through personal experiences that re-affirmed it and Albion College Chaplain Dan McQuown contends Wesley was on to something.
In 2003 McQuown was part of initial discussions trying to bring religious groups on campus together and by 2005 an interfaith life team was born, thanks in part to a meeting held between the student president of Albion’s Campus Crusade for Christ chapter and leaders of the Secular Humanist group at the college.
Every year since, the interfaith group has included leaders from 7-12 different religious backgrounds who come together to discuss different aspects of spiritual life on campus.
While McQuown is a Christian, his background is certainly diverse in its own right. He grew up Presbyterian, he married a United Methodist and started the ordination process, and he and his wife are now members of the United Church of Christ.
On campus a “normal” day isn’t so normal and that’s precisely what McQuown loves about his job.
“(One day) we have a student speaking on human trafficking, sponsored by the chaplain’s office and our interfaith group,” he said. “Then we’re launching our Pakistani flood relief, starting with a reading of the Muslim call to prayer and then we have campus Shabbat here in our student center — and all three are open to all people.”
He said he does infinitely more Christian evangelism and spiritual counsel by engaging diversity and doesn’t see much benefit to labeling people or rejecting them because “diversity can be a terrifying encounter a lot of people hide from.”
“If I put up a sign outside this window that said, ‘Christians Only,” I would lose 70 percent of the student body. Then if I put up a sign that said, ‘United Methodists Only,” or “Protestants Only,” I’d lose 20 or 25 percent more. Then if I said liberals or conservatives only I’d lose even more,” he said.
McQuown said Jesus spent most of his time out-reaching to strangers in need, regardless of their faith and his “strangers” are new students in his case.
Through young adult-led chapel services, Bible studies, interfaith dialogue, prayer groups and lots of peer-to-peer activities it appears McQuown is achieving his goals.
“With chapel, even though we’re affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it’s an interdenominational chapel service. In a couple of weeks somebody is preaching about their experiences in Japan and she’s actually going to be teaching us a song in Japanese,” senior David Keyworth said. “And we’ve sung in an African language before and through other people’s experiences being able to hear how it has affected their lives helps you think about what ways God is trying to reach you through your experiences.”
Keyworth will be attending Asbury Theological Seminary next fall to become an ordained United Methodist.
Junior Josiah Fallot said having a concerned, caring chaplain like McQuown — who said his job is to empower people and create leaders — is awesome as he navigates his journey of faith.
“He’s a very selfless guy. I don’t remember the first time I met him, but I was not prepared to speak with him face-to-face just because I was taken aback by his very personal nature; he tends to stand square shoulder-to-shoulder to you and look right at you and it’s kind of intimidating at first, but you come to realize he just wants to develop relationships and he’s a good guy.”
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