Free pancakes

An American public university environment isn’t exactly the stereotypical setting for those looking to express and practice their religious faith. Western culture doesn’t treat college as a period for metaphysical introspection—rather, more often it would seem that students are expected to eschew religious devotion during this period of their lives, focusing instead on success in their studies, hanging out with their friends, or making the most of whatever fraternity life they’ve chosen. With all these social opportunities at their disposal, it’s surprising—or, at the very least, unexpected—to see legions of young people abstaining from classic collegiate activities and spending their precious spare time reading a millennia-old religious text rather than business textbooks, professing their faith in God rather than in alcohol. What could motivate perfectly normal university students to engage in something both as sobering and sober as Bible study? As it turns out, members of Miami University’s Bridge Church choose to participate in the Christian campus organization not in the interest of expressing their faith or building their spirituality—although these are both major components—but instead because the group functions as a social and familial support group and allows them to socialize with their peers in a non-alcoholic environment.

It’s not that members of the organization are ignorant of the possibilities of being a college student in a college town—they surround themselves with them on a weekly basis. On Thursday nights during the first half of the semester, members of the Bridge Church organize a free pancake station at the Phi Delta Theta Gates near uptown Oxford. Here they hand out free servings of chocolate chip and buttermilk pancakes or water bottles branded with their logo to eager passersby, many of whom are stumbling home after a long night visiting bars and fraternity parties. This is the college experience that has come to be expected of American students: seeking oblivion at the bottoms of inconspicuous red Solo cups, forging hazy memories of rowdy nocturnal adventures with compatriots. And yet, in the face of all the hedonism and sinful abandon rests a band of neon-clad angels disseminating breakfast fare into the wee hours of morning, cheerfully shouting “Free pancakes!” and exchanging niceties with complete strangers. Behind the maple syrup lies the truth that these social interactions represent what I believe to be the fundamental element of what makes the Bridge Church so popular among students who take their Christianity seriously.

In this context they are still technically participants in the riotous mayhem so common on weekend nights in college towns like Oxford, but they’ve assumed a role—or, rather, invented one—within the culture which allows them to remain true to their Christian ideals. To be frank, after a certain age it’s near impossible to find avenues to social interaction with much of the student body which don’t involve consuming alcohol. Rather than engaging in the drinking and partying directly, those members of the Bridge can instead become charitable short-order cooks when their fellow students need them most, sharing in some of the fun of the uptown experience but none of the sin. They can meet interesting people, crack jokes with old and new friends, and provide a valuable service to a hungry populace all in an environment they feel comfortable with, an environment they crafted for themselves wherein they won’t be pressured to drink alcohol or dance inappropriately at Oxford’s bars. Honestly, some part of me envies them—they’ve found a weekend activity they enjoy alternative to the mainstream Miami student’s agenda. I wish more people went against the current and chose interesting events which suited their actual interests and functioned within their ideals like these pancake handouts, rather than the standard drunken romps with brief and expensive trips to uptown bars serving as keystone to their evening come midnight.

Of course, this pancake arrangement serves a dual purpose. While interacting with classmates uptown and culinary generosity might seem reason enough for the occasion, the implicit goal is to generate awareness about the group’s main event—that is, their weekly Bible study sessions. Once students have met their desired pancake quota, they oftentimes mull around the Bridge’s table, conversing amongst themselves or with various members of the organization. These customers are usually presented with an informational flyer detailing many of the group’s activities, including services on Sundays and Bible studies on Tuesdays organized by regions of campus. On September 21, I attended the North Quad faction’s Bible study session in the basement of Flower Hall, field notebook in tow.

The discussion was colorful and memorable, reminiscent of the several retreats more than a decade of Catholic schooling had exposed me to. A dozen of us arranged the generic sofas and recliners into a circle and the members each readied their Bible. The discussion touched on a number of theological ideas, rationalizations and interpretations of Gospel text, and each member seemed to value various aspects of the discussion differently. When more philosophical content was brought to the table, two members in particular chimed in with informed definitions of terms, highlighting differences between “heathenism” and “paganism” or explaining “nihilism” to others who seemed less versed in the concepts. The proponents of differing interpretations were cordial and helpful, talking through opposing ideas in a genuine attempt to better understand the sacred text at hand and contribute to the communal knowledge base. While creating a dialogue on scripture was doubtless the official purpose of this meeting, the conversation gradually morphed into a more general group conversation concerning various members’ personal spiritual issues.

During my visits to Bible study meetings, a common refrain among students’ spiritual struggles was a difficulty establishing or maintaining a strong relationship with Jesus. Some were optimistic even in their doubts, attributing good fortune and happy memories to divine providence, while others were more fatalistic about their explanations for the role Jesus played in their lives. “Without Jesus,” one member said, “what would there be to live for?” Another mentions his belief that, “Either Jesus was the son of God, or this whole world is nothing.” The night these comments were uttered I remember being shaken, genuinely worried for their happiness should they ever encounter something that shook their religious faith to the core. As someone who has personally experienced a loss of faith, I know how dangerous this sort of Christian nihilism can become. These were among the individual personal issues brought forward to the group setting, and the response was strikingly more positive. Other members, particularly the leadership, helped to guide members’ thoughts in the right directions. They counseled fellow students struggling with their religious faith and also comforted those going through trying times. The “Bible study” aspect of this group’s weekly meetings, it would seem, was only part of the story, a partial façade shading the group’s true function as a support network amongst like-minded Christian collegiate scholars. Members made prayer requests, requesting of the others spiritual positivity and prayers of petition for issues ranging from midterm exams to an ailing grandfather.

An interview with group leader Ricky Cotton illustrated the key component of what made the Bridge Church’s Bible study sessions more than a simple examining of an ancient text. “[It’s] the family aspect of the group [that] makes it more than just a Bible study,” he said, “Our activities outside of the meetings […] make it so much more than just a group to me and to the other members.” The members of the Bridge Church form a sort of supportive, familial community of faith-centric college-age individuals. It provides in some instances a surrogate social experience for students unwilling to engage in weekend bouts of hedonism and a way for them to still carve their niche in the patchwork social culture of their university. Weekly meetings allow them an avenue to voice personal and spiritual problems, receive advice from a network of friends in a faith-based community environment. It would seem that for the members of the Bridge Church, this kind of familial support system makes it easier to be both a Christian and a college student, simpler to find opportunities for social interaction which don’t necessitate compromising their religious faith, painless to make friends who share your spiritual ideals. Not to mention pancakes—that’s something I think everybody can get behind.

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Field notes & supplemental material

Questions

1. What was your field site? My field site is the Bridge Church weekly community outreach program and Christian campus organization.
2. What was one thing you saw or heard that surprised you? I was surprised at how little evangelism there actually was at the organization’s events. Their outreach programs were more aimed at awareness of their organization rather than spreading their religious faith.
3. What is one question you have about what you saw or heard during your field site visit? I was curious how religious faith actually does integrate into their organization. I didn’t see much about the actual Bible at the events I visited, and so I’d like to see the members actually expressing their faiths.
4. How will you gather information in your next site visit to answer this question? I’ll attend an actual Bible study session where members discuss their religious faiths and their individual interpretations and applications of the Bible.
5. What aspect of this site is interesting to me? Why did I pick this site? I find the Christian organizations on campus interesting because evangelism in general has always been strange, in my estimation. This group of people believes a certain set of things together and wants to share their message with the world, and anybody so enthusiastic about what they believe is at least an interesting person to interact with.
6. What aspects of my personality and cultural background help me study people in this site? I have an interest in philosophy and religion, so that should help me when I begin discussing matters of religious significance with them. I went to Catholic school for the first twelve years of my academic career, so perhaps that makes me something of an expert in interacting with Christians.
7. What aspects of my personality and cultural background make it difficult for me to study people in this site? Again, my experience with Catholic schools has really shaped my opinions regarding Christianity, and I’m often uncomfortable when enthusiastically religious people begin talking to me about it. Evangelism makes me very comfortable, to be honest.
8. What aspects of these peoples’ lives will I not have access to? I feel as though once they discover that I’m a non-Christian, let alone an atheist, they’ll be less likely to be inviting and friendly towards me, in addition to being less open about their religious faiths. This is disappointing, but hopefully they’ll either not find out about my true persuasions, or recognize that I’m simply curious and interested in their system of belief rather than antagonistic. However, since I’m planning on attending a religious service this Sunday, where I’ll be offered Communion, it might be difficult to hide that part of myself from them much longer.
9. What aspects of these peoples lives am I most likely to ignore, avoid or misunderstand? It will probably, again, be difficult for me to relate to their enthusiasm about their religious faith, and I may ignore or overlook the finer points of their theology. So far I haven’t encountered much actual Christianity that I’ve had to observe, so hopefully I can remain objective and observational when the time comes.
10. What can I do to ensure that what I bring back from my site visits is an accurate reflection of what is going on—true both to my observations and my hosts’ sense of reality? I’ve tried very hard to be objective and to record as many details as I feel are relevant to the task at hand. I don’t think any of the upcoming activities will alter my objectivity in the least bit because I’ll focus on accuracy of description rather than on what it is I’m describing.

September 10, 2010

The organization hands out free pancakes every Thursday night on High Street at the beginning of the semester to grow awareness about their organization. It seems as though most of their patrons are more interested in the free food than in the organization’s message. It was strange to just observe people interacting as a fly on the wall, so to speak.

I had conversations with a couple members and leaders of the organization to see if I’d be welcome at later events. I informed them that I was working on an ethnography project for an anthropology class and they were willing to help. I intend to attend future Bible study sessions and community outreach events to learn more about this organization, its members, and their relationship with their faith.

September 17, 2010

Again I’m attending their Thursday night pancake stand on High Street. Tonight they’re competing with a sorority selling $2 hot dogs. Their “stand” is comprised of a couple of tables set up at the gates between campus and uptown Oxford, right before the “slant walk.” The following is a transcription of the diagram included in my field notes.

• One table, further back, is dedicated to making the pancakes themselves. There are a couple of skillets on the table, one for chocolate chip and the other for regular pancakes.
• In front of that is a second table where the pancakes are placed on plates and doused in syrup. Customers approach this table and are handed a plate with two pancakes and a fork.
• Behind the former table are their supplies—replacement syrups, cases with water bottles, et cetera.
• All told, there are around 10 or 15 different members of the organization who participate in the pancake giveaway at different parts of the night.
  • 2 are behind the pancake-making table, making the pancakes themselves.
  • 1 or 2, depending on the time, are seated on stools between the two tables, transferring pancakes to plates and plates to the front table. These people are also usually responsible for pouring the syrup, which is applied after the customer approaches the table.
  • 1 or 2 older members, perhaps leaders of the organization, stand beside the table shouting “free pancakes” to passersby.
  • Another 3 are orbiting the tables, advertising the presence of free food and handing out water bottles. The water bottles are branded with a “The Bridge” logo for increased visibility.
• A few more members walk around to groups of people eating their pancakes and hand out flyers with organization information and such. This is where their visibility and recruitment comes in. The line of thinking is that hopefully the pancakes and water bottles are enough to draw the crowds in, and of that crowd a few would be interested in a Christian campus organization.
• Members are all wearing variations on a “The Bridge” t-shirt. All colors are neon oranges and turquoises.
• They converse and joke amongst one another while business is slow. This is a rather tight-knit group of students who together form a social group in addition to their relationship to one another within the organization. Despite this comfort level with one another, they’re friendly and inviting to customers and “outsiders” like myself.

I communicated with one organizing member, Ricky, over Facebook and determined the time and place for their Bible study meetings. I received permission from him to attend the meeting at 8 PM, Tuesday September 21 in the basement of Flower Hall.

September 24, 2010

A pretty tight-knit group of friends, I stick out as the “newcomer” or “outsider” to the group. The group is arranged in a circle of living-room style chairs in the basement of Flower Hall. The passage under discussion tonight is Matthew 10:1–15. My focus must be less on their theology and more on their interactions with their faith, their sacred text, and each other.

Matthew 10:1–15

¹ Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶ Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹ “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. ¹¹ Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. ¹² As you enter the home, give it your greeting. ¹³ If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

They’re discussing the ultimate fate of people who reject Christianity. It’s difficult not to become offended but I can stay objective. When discussing other belief systems it becomes painfully obvious that certain members are largely ignorant of them. I admit I participated briefly to clarify the definition of “pagan.”

One of the leaders, Ricky, is explaining how prayer has guided his life decisions, how he believes god is telling him where he should go and what he should do. Phrases like “the lord provides” are commonly uttered after personal stories or interpretations of the Bible.

Now discussing each member’s personal relationship with Jesus. Some direct quotes.

• One member mentions that without Jesus, “what would there be to live for?”
• “Either Jesus was Christ, or this whole world is nothing”
• “No one would kill themselves [martyrdom] for some crazy guy.” I am tempted to ask how they reconcile that belief with martyrs from other faiths, like Islam, but refrain. It’s not my place to disrupt their meeting.

October 1, 2010

Cartography

The chairs are arranged in a circle in the basement of Flower Hall, despite signs warning not to move the furniture, presumably a reaction to last time. Each member brings his or her own bible, well worn and bookmarked. Noticing I lack one, Ricky, one of the leaders and one of my future interviewees, offers me his to read from. I decline.

Outlined below is a loose map of the arrangement, with members labeled according to whether I’ve mentioned them before in field notes.

Chair	Type	Label(s)
⪽	Member	“Pagan” comment
⪽	Member	Story in field notes #3
⪽	Member
⪽	Member	ROTC student
⪽	Connor	Me
⪽	Member	iPhone guy
⪽	Member
⢎1	Leader	Christina
⢎	Member
⢎	Member
⑁	Leader	Ricky2

Censuses & demographics

Six female and five male, including myself. All 11 members attending the meeting are white.³ 10 of the 11, here discounting myself, are Christian.

On denomination: when I asked which specific denomination the group subscribed to, they responded that they were cross-denominational Protestant. Their preacher, they informed me, was Southern Baptist.

Additionally, it seemed to me that there was a noticeable stigma against Catholicism (here I mean Roman), which was illustrated by the aforementioned member’s reluctance to tell his parents he’d converted from Roman Catholicism to whichever brand of Protestantism & the other members’ reactions to his story (it seemed almost as though Catholicism was almost—if not just—as wrong as non-belief).