Editor’s note: This article was produced as part of the Daily Wildcat‘s 2018 Campus Guide — the perfect resource for any incoming Wildcat. Whether you’re trying to find important dates, looking for a club to join or are interested in UA history and traditions, we’ll be there to help you get through your first semester. Welcome to the University of Arizona!
The University of Arizona is home to a diverse range of faith and religious communities. Here are some of them:
Tucson LDS Institute of Religion: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a space for adults 18 to 30 to practice Mormonism and find students who share the same beliefs. It is geared toward young adults who are looking to study the Bible and Book of Mormon, and take classes to graduate from the institute with a stronger understanding of Jesus Christ’s and Joseph Smith’s teachings.
St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center: The Newman Center is a Catholic campus ministry that allows Catholic students to be part of a community that supports their faith. The center has historical significance — it was created in 1883 by a group of students at the University of Wisconsin that felt discriminated for their faith by their professors and began to meet on regular occasions to discuss their Catholicism.
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Hillel Foundation: A Jewish community on campus that offers undergraduate and graduate students a place to learn more about their Jewish identity. They offer connections to community service, athletics, religion and education about Israel. Close to SUMC, students have a chance to flourish and freely express their Jewish identity here on campusThe Islamic Center of Tucson: Serving as a prayer space and a community center, the Islamic Center of Tucson caters to all Muslims in southern Arizona. Families and students alike are given the chance to gather, have community events and worship. The center is also a cultural resource to the Muslim community and is open every day of the year.
The Navigators: This Christian group is very active on campus and focuses on what it means to “know Christ and making him known” through small-group bible studies and community. They hold many social events and retreats during the school year.
The Secular Student Alliance: Founded in the fall of 2012, the SSA is the only atheist/non-religious group on campus that is officially recognized. They hold weekly meetings that feature various speakers and presentations relating to religion, secularism and non-religion.
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Sacred Space: A community consisting of followers who have felt disenfranchised or disinterested with organized religion. Members follow wisdom traditions. “More than one wisdom tradition is always reflected, which cultivates the felt sense of spiritual freedom and the greater union shared by humankind that is beyond religious divisions,” according to its website.
Intercultural Interfaith Dialogue: “We aim to provide a focus for intercultural dialogue as well as inter-faith understanding and we seek to translate such initiatives into practical applications,” according to the groups summary on the UA website. This group is open to all students from any religious background and promotes culture through its diverse membership.
Muslim Students Association UA: This student association tries to promote cultural understanding and peaceful relations between Muslim and non-Muslim students. Group activities include religious or social events on- and off-campus.
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