Spiritual Life
Hillsdale College exists to form the hearts and characters of its students as well as their minds.
Since its founding in 1844, the formation of faith has played a key role in this pursuit. According to the College’s Articles of Association, “Religious culture in particular shall be conserved by the College, and by the selection of instructors and other practical expedients, it shall be a conspicuous aim to teach by precept and example the essentials of the Christian faith and religion.” We continue to take this commitment seriously.
Hillsdale College is a Christian school with an earnest and vibrant spiritual life. The College has always welcomed anyone to study here regardless of their faith tradition. For that reason, we do not have an institutional statement of faith to which all students must submit, nor do we have a required chapel service.
Rather, integral to their growth in self-government, students themselves are encouraged to take an active part in their experience of faith on campus. And they do! Together the students have organized various ministries for their peers that reflect the range of Christian traditions. The filial relationship of Christianity to Judaism makes our campus a friendly place for our Jewish students as well. In any given week, there are several dozen Bible studies, fellowship gatherings, and public worship services available to the College community. Together with the presence of faith in the core curriculum and our many devout faculty and staff members, these things create a spiritual life on campus which is vibrant, earnest, and fully owned by faithful students.
Whether you come from a religious tradition or not, you will quickly develop an affinity for profound, respectful dialogues about faith and its role in our personal lives and in greater society.
We cordially invite you to join us!
Campus Ministries
Regular Public Worship on Campus
There is no formal chapel requirement for Hillsdale College students. However, there are plenty of opportunities for regular corporate worship on campus, all organized by the student ministries themselves. Each day of the week offers a plethora of options in both morning and evening which reflect the whole spectrum of denominational traditions.
See below for a current schedule of regular public worship. All people are welcome to any of these services regardless of their own religious tradition. This list only includes regularly scheduled public worship open to all; it does not include the several dozen Bible studies and fellowship gatherings organized organically all over campus which usually cater to smaller demographics (e.g. people in a particular dorm, Greek students, etc.).
Christ Chapel stands as an affirmation of Hillsdale’s Christian roots, commitments, and identity, serves as a reminder that civil and religious liberty are inseparable, and provides a much-needed place of on-campus worship for Hillsdale College students, regardless of denomination.
Learn More about Christ Chapel
During each semester, the chapel is open to students for personal devotion Monday through Saturday from 6:00 am to 10:15 pm, and on Sunday from noon to 10:15 pm. Any student or student organization wanting to reserve the chapel or day chapel should please contact Hillsdale College Chaplain Adam Rick. A student should contact the Dow Hotel and Conference Center if interested in renting the chapel for a personal religious event (e.g. a wedding) outside of the academic semester.
Meet the Chaplain
Adam Rick
Office Hours
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Student Union, Room 241
Tuesday through Thursday
Or by appointment
Rev. Adam Rick serves as Chaplain at Hillsdale College. He is an ordained minister in the Anglican Church in North America and serves a local Anglican church in addition to his role as College Chaplain.
On campus, Chaplain Rick supports and serves student ministries. In particular, he provides spiritual and administrative support to the student ministry leaders and helps coordinate communication between the various ministries. In addition, he provides one-on-one spiritual counseling to students who desire it, covering a range of topics from questions about doctrine to dealing with a difficult roommate. You will usually find him around campus, but he reserves “Office Hours” to make sure he is available for those who need him. He would love to hear your story, so drop by or schedule a time to visit him!
Local Places of Worship
The College desires to see students plugged into the many local congregations in Hillsdale. Many of our students are actively participating in a local church, and some churches have “adopt-a-student” ministries which help students get a little bit of home-away-from-home by connecting them to a member family. Below is a list of all the churches within a five mile radius of the college arranged by tradition.