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 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, these things create a spiritual life on campus which is vibrant, earnest, and fully owned by faithful students.
Whether you come for a religious tradition or not, you’ll 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 and identity, serves as a reminder that civil and religious liberty are inseparable, and provides a much-needed place of worship for all Hillsdale College students, regardless of denomination.
Learn More about Christ Chapel
Christ Chapel is available to students, alumni, faculty, and staff of the college for private rental for weddings during times when school is not in session. For more information about this, please reach out to the Dow Hotel and Conference Center on campus.
My name is Adam and I am the College Chaplain. My role on campus is to support and to serve the student ministries on campus. In particular, I provide spiritual and administrative support to the student ministry leaders, and I help coordinate communication between the various ministries. In addition, I provide 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. I would love to hear about your story, so schedule a time to come see me!
My desire is to see students growing in their faith. In particular, I have a heart to see students take Jesus Christ’s call to discipleship seriously and joyously. I am eager to help students orient their lives around the story of salvation revealed through the Scriptures in Christ. My office is located in the Grewcock Student Union, around the corner from the College Bookstore, so that I am as readily available to students as I can be.
I am an ordained minister in the Anglican Church in North America, and I currently serve a local Anglican church in addition to my role as College Chaplain. My wife Katherine was raised on the mission field, and now teaches music at the College. I grew up just north of Hillsdale, and after a 10-year stint in the Northeast I returned home to serve the Hillsdale community in 2016.
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 helps 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.