芝大的信仰精神

昨日陪同来访好友逛校园，走进敞开的空无一人的Rockefeller Chapel，发现竟可以自由参观，于是第一次仔细地打量起这座教堂的内部结构，楼上楼下，前前后后，各个角落。在门口读到刻在石壁上的说明文字，抄录如下：

The founder of the University of Chicago John D. Rockefeller on December 13, 1910 made provision for the erection of this chapel and thus defined its purpose:

As the spirit of religion should penetrate and control the University, so that building which represents religion ought to be the central and dominant feature of the University group.

Thus it will be proclaimed that the University in its ideal is dominated by the spirit of religion, all its departments are inspired by religious feeling and all its work is directed to the highest ends.

原来芝大的建立基础是信仰精神。有意思的是，虽然这座教堂的内部形状是一个明显的十字架，这段文字却并未提及任何一种具体的宗教，这是否也代表了信仰自由的信念？