By Betsy Shirley
Editor in Chief, Sojourners

The best advice I got before college move-in day: Pack your window fan last so it’s the first thing you unpack from the car. The practical wisdom of this advice became clear as my family and I hauled boxes of stuff up four flights of stairs to a not-at-all air-conditioned dorm room in the middle of Indiana in August. I switched my fan on that very morning and didn’t turn it off until Halloween.

As campuses across the country roll out the welcome banners (and a few coveted handcarts) for new students, Oisín Rowe offers more practical wisdom: If you’re a queer student headed to a Christian college, look for safe allies but be cautious, especially if you’re somewhere that doesn’t openly support the LGBTQ+ community.

Rowe, a graduate of Bob Jones University, knows what it’s like to be young, queer, and kicking off your first semester at a Christian college that doesn’t feel safe. (BJU, as you might recall, has strict fundamentalist roots and a past president who once made a statement at the White House calling for “homosexuals” to be stoned). From this experience, Rowe learned some useful tips to find local churches, organizations, and even alumni who can offer the affirming support you may not find on campus.

“I cannot emphasize how much love and respect I have for closeted and out students who are at these Christian institutions today,” writes Rowe. “My heart is with you. Until then, be safe and know that there are millions of people out there who will respect and affirm you just as you are.” Solid advice for freshmen. And seriously, get that box fan on ASAP.

Beyond the world of college campuses, here’s what else you need to know this week:

Somebody’s watching you: We’ve brought you a number of stories over the past few weeks about the government’s growing appetite for surveillance (in everything from the latest Spider-Man flick to the Department of Homeland Securities new biometric toys). But as Chicago pastor Michael Woolf reflects, the biggest risk of government surveillance has less to do with what three letter agencies know—and everything to do with us.
“Bullet holes in banana trees”: Earlier this year, Filipino American activist Lyle Prijoles was one of 19 people killed by the Armed Forces of Philippines. Hannah Keziah Agustin reports on a group of Christian clergy from the Philippines and the U.S. who embarked on a fact-finding mission to uncover the truth of what happened.
More than good feels: Our outgoing magazine editorial assistant Evana talks with Catherine Meeks about alternatives to the “let’s just seek spiritual harmony” approach that dominated much of the “racial reconciliation” movement. (Also, we’ll miss you, Evana!)
Awkward parables: I never know what to do with the parable of the talents—you know, the one in Matthew 25:14-13 where a man gives his slaves money to invest, then berates the one who just buried it. But Damon Garcia offers a refreshing take (with illustrations by Daniel Jurman that are just plain adorable).
Icelandic escape: A new, unhurried drama from director Hlynur Pálmason offers following offers what film critic Abby Olcese calls “a tender portrait of people continuing to love each other in times of joy, confusion, and crises minor and major.” Which sounds pretty relevant, right now, especially as...
The midterms are coming: Deep breaths, everyone. Contemplatives like Barbara Holmes invite us to see more clearly, even in moments when we fear crisis, shattering, or rupture.

How To Survive Christian College As a Queer Student (by Oisín Rowe)

Find safe allies—and other tips from my own experience.

Read the full article

Community Notes

If you attended a Christian college or university, what advice would you give to those starting their first semester this fall? And regardless of what institution students may attend, what is your prayer for this year’s incoming group of college freshmen? What prayer would you have wanted someone to pray for you? We’d love to hear! Let us know at response@sojo.net (or just reply to this email).

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