Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, is an institution of higher education with a long and varied history. Now Rutgers represents a diverse and promising future. In 2016, Rutgers’ (New Brunswick) Commencement speaker, President Barack Obama, called Rutgers “what might just be America’s most diverse student body.”* Indeed, Rutgers is a crossroad of faith, class, race, nationality, and many other identities. Students encounter peers from very different backgrounds and perspectives. These “intersections” shape life and activity on our campuses, on a daily basis.
More than 60 years ago, then Rutgers’ President, Mason W. Gross, saw a need to encourage the life of faith and spirituality at Rutgers. He welcomed faith communities to establish their presences on this historic campus. It was in this era that the Episcopal Church formalized a presence at Rutgers. As Rutgers has changed over the decades, so has our outreach to the campus and community.
The Canterbury House is situated near the heart of the College Avenue campus, serving as our student center and featuring a new worship space. On this diverse campus, we open our doors to students of all faiths and no faith, offering traditional Episcopal/Anglican worship as well as engaging in timely and often provocative conversations around issues of faith, spirituality, and the intersections of life.
