By Elizabeth Coscia ’12, Editor-in-Chief

Come December, dramatic, philosophical types will often lament the materialism that presumably ruins the holidays. They claim that an obsession with shopping and gift preparation clouds what should be a reflective, peaceful time of year. This year, Christian members of the Newark Academy community have two days between exams and Christmas Eve to frantically purchase gifts for all of their friends and family, leaving little time for true considerations of the symbolic weight that their religion gives to the holiday. The mixture of stressful term-end anxiety and frenetic preparation creates whirlwind holidays that pass in the stuttering blink of an eye.

It seems impossible that people would find time to contemplate their respective religious affiliations amidst the chaos described above. Considerations of religion, for this reason, often fall by the wayside. As a departure from previous generations, today’s parents are less likely to stimulate discussion of religion or require obligatory temple or church attendance. More often than not, the level of religious dedication is a choice or an option.

Today, teenagers and young adults who consider religion an important aspect of their lives rely heavily on the buzzword “faith.” They have developed personal affirmations of their understanding of their religious decisions, and this provides guidance even when they do not approve of certain aspects of their religions’ official political positions.

Many young Roman Catholics today, for example, are liberal minded. They consider bans on abortion and bans on gay marriage absurd, and do not agree with the prevention of women from priesthood. The Church’s positions on many of these issues are arguably products of misinterpretation of scripture by people in power. In severe circumstances of this model, Muslim extremists’ mistaken interpretations of the Qur’an lead them to disgrace true Islamic values. The buzzword “faith” allows people that are both religious and educated today to look past these political considerations and infirmities and focus on the strength they receive from the important spiritual tenets of their religions. This idea was evident in Mustafa Akyol’s presentation as part of the Global Speak Series, especially his affirmation that educated Muslim women see no conflict in both wearing headscarves, an important component of their faith, and expressing liberal ideas.

Increasingly numerous, however, is a group that associates religion with ignorance. The conspicuousness of extremists and misinterpretation-prone political leaders does not aid the cause for greater understanding of religions. People that associate religion with ignorance are often educated and have examined the atrocities committed in the name of religion throughout history. They also, however, often lack meaningful base relationships with their own family’s faiths or religious traditions. They are not interested in the spiritual guidance that has led many of the religious people and leaders that came before them to achieve great character and accomplishments, guiding people such as Mahatma Gandhi.

Intellectualism and religion can coexist. Liberalism and faith can coexist. The separation of these ideas prevents those with reform-minded ideas about their religions from taking action to reform their representative bodies. “Faith” as a personal affirmation is important, but the young people who see light in religion must not separate their religion from politics and moral policy perspectives. In comparison to the nature of religion, the nature of Democratic government lends itself to constant reform due to its day-to-day effect on people’s lives. If the government acts in the wrong or represents the people poorly, there is upheaval. Young religious people of the United States today need to be the ones to speak out for their faith traditions and recognize the importance of timely reforms. They need to alter the historical experience of modernizing religious practices centuries after governmental reforms.

Religions provide tradition, and they are the reason that many Newark Academy students will be attending family gatherings during the break. Contemplation of these religious associations, however, seems a luxury amidst busy lives. Perhaps, however, it proves necessary for students as young people to clarify the meaning of their affiliations. This may protect the future from the complications that arise from having something misrepresented and outdated in a modern world. The elimination of religion seems to neglect the strength that religion has the opportunity to provide in times of struggle. Some feel that perhaps the way to reform the tragedy of religious extremism is to sever religion from uniform political decisions. However, in order to do so young people must consider moral policy politics an integral part of religion, even if it means determining the political stance of their religions to be “no comment.”

If you find yourself at a gathering based on a religious event, indulge in some reflection on the significance of the traditions that have brought you there. Why do you identify with a dreidel, a tree, or a crescent moon? Or, why do you identify with no religious symbol? In the year 2011, what does religion mean to you?

Happy Holidays & Happy Reading,

 The Minuteman