Chapel Use on College and University Campuses

Abstract

Many institutions of higher education have chapels, but how often are the chapels used? The authors examine use of chapels on two private higher education campuses in the Southeastern United States. While close to 50% of students visited the chapels on both campuses, visits were primarily for secular activities, although use of the chapels for spiritual purposes was also common. The greater use of chapels for spiritual purposes likely reflects the broader societal shift away from religiosity and toward spirituality. The authors recommend that higher education administrators consider chapels as multi-use buildings that can host religious, spiritual, and secular activities.