Opinion of the Ministry

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

The recent discussion in the CRIMSON concerning religion at Harvard has revealed certain misconceptions as to the nature and purpose of the United Ministry. Thus a statement issued by the student president of five religions groups was given the caption, "Views of Five United Ministry Heads."

It might be well, therefore, to inform your readers that the United Ministry has no student members. It is primarily an association of religious workers whose major responsibility is in the area of student counselling. The problems with which they are confronted are widely diversified. Some fall within the traditional domain of religion; others more properly come within the purview of official University agencies.

It is the unanimous opinion of the United Ministry that students would be served more effectively if there were a full-time University Religious Counsellor to whom they might feel free to come for advice and help. As circumstances dictated, the Counsellor would direct them either to the appropriate University office or to the representatives of their own faiths. Furthermore, be would serve as liaison between religious organizations ministering to students and the University.

The members of the United Ministry are also unanimously agreed that there ought to be an adequate coverage of religion in the College curriculum. The teachers of such courses would obviously need to meet the same academic and personnel standards as are required in other departments. While professors of these courses in religion would undoubtedly have their "points of view," they may be expected to be objective and impartial in presenting their subject.

Within the United Ministry there have been no essential difference in these matters. Rabbl Maurlce L. Zlgmend   Chairman,   United Ministry to Students.