The Daily OrangeReligious groups vie for dominance in athletic crusade
By Lillian Wilson
Posted: 4/23/04, 1:28 AM EST Section: Feature
When religions clash on the football field, things can get a little competitive.
Last year, students from the Muslim Student Association team knocked over a few members of the Baptist Campus Ministries team, said Rebecca Lou, a junior marketing major.
"But I don't think it's because we're Christians," Lou said, laughing.
The game was part of the Hendricks Cup competition, a yearlong athletic battle between religious groups at Syracuse University, including the Muslim Student Association, Hillel, Lutheran Campus Ministries and Baptist Campus Ministries. This year's Hendricks Cup tournament ends Sunday with a soccer game.
Throughout the school year, the sects compete in basketball, soccer, softball and Frisbee games, and the team with the most points at the end of the year wins the Hendricks Cup.
Baptist Campus Ministries won the tournament last year, Lou said.
"Supposedly there is an actual cup and it was in the BCM office (in Hendricks Chapel) for a week or so," Lou said. "But I never saw it."
The Hendricks Cup tournament is one of many interfaith traditions that have been held this year, said the Rev. Thomas Wolfe, dean of Hendricks Chapel.
Two weeks ago, the first interfaith Seder at Syracuse in five years was held at Hillel during the Jewish Passover, Wolfe said. Approximately 20 students from several different faiths attended the Seder.
This year marked the reconstruction of the Interfaith Student Council and the founding of the interfaith living learning community, Wolfe said.
The interaction between religious groups at Syracuse is the result of students' interest in learning about and respecting other faiths, Wolfe said.
"We have taken the idea of 'interfaith' to heart this year," Wolfe said.
To Lou and other students, though, the Hendricks Cup is just about fun and games.
"We joke around and call it the 'religious war.' But religiously, it's not an issue," Lou said. "We're just out there to have fun."
Last year, students from the Muslim Student Association team knocked over a few members of the Baptist Campus Ministries team, said Rebecca Lou, a junior marketing major.
"But I don't think it's because we're Christians," Lou said, laughing.
The game was part of the Hendricks Cup competition, a yearlong athletic battle between religious groups at Syracuse University, including the Muslim Student Association, Hillel, Lutheran Campus Ministries and Baptist Campus Ministries. This year's Hendricks Cup tournament ends Sunday with a soccer game.
Throughout the school year, the sects compete in basketball, soccer, softball and Frisbee games, and the team with the most points at the end of the year wins the Hendricks Cup.
Baptist Campus Ministries won the tournament last year, Lou said.
"Supposedly there is an actual cup and it was in the BCM office (in Hendricks Chapel) for a week or so," Lou said. "But I never saw it."
The Hendricks Cup tournament is one of many interfaith traditions that have been held this year, said the Rev. Thomas Wolfe, dean of Hendricks Chapel.
Two weeks ago, the first interfaith Seder at Syracuse in five years was held at Hillel during the Jewish Passover, Wolfe said. Approximately 20 students from several different faiths attended the Seder.
This year marked the reconstruction of the Interfaith Student Council and the founding of the interfaith living learning community, Wolfe said.
The interaction between religious groups at Syracuse is the result of students' interest in learning about and respecting other faiths, Wolfe said.
"We have taken the idea of 'interfaith' to heart this year," Wolfe said.
To Lou and other students, though, the Hendricks Cup is just about fun and games.
"We joke around and call it the 'religious war.' But religiously, it's not an issue," Lou said. "We're just out there to have fun."
