Religious and Spiritual Life

Is Capital a Christian college?

This is one of the most researched questions when people are inquiring Capital. Capital University was founded through the Lutheran seminary back in 1830 and still retains an active relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Rather than require you to believe in a particular religion, force a specific moral code, or demand chapel attendance – we don’t do ANY of those things – our distinctively Lutheran approach to higher education fosters an inclusive, supportive community for people of any religious or spiritual background. These values inspire us to foster a multi-faith community the celebrates diverse religious expressions and supports spiritual wellness as a core aspect of human development. For a bit more on that, check out this video from our University Pastor.

Columbus is home to an astonishing array of churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship. We’re glad to help you connect with a local community that helps support your faith practices. Read more about Capital's origins and spiritual principles here.

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Staff 

Rev. Drew Tucker - University Pastor and Director of the Center for Faith and Learning
Email: dtucker@capital.edu 

Rev. Dikiea Elery - Assistant Director of Religious and Spiritual Life
Email: delery@capital.edu 

Worship

Every week, Capital hosts a number of worship opportunities for the whole community. 

Capital Worship is every Wednesday at 10AM in Gloria Dei Worship Center. Come expecting organ music and traditions familiar to many kinds of Christians with more formal liturgies (like some Lutherans, Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, and others). This is where students, faculty, staff, and administrators come together for worship. 

Candlelight Worship is every Thursday at 9:09PM in Gloria Dei Worship Center. Come expecting band-led music and a more informal setting with lots of singing, scripture, and conversations in a Christ-centered, student-led service that feels more nondenominational and includes Christians of all stripes.

Meditation and Mindfulness happens every Monday at 4:30PM in the Interfaith Prayer Space. This brief moment offers an opportunity for people of all religions and worldviews to come together at the beginning of the week to center ourselves and our work in ways of peace, potential, and purpose.

In addition to these three university-sponsored worship opportunities, Trinity Lutheran Seminary hosts worship every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 10AM and invites all to participate. 

University-Sponsored Campus Ministries

Embrace Ministries

Embrace Ministries is a curious, inclusive community, centered in Christ, discerning God’s call, and sent by the Spirit’s Love. This ecumenical Christian organization includes people from many Christian backgrounds, Lutherans and Catholics, Evangelicals and Episcopalians, Nondenominational and many, many more. In addition to leadership with Capital Worship and Candlelight, Embrace also hosts annual retreats, spring break trips, small groups, and service events.

Embrace Ministries is a Reconciling in Christ community that celebrates that every individual person uniquely embodies the image of God. We affirm members of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, ability, and background. Inspired by the unconditional love of God in Jesus Christ, we hear the call of the Spirit to commit to providing a safe community, where each member is loved for each part of their identity.

In addition to weekly worship, they also host a weekly Dinner and Dialogue event each Tuesday from 5-6PM in the Lower Level of Trinity Lutheran Seminary. This community meal is open to all members of the Capital community. They also host annual retreats, spring break trips, small groups, and service events.

Interfaith Council

Interfaith Council offers an opportunity for representation by every spiritual tradition on campus, even those without an official student organization. We have two goals: to raise awareness about the spiritual diversity that exists in the Capital community, and to sponsor programs that support friendships between people of different religious traditions. If you’re interested in the work of the Capital Interfaith Council or want to be sure your tradition is represented, contact Pastor Drew. 

Interfaith Prayer Space

There are two interfaith prayer spaces, one in Kerns 101 (open during business hours) and one in Saylor-Ackermann Lobby (open 24 hours), open to members of the Capital from every spiritual background for meditation, prayer, or quiet reflection. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The three worship spaces on campus – Kable Chapel in Kerns Religious Life Center, as well as Schenk Chapel and Gloria Dei Worship Center in Trinity Lutheran Seminary – can be reserved for group events through Meeting and Events Services.

Center for Faith and Learning

The Center for Faith and Learning seeks to form global citizens and servant leaders at the intersection of the academy and spirituality. We seek to accomplish that mission through four goals:

1. To foster regular dialog between members of the university community to increase our understanding of the Lutheran heritage, ethics, and education.
2. To provide resources for the university community to deepen its knowledge and appreciation for the role of religion and ethics in higher education.
3. To identify and articulate bridges between existing and emerging activities of the university and our Lutheran heritage.
4. To cultivate relationships across congregations, agencies, and regions within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

CFL activities include guest speakers like the Rev. Lenny Duncan and Emily joy Allison, university task forces to clarify and amplify faith-based priorities, and professional development opportunities for Capital and the wider community.

The annual Big Questions Retreat is a free opportunity for faculty and staff to deepen understanding of vocational exploration in young adults. This features both the wisdom of the Capital community and invited guests, like Ohio State’s Dr. Jasmine Akubar and Augustana University’s Dr. Jason Mahn.

The Director for the Center for Faith and Learning serves as an ex officio member of Capital’s Board of Trustees to interpret contemporary Lutheran values, build support for faith-based initiatives, and promote spiritual wellness as a core priority.