Lancaster University Chaplaincy Centre, on the
campusA campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
of
Lancaster UniversityLancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. Lancaster is the 7th highest ranking research institution in the United Kingdom according to the last Research Assessment Exercise. The University has an annual income of £149...
in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
is a unique building bringing together the many faith groups represented on the campus and in the wider community. Built in 1969, it consists of three circular lobes with a three pronged
spireA spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from Anglo-Saxon, so it is related to "spear," rather than the Romance languages and "spirit."...
which is the basis of the University's modern logo, introduced in its silver Jubilee year in 1989. Two of the lobes contain
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
chapelA chapel is a building used as a place for fellowship and of worship for Christians. It may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a college, a hospital, a palace, a prison or a cemetery, or may be an entirely free-standing building, sometimes with its own grounds...
s: one Roman Catholic, and one Anglican and Free Church.
Lancaster University Chaplaincy Centre, on the
campusA campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
of
Lancaster UniversityLancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. Lancaster is the 7th highest ranking research institution in the United Kingdom according to the last Research Assessment Exercise. The University has an annual income of £149...
in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
is a unique building bringing together the many faith groups represented on the campus and in the wider community. Built in 1969, it consists of three circular lobes with a three pronged
spireA spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from Anglo-Saxon, so it is related to "spear," rather than the Romance languages and "spirit."...
which is the basis of the University's modern logo, introduced in its silver Jubilee year in 1989. Two of the lobes contain
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
chapelA chapel is a building used as a place for fellowship and of worship for Christians. It may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a college, a hospital, a palace, a prison or a cemetery, or may be an entirely free-standing building, sometimes with its own grounds...
s: one Roman Catholic, and one Anglican and Free Church. The third lobe is the largest and is split on two levels. On the ground floor it contains a social space (the Central Lounge), the Jewish Rooms (Synagogue, Jewish Lounge and Kosher Kitchen), and the Quiet Room (used for worship by the Quakers and meetings by the
Bahá'ísThe Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.The Bahá'í Faith teaches a doctrine of...
among others). It also contains the Free Church Chaplains' office, Secretary's office and a Cafe. The upstairs contains a smaller social area, two flats (one each for the
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
and Anglican
chaplainA chaplain is typically a priest, pastor, ordained deacon, rabbi, imam or other member of the clergy serving a group of people who are not organised as a mission or church, or who are unable to attend church for various reasons; such as health, confinement, or military or civil duties; lay...
s), and a Buddhist meditation room as well as a small 'natural health' office used by a number of 'alternative' and 'complementary' therapists and the office of 'Friends International'.
Religious student societies including the Catholic society, Jewish Society, Bahá'í Society, Christian Fellowship and Chinese Christian Fellowship meet in the centre. The Islamic society are also prominent on campus and meet in the Islamic Prayer room located on the perimeter road near Info lab 21. The centre is also used by non-religious groups including Pulsar (the
science fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature...
society), and the LU
GospelGospel music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
Choir. The chapels, meditation room and Synagogue are always open and available for private prayer and
meditationMeditation is used here as a broad term for practices done by a sole practitioner without much, if any, external aide, often for the purpose of self-transformation...
.
Similar facilities exist at the universities of
DundeeThe University of Dundee is a university in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee, Scotland.Founded in 1881, the institution existed for most of its early existence as a constituent college of the University of St Andrews alongside the St Andrews-based United College and St Mary's College...
and
BathThe University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, England. It received its Royal Charter in 1966. With 20 out of its 26 subjects being ranked within top 10 in the UK, Bath is placed the 6th in the table of Who's in Top Ten of Their Subjects from the Complete University Guide published...
. However, very few universities in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
have such purpose built facilities. Lancaster was the first such joint centre in the United Kingdom.