In Memory Of Tom Ferrick: America's First Atheist Chaplain Died
Posted: 01/22/2014 3:17 pm
Greg M. Epstein.
Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University
My old boss and mentor, the world's first ever avowed atheist to become a university chaplain, died recently. Tom Ferrick, the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University from 1974 until I took over for him in 2005, had been an orphan in Cambridge, MA during the great depression. He was raised by the Catholic Church and worked as a diocesan Catholic priest for 12 years, including as a Catholic chaplain at Dartmouth, before "deconverting". Years of searching brought him to Harvard, which was founded in 1636 as essentially a fundamentalist religious college, and which at that point had still only had chaplains from the 3 main flavors of American religion: Protestants, Catholics and Jews.
Tom was given the chance to be a pioneer because he asked the university for no money, and because it was assumed a the idea of a chaplain for atheists and agnostics would fail. Instead, Tom's dedication to the reason and truth, and his willingness to live an ascetic life-- a gay man, he never married, owned a home, or bought a car-- allowed him to become a key figure in the history of both Harvard and Humanism.
At Harvard, he eventually rose to be President of the United Ministry, the university's chaplain corps, and it was in large part his vision that made that body the 36-member group it is today, representing everyone from Atheists to Zoroastrians. I've been overwhelmed in recent days, hearing from Tom's religious colleagues about what he meant to them. Tom was deeply admired, not just by Humanists, but also by the Evangelicals, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Hindus, Korean Presbyterians, and others and others with whom fought to diversify the university's religious life. Many of these religious leaders credit Tom with recruiting them to Harvard, or at least they tell me he was the first of their peers to make them feel truly welcome on a campus that had for so long been a bit of an old-boys club. You might wonder: why a Humanist would go out of his way to build the most diverse group of religious chaplains in the world?
Part of it was baldly strategic. Tom believed that certain long-established religious communities should not be allowed to exist in a bubble of privilege, protected by ivy tower tradition from having to confront the true diversity of belief and doubt that exists in this world. He believed that more exposure to diversity would bring more questioning, more skepticism, and perhaps even more Humanism. But at the same time, part of Tom's approach was simple generosity of spirit. He knew plenty of believers would stand firm in their faith despite increased exposure to diversity. In fact he understood that no matter how passionate he was about reason, critical thinking, and Humanism, plenty of religious people would remain equally passionate about their convictions. Tom still sought common ground. And humbly-- he once turned down an offer to stay for the second hour of a call-in radio talk show he'd been doing, because he had to catch his bus home to make dinner.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-m-epstein/tom-ferrick-atheist_b_4646372.html
An historic life lived modestly.