The United States fosters a rich assortment of religious practices. Hamline works to promote connection amongst these differing religious organizations in a Multifaith Alliance in the face of religious acts of violence. Nevertheless, the hate persists within the confines of the University.

From 2020 to 2023, the FBI Crime Data Explorer reported that religious based hate crimes made up 18.5% of all the recorded hate crimes. In 2024 and 2025, that percentage has grown to 23.53%. In 2025 alone, there have been 1,727 incidents of religion motivated hate crimes.

Religious places of worship in Minnesota have not escaped these hate crimes. The Minneapolis Temple Israel has been defaced multiple times in the past year. Minneapolis’ Al Hikma Mosque was the victim of a fire on Sept. 29. These attacks are unnerving for many religious individuals, as this place they view as a safe haven faces violence.

“One of the things that is so unnerving about an attack on religious institutions is I would say religious institutions and schools are the two places where you think this should be a safe place, right? In fact, if you even think of the term like sanctuary, like I am going for sanctuary, somewhere it is a protected space and you are vulnerable there,” Hamline’s Religion Director Mark Berkson said.

One of the biggest fuels of hate is ignorance. To work to combat this, University Chaplain and Director of the Wesley Center Chaplain Kelly Figueroa-Ray created the umbrella organization for the Multifaith Alliance to establish unity amongst the religious organizations. Associate Chaplain of Jewish Life Rabbi Esther Adler emphasizes the importance of connecting with others to foster understanding and resist hate.

“If you don’t know, or interact with personally, people who are different than you or if that is not a conscious effort to be part of a community or a state or the world, hate is going to continue. The best way to combat hate is to know someone’s name and have a conversation and that is what we do,” Adler said.

The Multifaith Alliance creates these conversations, giving students across religious backgrounds the chance to eat together and learn about others’ traditions in the hopes of reducing religious intolerance at Hamline.

“I just think people seeing people being religious and realizing that they are not being impeded upon but people are getting to be who they are just generates tolerance instead of just telling people with words that they have to accept people because that doesn’t really work,” Figuero-Ray said.

A firm belief that others are approaching the world wrong can lead to decisions that violate the peace of others. The Associate Minister of Spiritual Formation, Heather Grantham, at the Hamline Church has experienced direct resistance towards the Church’s acceptance of women pastors and the LGBTQ+ community, which can create difficult situations in a space they want to be completely welcoming.

“I think it is very important for people to share what is on their heart and mind, but when it inhibits my ability to function and you’re scaring, like you’re really inhibiting other people’s experiences, we don’t need that to be here,” Grantham said

Religious places of worship are generally places of refuge, places that people go to be vulnerable and not have to worry about the possibility of being attacked. This exploitation of this vulnerable and welcoming space can leave people on edge. Senior and president of the Muslim Student Association, Hanan Abdi, has felt a shift with her fellow Muslim students as they feel a rise in Islamophobia in the U.S..

“We are living in scary times. Freedom of speech is not so free anymore it feels like, so Muslim students tend to feel like they have to walk around on eggshells because they don’t want to get in trouble,” Abdi said.

The Chaplains are not just here to help those who follow the same religion as them, they serve as a confidential resource for all students. Figueroa-Ray emphasizes her desire for all students to be able to access the chaplains for support when the weight of hateful actions is too much.

“I am the University Chaplain, I am everyone’s chaplain, Rabbi Esther is everyone’s rabbi, we are not tied to our own realm of traditions. We offer spiritual and emotional care, so it is not just like you don’t have to be a part of any religion to be a part of this stuff and you will not be pressured into being anything,” Figueroa-Ray said. “Everyone has these values, everyone has a way they walk in the world because of what they believe and that is all you need to have.”