{"id":7,"date":"2015-12-22T13:42:16","date_gmt":"2015-12-22T13:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.berea.edu\/ccc\/?page_id=7"},"modified":"2022-06-28T15:02:26","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T19:02:26","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/legacy.berea.edu\/ccc\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Berea College has always\u00a0nurtured the spiritual life of its community in a variety of ways. While categorized\u00a0non-denominational, the school creates an inclusive Christian spirituality that has always promoted social justice in its many forms. During its earliest history, the College provided many opportunities for Christian education and spiritual development, requiring the participation of all students and faculty.\u00a0Beginning with the founders of the College, several members of the faculty and administration, including five of the school\u2019s nine presidents to date, also have been ordained\u00a0ministers from several different Christian traditions and denominations. Through much of the College\u2019s history, many of the ministerial members of the College\u2019s faculty and administration led the community in worship and study of scriptures. For many decades, the president of the College even appointed a \u201cCollege Preacher.\u201d This person helped the school to fulfill its Christian commitment. Despite the important role of Christian faith in the founding, history and present mission of the College, the College does not regard itself as a church. It considers participation in any religious community or tradition completely\u00a0voluntary for its students, staff and faculty.<\/p>\n

\"Berea

Berea College’s first chapel<\/p><\/div>\n

The College constructed its first chapel under the leadership of Edward Henry Fairchild (1869-89). Fairchild was also the first president of Berea College. The first chapel\u00a0stood near where\u00a0Phelps Stokes Chapel<\/a>\u00a0now stands. The College shared this chapel with the Church of Christ, Union. Fire destroyed the first chapel in 1878. The College constructed its second chapel also during the administration of President Fairchild. The second chapel stood where the\u00a0Frost Building<\/a>\u00a0now stands. This chapel was a wooden structure built in a neo-Gothic style.\u00a0These chapels functioned as the tangible\u00a0symbols of and focal points for exercising the College\u2019s Christian commitment.<\/p>\n

\"Danforth

Danforth Chapel Exterior<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1937, during the presidency of William J. Hutchins, the College constructed Danforth Chapel. William H. Danforth was\u00a0founder of the Ralston Purina Mills company and a trustee of Berea College.\u00a0He donated the funds to construct Danforth Chapel. The College constructed this neo-Gothic chapel as an integral part of the\u00a0Draper Building<\/a>.\u00a0This was the central academic structure on campus at the time.\u00a0By placing it there, the College\u00a0aimed to display\u00a0its vision of the essential relationship between spirituality or religious experience and education. In its earliest years, the Danforth Chapel offices housed visiting ministers and religious scholars. Later, the Chapel housed ministers or chaplains to the College.<\/p>\n

\"Interior

Interior of Danforth Chapel<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1971,\u00a0the College established the Campus Christian Center (CCC). This was during during the presidency of Willis D. Weatherford, Jr.\u00a0President Weatherford secured a grant in 1970 from Mr. and Mrs. Eli Lilly.\u00a0The grant\u00a0became the endowment to support the work of this new department in the College. Weatherford gave this title to his proposal: \u201cThe Campus Christian Center \u2013 At the Heart of Great Commitments.\u201d His proposal articulated the original\u00a0vision that has guided the staff and work of the Center since its start. In Weatherford\u2019s letter to Mr. and Mrs. Lilly, he requested a grant to establish the Campus Christian Center as a way to support the \u201cnew elements in spiritual emphasis.\u201d The College had identified and affirmed these\u00a0in its then recently-formulated Great Commitments. Weatherford\u2019s proposal requested funding that would support:<\/p>\n