Hillsdale College Lays Cornerstone of New Christ Chapel

HILLSDALE, Mich., Nov. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, November 7, Hillsdale College laid the cornerstone of the new Christ Chapel. The building project, which broke ground earlier this year, is slated for completion in spring of 2019.

Immediately following Hillsdale's Fall Convocation, guests were invited to move toward the ceremony site at the southwest corner of the Christ Chapel building site. Once the attendees were gathered, college chaplain Rev. Adam Rick gave a short blessing of Christ Chapel's cornerstone and the building itself. A Bible, as well as a copy of the college's Articles of Association and Honor Code, was then placed in the cornerstone.

After the blessing, a crane lowered the cornerstone into its place in the Christ Chapel foundation, and Hillsdale College president Larry P. Arnn smoothed the mortar around it after a few short remarks.

"We started working on plans for this chapel in 2001. It was the most obvious thing in the world that we needed this," said Dr. Arnn. "I thank God and all of you for the opportunity that has come to this college. It will make a difference as long as we live and beyond."

Christ Chapel is located in the heart of Hillsdale's campus at the north end of the central quad, a reminder of the college's core commitment to "teach by precept and example the essentials of the Christian faith." Construction on the chapel began in March 2017, and the completed building will have 27,000 square feet of space and seat 1,350 people. As a non-denominational worship space, Christ Chapel will serve as the hub and heart of spiritual life as faith is lived out on campus.

Christ Chapel was designed by Notre Dame University professor of architecture Duncan Stroik, who has designed many prominent religious spaces in the United States, including Thomas Aquinas College Chapel in California and the Shrine of Our Lady Guadalupe in Wisconsin, among others. The chapel's design draws upon and complements Central Hall. The interior of the chapel pays homage to the quintessential English church, St. Martin-in-the-Fields?which in turn inspired Christ Church in Philadelphia.

Funding for the chapel building project was launched by a generous leadership gift of $12.5 million from longtime Hillsdale supporters Jack and Jo Babbitt. The complete construction cost of Christ Chapel is $28.5 million.

Photos from the ceremony are here. For information about Christ Chapel, visit www.hillsdale.edu/christ-chapel.

About Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College, founded in 1844, has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 3.7 million. More information at hillsdale.edu. 

SOURCE Hillsdale College