Convocation Speech with Jesus Reference Sparks Controversy at Dartmouth College
Monday, Sep. 26, 2005 Posted: 6:34:40PM EST

A convocation speech made last Tuesday by Dartmouth College's Student Body President with references to Jesus has sparked controversy on the Ivy League campus, leading to the publishing of a retaliating cartoon and the resignation of the Assembly's Vice President.

Addressing Dartmouth students at the university's convocation, Student Body President Noah Riner delivered a speech on the importance of character. "[I]t takes more than a Dartmouth degree to build character," said Riner, pointing to stories of corrupt Dartmouth alumni such as murderer Daniel Mason from the class of '93 and indicted rapist P.J. Halas from the class of '98.

"Character has a lot to do with sacrifice, laying our personal interests down for something bigger. The best example of this is Jesus," continued Riner, praising Jesus' decision to take up the cross despite the consequences.

"He knew the right thing to do. He knew the cost would be agonizing torture and death. He did it anyway. That's character."

Some students took offense to the speech's references to Jesus, saying that convocation was an inappropriate forum for the topic.

the rest