Mission possible Tom Cruise is not a Christian Scientist

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Katie Crecelius '08 has a unique problem when it comes to religion at Middlebury College.

"People always say 'Oh, like Tom Cruise?'" Crecelius said after she tells them her religion. The confusion comes from a common misunderstanding between Crecelius' faith and with a similar faith but very different beliefs. Crecelius is a Christian Scientist - not a Scientologist, like Tom Cruise. As the head of the Christian Science organization at Middlebury College, she organizes and mobilizes the other Christian Scientists in the College.

"We meet once a week to read Christian Science literature and talk about whatever comes up," said Crecelius. One of the biggest problems of being a Christian Scientist at Middlebury is the location.

"It's hard to be a Christian Scientist in a rural area," said Crecelius. "I'm from Boston, which is the center of the movement." In a rural area, Crecelius explains, it is harder to find other people of the same faith because the population is so small.

Crecelius also shared more frustration with the religious scene at Middlebury than other student religious group leaders.

"Religious life is more underrepresented at Middlebury than other NESCAC schools," said Crecelius. While she attributes this mostly to students' involvement in many other activities that they value more, she said the problem has much to do with money.

"It's hard to get funding for things," said Crecelius, pointing to a problem that she said many student clubs have with the financial system at the College.

Last year, the Christian Scientists produced a play during Religious Life Awareness month entitled "A Shetl Girl in America."

"We needed a lot of money for the play and that was hard to get," said Crecelius. While she lobbied other groups such as Hillel and the SGA Finance Committee for financial help, no one had the extra funds to pitch in.