ニューヨーク・タイムズさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ニューヨーク・タイムズInstagram)「The wall of the worship center at the Texas Wesley Foundation at the University of Texas’ campus in Austin is emblazoned with the center’s three core principles: inclusive love, exploring faith and real friendship. The Wesley, a Methodist campus ministry group founded at the school in 1923, currently has about 80 student members, most of whom were involved in churches or youth groups growing up and were seeking that same kind of community during their college years. Many prospective students come to campus with preconceived notions of what it means to be a Christian or a part of a campus ministry, often informed by bad personal experiences or by seeing religion used as a cudgel to push hateful rhetoric and discriminatory policies. The Wesley is committed to being a safe and welcoming space for all students, whatever their background, especially in recent years, as many people in the community — students of color, members of the LGBTQ community — have struggled to feel safe in Texas. “Austin might be an accepting place for a lot of different communities, but unfortunately the church has not historically been that way for everybody,” said Brandon Devaney, 22. “So it feels like we have to work twice as hard to show people that we’re not going to be oppressors.” Students can gather at the Wesley for worship services, but the center also serves as a meeting ground for holiday parties, community service opportunities and a wide range of small discussion groups, including the popular “God’s Office Hours,” where students debate topics including abortion, LGBTQ rights and religion’s relationship to politics. All of it is led by students. Once a semester, the group leaves the school for a retreat, where they can unplug from the daily grind of campus life. Last fall, they took over John Knox Ranch, a campground about an hour outside of Austin, for a few days of canoeing, s’mores and campfire services. This article is part of the Where We Are visual series, which explores young people coming of age and the spaces where they create community. Tap the link in our bio to learn about the students who have found community at the Wesley. Photos by @durzt」6月11日 23時52分