Not The Onion: Harvard Hires Atheist as Head Chaplain
Harvard University has hired an atheist to helm its chaplain’s association in what some are calling a sign of the times.
WHAT HAPPENED
Greg Epstein, who grew up in a Jewish home and identifies as a humanist, will be responsible for coordinating joint activities among Harvard’s Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist chaplaincy groups.
- “Despite his disbelief in any higher power, Harvard chaplains felt Epstein — author of the book “Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe” — was a good choice for the position due to young people’s increasing lack of religiosity,” per the New York Post.
THE REACTION
Twitter commentators reacted to the news with varying degrees of irony and despair.
- Chad Pecknold, Catholic University of American professor: “At the heart of the woke cathedral, atheism is finally recognized for what it is: a religion.”
- Lachlan Markay, Axios reporter: “This reads like the setup for a Monty Python skit.
- Antonio García Martínez, tech entrepreneur and author of “Chaos Monkeys”: “The Protestants are not OK.”