Chaplain's Discretionary Fund

Support the spiritual needs of the BU community. Marsh Chapel & Religious Life are at the heart of the Boston University community, providing leadership and support in all aspects of religious and spiritual life on campus. We provide venues, activities, and resources that help our community face life’s joys and struggles with strengthened faith and hope.

As Boston University's diverse, international, multi-faith community of students, faculty, and staff continues to grow, Marsh Chapel will continue to lead the way toward fostering a community based on core principles and beliefs that unite us all.

The Chaplain’s Discretionary Fund supports our world class Sunday worship service and livestream, our diverse chaplaincies, student and faculty/staff wellbeing programs, and exceptional musical offerings. But, we can’t do this alone. We need your help to support these programs and initiatives. Your donation will make a difference for the BU community.

Below are just a few examples of the kind of tangible impact your Giving Day gift could make

• $10 provides a student with a Community Dinner meal.
• $25 provides a weekly mindfulness craft.
• $50 stocks the free student coffee and tea station for a week.
  
• $250 supports a week of professional wellness instruction (Tai Chi and Yoga).
• $1,500 sponsors an undergraduate Marsh Interfaith Fellow for a semester.

History of Marsh Chapel. Since our opening in 1950, Marsh Chapel has built a legacy as one of the leading liberal university pulpits in the United States. Shaped by the innovative aspirations and progressive ideals of Boston University President Daniel L. Marsh (1926–1951), the Chapel stands at the center of Boston University’s tradition of inclusive excellence.

The Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, Dean of Marsh Chapel from 1953 to 1965, was a seminal civil rights advocate and spiritual leader, whose non-violent activism and concern for common ground deeply influenced his most prominent protégée, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (BU PhD ‘55). The current Dean, the Rev. Dr. Robert Allan Hill, upholds and promotes the significance of this legacy as a preacher, theologian, educator, and religious leader.

Today, Marsh Chapel provides a point of connection and pride for Boston University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members near and far.