What it’s like to attend a Christian school for Buddhist & Muslim students

Inside each Minnehaha Academy classroom is a laminated 11×17 inch poster displaying the school’s four core values—in the top left of the poster, surrounded by a shade of Minnehaha red, is “Distinctively Christian” in bold.

Being a Christian school is foundational to Minnehaha, a value of the school that is embodied in routine: chapel services on Thursdays, two required Bible course credits, and frequent prayer before classes or tests. But being “Distinctively Christian” is not to be confused with “exclusively Christian.” A handful of students who practice different religions attend the same chapels and Bible classes, living a student life unique to that of their peers.

Tsering Lama, a senior, is a Tibetan Buddhist. Lama has attended Minnehaha since middle school, and to his knowledge, he and his sister, Tenzin Chosang (’24), have been the only practicing Buddhists.

“It’s hard being a minority, really in any aspect, be it religious or an ethnic minority. Being a minority in itself is hard, but I feel like if you can push through the difficulties of being in a minority, you can find who you are, and find how you see yourself,” said Lama.

Christianity offers its own variety of denominations, diverse in practice, habit, and ideology—many of which are represented at Minnehaha. Still, being a part of a religion that doesn’t stem from the Christian tree places students like Lama in a small demographic. Few students have an understanding of how Lama’s religious life takes shape. 

“It’s not as ‘atheistic’ as some people make it seem. In Buddhism, there’s a lot of spirits and demons. I feel like the western interpretation of Buddhism is mostly meditation, which is of course part of it, but not all of it,” said Lama.

A familiarity with Christianity is part and parcel with being a Minnehaha Academy student, so for the few students who are not Christian, they are seeing the many versions of what Christianity looks like first-hand, likely for the first time.

“At this school, it’s really useful to learn how major religion in the world works, how Christianity works. People go to college to learn this much about Christianity; I learned it going to this school,” said Lama. 

Lama isn’t the only student who has learned about Christianity just from spending time within the Minnehaha halls. Amiir Ahmed, a junior, is a new Minnehaha Academy student and one of a few Muslim students to have attended the school. 

“Even though a lot of the stuff here is faith based, I do feel included. And I feel like I’m learning, learning a religion that isn’t mine,” said Ahmed. 

This year, Ramadan—the holiest month in the Islamic tradition—took place from February 17 to March 19. Muslims who observe Ramadan fast from sunrise to sunset, a practice that is meant to inspire spiritual reflection.

“During Ramadan, that was probably one of the biggest [challenges],” said Ahmed, “But the school celebrates Lent. So we were all fasting from something.”

This year, Lent, which is the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, began on February 18, just one day after Ramadan began. While Ahmed was observing Ramadan, many Minnehaha students were observing Lent, some choosing to fast from something as well (a habit, food, etc.)

Although Ahmed is Muslim, he found himself participating in practices similar to those of his Minnehaha friends. The similarity was a source of connection, a vessel through which Ahmed and his Minnehaha peers could observe and discuss the many ways in which they relate to religion.

“Some of my deepest connections with people at Minnehaha are people who come from a different faith background than I do, and I think it’s important to find value in people with different backgrounds,” said senior Reier Skarning, a longtime Minnehaha student. 

Religion is often the source of disagreement or even feud, weaponized as a means to criticize. Students like Skarning are finding middle ground and similarities among diverse religions, a rare practice.

“[Religion] is a way of life, a way to see the world, how to act and interact with it,” said Lama.

Religion is intended to form values, answer existential questions, and unify. Minnehaha students are learning about religion every day—in class and from each other.