Harvard appoints Atheist as head of chaplains

Harvard University in America has appointed its Atheist chaplain to be the President of its chaplaincy.

Greg Epstein, 44, who already worked as a Humanist chaplain at the college, will organise the other 40 or so chaplains from the Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Sikh faith.

Epstein, who was raised Jewish, is the author of 'Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe', and wants to be there for those on campus who do not believe in God but still want to make good choices.

He told the New York Times: "There is a rising group of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition but still experience a real need for conversation and support around what it means to be a good human and live an ethical life."

"We don’t look to a god for answers," he added. "We are each other’s answers."

Epstein's biography on Harvard's chaplaincy website reads that his book "continues to be influential years after its initial publication helped popularise the notion that the rapidly growing population of secular people can live lives of deep purpose, compassion, and connection."

He responded to his appointment by saying: "thank you especially to my amazing colleagues. This story is really about them and about the importance of our common work, which is more important than ever in these times...thank you interfaith groups who bravely set a precedent of warm partnership with humanists like me."

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