If this is an emergency or you are in crisis, please contact 911 or a crisis hotline such as the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Think you’re part of a high-pressure religious organization? See our resources.
University Chaplains
University Chaplains come from a particular religious tradition but are available to all members of the BU community from any tradition. They are ordained or affirmed in good standing in their traditions and have been invited to serve the Boston University community in all of its rich religious diversity. University Chaplains are Confidential Resources for students, faculty, and staff.
All University Chaplains serve on the Boston University Religious Life Council, the advisory body to the Dean of Marsh Chapel for policy and oversight of religious life across the university.
Marsh Chapel & Religious Life
For more information about Marsh Chapel’s dean, chaplains, or the Religious Life staff, visit our Chaplains & Staff page.
Dean of Marsh Chapel, Chaplain to the University, Professor of New Testament and Pastoral Theology
Rev. Dr. Robert Hill
For more information about Marsh Chapel’s dean, chaplains, or the Religious Life staff, visit our Chaplains & Staff page.
Jewish Chaplaincy – BU Hillel
BU Hillel inspires, educates, and empowers Boston University students to lead meaningful, joyous Jewish lives.
Connect with a Rabbi Support BU Hillel
Muslim Chaplaincy
The Muslim Chaplaincy at Boston University is committed to fostering a spiritually nurturing, inclusive, and intellectually vibrant environment for Muslim students, faculty, and staff. We support the diverse needs of the Muslim community through pastoral care, religious programming, interfaith engagement, and advocacy rooted in compassion and justice, under the Islamic tradition.
Learn More Support Muslim Chaplaincy at BU
Roman Catholic Chaplaincy – BU Catholic Center
The BU Catholic Center stand as a beacon of faith, hope, and love on campus, and has long served as an incubator for vocations of all kinds. Our Community is blessed with a deep fidelity to the gospel, abundant prayer among students, and a warm and joyful community.
Meet our Priest Support the BU Catholic Center
Campus Ministers
Spiritual leaders from other faith traditions are also available to students. These campus ministers are not staff members or confidential resources, but serve as important supports for religious student communities of BU.
High Pressure Religious Organizations
We strongly recommend that students seek religious and spiritual community through approved BU student groups. High pressure religious organizations (cults) do approach students on and near the BU campus. They also contact students directly through social media, including Instagram Direct Message. These interactions may seem harmless at first, but often involve high-pressure and manipulative recruitment tactics which over time can affect a person’s emotional, psychological, and physical well being.
Are you or someone you know in an unhealthy religious group?
Consider these questions:
- Does your group show unquestioning commitment to its leader(s)?
- Are doubts, research, and questions about the group and its beliefs discouraged?
- Does the leadership dictate how members should think, act, and feel? How they should dress, where they should live, who they can be friends with?
- Does the group feel they’re on a special mission to save humanity? Do they see their leader as a prophet, supreme being, or divine source of authority?
- Does the group have an us-versus-them mentality?
- Does the leadership induce feelings of shame or guilt in order to influence or control members? This is often done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
- Do members of the group seem to be following you or showing up unannounced regularly?
- Does the group require or strongly encourage members to cut ties with family and friends, or to radically alter their personal goals and activities?
- Has the group’s leadership ever encouraged members to change their major, drop out of school, or quit a job in order to dedicate more time or energy to the group and its mission?
- Is the group preoccupied with bringing in new members and/or making money?
- Do you fear backlash to yourself or others if you leave—or even consider leaving—the group?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions and think you or someone you know may need help leaving a group, please reach out to one of our chaplains. They are confidential resources who can support you and help connect you to campus and external resources. We want to help.
Other Resources on BU’s Campus:
Health and Wellbeing Resources and Contacts for BU Students, Faculty & Staff
BU Student Health Services Resources
Confidential Care, Student Advocates, and other Resources through BU SARP
BU Emergency Services and Phone Numbers
Additional Online Resources for Leaving Unhealthy Religious Groups:
Dare to Doubt: Information about Cults
An excellent and comprehensive list of resources from the Open Minds Foundation
Crisis Text Line – Text NAMI to 741-741
Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.