According to a report by the Telegraph, the University of Sussex has said that they will no longer use “Lent” and “Easter” on their academic calendar. Instead, they will replace the terms with “Spring Term” and “Summer Term” to avoid any association with Christianity.
The University said in a statement that they wanted to “create an environment where all students and staff feel that they belong” and that “the use of the terms ‘Easter’ and ‘Lent’ can be seen as exclusionary to students and staff of other faiths or none.”
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The move has sparked an outcry from a number of conservative politicians who have accused the University of “erasing” Christianity from the academic calendar. Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood said that “we should be embracing our shared heritage and traditions, not erasing them”.
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The move is not limited to the University of Sussex, as the London School of Economics (LSE) has also removed the terms “Christmas” and “Easter” from its academic calendar. An LSE spokesperson said that the school felt that “in the current cultural climate, using terms that could be misinterpreted as religious could lead to misunderstanding and potential offense.”
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The move has been met with criticism from a number of religious groups, who argue that the Universities are attempting to “exclude” Christians from the academic calendar. Bishop of London Sarah Mullally said that “we must continue to celebrate Easter and Christmas, which are fundamental to our faith, and should not be excluded from the academic calendar.”
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The decision to cancel Lent and Easter has sparked a larger debate about the role of religion in society and the extent to which it should be accommodated in public institutions. Some argue that it is important to respect the beliefs of all individuals, regardless of religion, and that this means making accommodations where necessary. Others believe that it is wrong to eliminate religious traditions and beliefs from public life, as this erases an important part of a country's cultural heritage.
The debate around the removal of religious terms from the academic calendar is likely to continue as universities across the United Kingdom grapple with the impossible balance between Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
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