By Dara Harper
(This story was originally published on the Interfaith America website.)
When Rev. Devon Bartholomew first toured Syracuse University as a prospective undergraduate student, he glanced at Hendricks Chapel and said aloud, “That building has nothing to offer me.”
Today, he serves as Hendricks Chapel’s Non-Denominational Christian chaplain. What he once discounted has become a space of deep community, spiritual growth, and even surprising connections, like his long-time friendship with Sensei JoAnn Cooke, the Buddhist chaplain at Hendricks Chapel.
Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University opened its doors in 1930 as a multifaith chapel. While the university was founded by Methodists, the chapel was intended for all. Nearly 100 years since its founding, Hendricks Chapel is now a host for 16 chaplains and serves more than 900,000 annual attendees through 1,900 annual events.
As the spiritual heart of Syracuse University, Hendricks Chapel is known as a home for all faiths and a place for all people at a university welcoming to all.
At first glance, Devon and JoAnn might seem like opposites. In 2010, Devon graduated with a degree in arboriculture from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) and became a Baptist pastor soon after graduation. JoAnn graduated from Syracuse University in 1981 with her degree in education and became a Zen Buddhist chaplain after retirement. For the better part of a decade, these two chaplains have shared an office in Hendricks Chapel, collaborated across programs, and built a friendship rooted in mutual respect, vulnerability, and growth.
“I was nervous that I would have to give up my Christian convictions to be part of this community,” Devon recalls of joining the Chaplains’ Council of Hendricks Chapel. “Over time, I realized that we were each there to advocate for the needs of students, staff, and faculty from our own religious and spiritual expressions. I was encouraged to communicate the needs of our Christian community while others voiced their needs from Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish and other perspectives.”
JoAnn, who stepped into her chaplaincy after retirement, found her early days challenging. “I didn’t go to Devon for advice at first, however by hanging out and chatting, that help came anyway.” He helped JoAnn navigate university systems, reimagine student programming, and settle into the rhythms of campus life.
In turn, JoAnn has helped Devon understand the multifaith space at Hendricks Chapel with wider eyes. “She’s helped me see my shortfalls in how I communicate,” he said, “She challenges me to think beyond the Abrahamic lens and to speak across traditions regarding our collective chaplain work, not just within my own faith tradition.”
Their relationship has been a space for candid conversations and personal reflection. After one interfaith panel, JoAnn approached Devon about how his language around sharing faith had landed for her. “He helped me understand the difference between evangelizing and proselytizing,” she said, “Devon explained that sharing your enthusiasm is different than telling people what they should or shouldn’t do.”
Over the years, the trust between them has grown. They’ve supported each other through student concerns, campus programming, and personal growth. They’ve attended each other’s events, like Christian worship services and Buddhist meditations, and they’ve co-led service trips. Outside of Hendricks Chapel, they’ve bonded over a shared love of nature, birds, and folk music.
“To look at us, you might not see the common ground,” JoAnn said, “But it’s there in our commitment to our students, our willingness to learn from each other, and in the joy of genuine friendship.”
Devon agreed, “It’s easy to stay in spaces where everyone speaks your language. But I think our calling is to engage—deeply, honestly, and with humility. My belief in Jesus shapes every decision I make. And it’s in this multifaith community that I’ve learned how to express my belief with both clarity and compassion.”
In a world that often emphasizes difference, the story of Devon, JoAnn, and their colleagues is a quiet but powerful reminder of the possibilities in shared spaces: transformation, connection, and a deeper understanding of one’s own path.
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Hendricks Chapel, the spiritual heart of Syracuse University, is the student-centered global home for religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical life. Established in 1930 as a home for all faiths and place for all people, the chapel hosts 16 chaplains, more than 25 religious and spiritual groups, and sponsors over 1,900 programs for more than 900,000 annual attendees. Hendricks Chapel employs student workers, supports musical ensembles, offers support through the Student Opportunity Fund and Coach Mac Food Pantry, and partners throughout the campus community to advance academic excellence at a university welcoming to all. As a central contributor to holistic life and learning at Syracuse University, Hendricks Chapel helps to prepare engaged citizens, scholars, and leaders for participation in a changing global society. For more information, visit chapel.syracuse.edu.