Altar's banned brass cross presides over debate

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WILLIAMSBURG -- A simple brass cross was returned to the altar of the College of William & Mary's Wren Chapel Thursday night during a debate over whether school President Gene Nichol was right to order its removal.

Mr. Nichol justified his October decision as an attempt to make the chapel more open to people of all faiths. The 18-inch table cross didn't keep supporters and detractors alike from packing the 120-seat chapel for the debate between conservative author Dinesh D'Souza and William & Mary religion professor David Holmes.

Previously, the cross could be removed at any time by request; now, it can be returned by request.

Mr. D'Souza argued that Mr. Nichol acted "recklessly."

Mr. Nichol later responded to criticism by returning the cross on Sundays, but more than 10,000 people signed an online petition to put the cross back permanently.

"Why is Christianity being singled out for special exclusion?" asked Mr. D'Souza, whose books include "Letters to a Young Conservative" and "The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11."

He contended Mr. Nichol was wrongly "driven by this idea that Christianity and its symbols are in some way offensive."

Mr. Holmes noted that the chapel, built as an Anglican place of worship in 1732, did not even have a cross until about 1940.

Protestants, concerned about idolatry, used to be averse to having crosses in church, he said. The cross was transferred to the chapel while a local church was being renovated and has remained at the school.

"I am baffled to hear critics insist the altar has to have a cross," said Mr. Holmes, who specializes in subjects including American religious history and architecture and worship.