5 Notable College Commencement Addresses That Featured Faith
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NEW YORK — College students across the country are graduating this month. As is custom, famous people are invited to speak to students about the future.
Sometimes, religion and faith come up in those addresses — especially at Christian colleges — and do not always resonate with the broader, more secular American culture.
This spring has been no different, heightened by our divisive politics, the ongoing culture wars, the rise of antisemitism and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
READ: Colleges Plagued By Antisemitism As Israel-Hamas War Rages On
The ceremonies also came following weeks of campus unrest across the country that were resolved in a myriad of ways, including with violence after police were called in to take down pro-Palestinian encampments.
Here’s a look at five notable speeches that featured faith and why they made news:
Harrison Butker (Benedictine College)
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker — a practicing Catholic who attends the Latin Mass — made headlines when he called out President Joe Biden over his “delusional” support for abortion as a practicing Catholic.
That wasn’t the only thing some people deemed controversial from his speech to students at Benedictine College in Kansas.
The three-time Super Bowl champion criticized the government’s response to the pandemic and tackled a host of political, religious and cultural issues while defending Catholic teaching on sex and morals.
“As a group, you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don’t stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society,” Butker, 28, said during the address, referring to COVID-19 lockdowns.
Butker, 28, added a message to the women who were graduating: “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
While the NFL distanced itself from the speech, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid stood by Butker this week when asked about it.
Jerry Seinfeld (Duke University)
Not known for taking religious or political stances, comedian Jerry Seinfield found himself in the middle of a controversy as well — although for different reasons compared to Butker.
Seinfeld, 70, who is Jewish, drew the ire of a group of graduates, some of whom met him with boos as others walked out of the graduation ceremony at Duke in North Carolina.
The reason was Seinfeld’s public stance in the Isreal-Hamas war and support for the Jewish state following the Oct. 7 attacks.
While Seinfeld did not talk about the war in his address, he did touch on his faith while also making a joke.
“I grew up a Jewish boy from New York,” he said to applause. “That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian.”
Zach King (Biola University)
YouTuber, filmmaker and Biola alum Zach King delivered this year’s commencement address at the California-based Christian college.
King, 34, said his return to Biola “took him back to old times” and all the pranks he had pulled at the school.
King — sporting a baseball cap to go with his gown — also provided some life advice. And like Seinfeld, he did it with a dose of humor. That included a tip for what to do if you ever fell asleep at your desk at work.
“Simple hack. Just raise your head and say, “In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen,” he said to laughs. “It works. I promise you.”
Jonathan Roumie (Catholic University)
Actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the popular TV series “The Chosen,” told graduates at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to emulate Christ as they move past college. He also made a joke about it.
“Last time I spoke to a crowd this big, there were loaves and fish and baskets of them,” Roumie, 49, joked, referencing the Sermon on the Mount. “So many leftovers.”
He added: “You don’t need to play Jesus for the world in order to be Jesus to the world. … “I’ve realized that just because I play Jesus on a TV show doesn’t mean I can or I should stop being Christ to everyone I know when the cameras turn off, and neither should you.”
In conclusion, Roumie said he started from nowhere before becoming a TV star. He said: “I had $20, a negative checking account, weeks without any jobs, thousands of dollars of debt, food to barely last a day, empty cupboards, zero opportunities and not a single Chick-fil-A coupon.”
Jeff Iorg (Gateway Seminary)
Not all speeches come from famous guests. At Gateway Seminary, a Baptist theological institute based in California with campuses in Arizona, Washington state and Colorado, had their president give a faith-based address to graduates meant to inspire.
“You graduated from seminary … and God has given you a great opportunity in that,” said President Jeff Iorg. “And now God expects you to be flexible as you follow him forward.”
The ceremony marked Iorg’s final address to graduates of the seminary’s primary campus in Ontario, Calif.
“It’s a false assumption that you graduated and now will get to lead a happy church with a big salary and wonderful people who will always love you,” he said.
Clemente Lisi is the executive editor of Religion Unplugged. He previously served as deputy head of news at the New York Daily News and a longtime reporter at The New York Post. Follow him on X @ClementeLisi.