Catawba students last week got an interesting email from the school’s chaplain, Dr. Kenneth Clapp. The only content in the email was the subject line, “COMING: Penquin Sex… watch for more info,” and students across the campus were confident that Dr. Clapp’s email had been hacked, or it was some end-of-the-year prank. Later, Dr. Clapp followed up with an invitation to the chapel service on Tuesday, April 19.

The worship service began like many others in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel: the congregation opened with music, prayer, and readings from Psalms and 1 Corinthians. We had a lovely and inspiring student testimony on faith and listening to God by Michael King. When Pastor Ken at last began to speak, everyone was on edge with curiosity about the focus of his sermon, “The Lesson in Penguin Sex.”

Dr. Clapp started his sermon by stating how so many individuals struggle with how to have faith in something that they don’t know. He cites Donald Miller, author of “Blue Like Jazz,” as the original proposer that penguin sex can be an illustration of these struggles with faith. The cycle of penguin mating starts when they all travel to the coldest waters and the harshest environments. Penguins will then circle up and perform mating dances (with sound effects). After the females lay the eggs, the males protect them from the cold by holding the eggs on top of their feet and under their bellies. Then, the females will go to hunt and bring back food for the baby-daddies.

But the kicker for the situation is that the mothers always return within a day of their babies hatching. How does the mommy penguin know when to head home to see their baby hatch? Dr. Clapp argues that this innate sense of need, or this instinct is similar to the human need for Christ. We speak as if the wisdom of God is hidden in a mystery, when we don’t really need to understand and respond, but rather just embrace it. Penguin sex might be an unexpected parallel to draw, but the human need for God and faith has a real sense of urgency entwined with it, and some believers can struggle with just where they are being drawn.

Take care of your spirit as the year winds down. Don’t miss the last chapel session on Tuesday, April 26 at 9pm, and good luck, precious penguins!