Ratio Christi is a new club at Wayne State College coming to life this semester to give anyone who wants to participate the opportunity to learn more about the following of Jesus Christ and Christianity.  

Peter Mutayoba, president of Ratio Christi, is an intern as the Int’l and Multicultural Programs Coordinator. Mutayoba was inspired to start Ratio Christi after beginning to attend a bible study, which is part of the Light of the World Gospel Ministries church.  

His hope was to start a club that allowed students and faculty members from numerous religious backgrounds to all come together and join one group. After researching to see if any other colleges had started a club along this idea, Mutayoba stumbled upon Ratio Christi.  

“One of the unique things about Ratio Christi is that anyone can become a member – whether you’re Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, protestant, Roman Catholic, Agnostic,” Mutayoba said. “We don’t discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion or age.”  

Ratio Christi is centered around diversity, which is exactly what Mutayoba was aiming for when he was on a mission to start this club.  

The beliefs of Ratio Christi fall under the following categories: Scripture, God, Creation, Jesus Christ, Humanity, Human Sexuality, Sanctity of Human Life, Social Justice, Salvation, The Holy Spirit, The Final State, The Church, Final Authority for matters of Belief and Conduct and Apologetic Methodology. 

Mutayoba started Ratio Christi knowing how many ministry clubs were already active on campus, but he didn’t let that stop him. Instead, Mutayoba focused on what makes Ratio Christi stand out. Ratio Christi is a Christian Apologetics club, the first of this style to begin on campus.  

“Apologetics is simply presenting a reasonable defense of the Christian faith and truth to those who disagree,” Mutayoba said. “As Ratio Christi we hope to stay true to our purpose; and that is to cultivate the intellectual voice of Christ and the Christian worldview here at Wayne State College, and to do this by encouraging stimulating dialogue and intellectual investigation which aid in answering life’s pressuring questions, especially where those questions find their answers supported by the academic disciplines of study including, but not limited to, culture, history, science, philosophy and theology.”   

So far, Ratio Christi has had at least 25 students show interest in joining the club, which Mutayoba is satisfied with because the club is focused on quality over quantity. Ratio Christi isn’t focused on building high numbers right away but starting small and working their way up. Mutayoba wants students to know that Ratio Christi is an option for them, but not something that everyone must be a part of if they don’t wish to.  

Select officers of the club include Peter Mutayoba as president, Abigail Snail as vice president, Melinda Winhold as secretary and Jasmine Frye as treasurer. Frye has her own insights about what she’s looking forward to and what she hopes to accomplish this semester.  

“I’m especially looking forward to the more scientific topics, like creation vs. evolution because I know a lot of people who think that Christianity breaks when you look at it from a scientific perspective, which isn’t true,” Frye said.  

Frye is also excited about the inter-faith discussions that will be taking place in meetings. Frye continues to explain what she hopes to accomplish.  

“I hope students will start to think more about what they believe and why they believe it,” Frye said. “Ideally, through an apologetics club, they will be able to learn enough widespread evidence for their beliefs that they will be able to back it up in an argument if the need ever arises to defend their faith.” 

Ratio Christi will be meeting every week on Monday from 7-8 p.m. in the Multicultural Multipurpose Room in the Kanter Student Center 011. Mutayoba hopes to have plenty of success in Ratio Christi this semester, but most importantly, he hopes that everyone who joins or comes to the weekly meetings, leaves as friends with one another and not enemies. 

“We’re about relationships,” Mutayoba said. “We’re going to accept you; we don’t care what you believe.”