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Harvard University Extension School's Cultural Studies Club has ignited a maelstrom of criticism over its plans to reenact a black mass on Monday.

The university and the Catholic Church have condemned it, but the club says the Satanic mass is simply for educational purposes.

that more than 300 students signed a petition, asking the university's administration to disband the performance.
Harvard President Drew Faust 

called the planned performance "abhorrent,"

 but said the school would still allow it to go on in order to remain "consistent with the University's commitment to free expression."


Faust, also explained why she thought the black mass was particularly offensive:


Her feeling was echoed by Francis X. Clooney, a professor of divinity at the school. 

, Clooney said the performance runs the risk of becoming a slippery slope.


He wrote quoting the club's reason for scheduling the mass: "... What's next? The endeavor 'to learn and experience the history of different cultural practices' might in another year lead to historical reenactments of anti-Semitic or racist ceremonies familiar from Western history or parodies that trivialize Native American heritage or other revivals of cultural and religious insult."

 that the event will be held at Cambridge Queen's Head Pub in the basement of Memorial Hall at 8:30 p.m. Monday. The paper adds:


Education News

Harvard University Extension School's Cultural Studies Club has ignited a maelstrom of criticism over its plans to reenact a black mass on Monday. The university and the Catholic Church have condemned it, but the club says the Satanic mass is simply for educational purposes.

Re-enactment of Satanic mass planned at Harvard causes uproar

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