A graduate of the historic William & Mary College has launched a website campaign, including a petition, a blog and the history of the situation, in an attempt to persuade university officials to return the cross to the famous Wren Chapel on campus.

"Together, we can save the Wren Cross," Vince Haley told WND.

He said he and several others have launched the SaveTheWrenCross.org website to "oppose and seek the reversal of President Nichol's order to remove the Wren Cross."

(Story continues below)

The removal got started with an e-mail from Melissa E. Engimann, assistant director – historic campus. "In order to make the Wren Chapel less of a faith-specific space, and to make it more welcoming to students, faculty, staff and visitors of all faiths, the cross has been removed from the altar area."

School president Gene Nichol then confirmed that plan, prompting Haley to begin his work, along with William & Mary students Joseph Luppino-Esposito, Benjamin Locher and Matthew Beato.

"This web site – and the growing ad hoc coalition of individuals supporting it – is dedicated to the return to the policies that governed the display of the Wren Cross in Wren Chapel prior to President Nichol's order to remove it," the group said.

The website notes that the college broke from the official Church of England during the Revolution, and set up a relationship with the Episcopal Church that continues today. The cross came to the chapel in 1931 after the Bruton Parish Church purchased a new one to use.

Before the removal order, "the policy governing the display of the Wren Cross was that any group or individual using the Wren Chapel was able to ask that the Wren Cross be removed for the duration of their event," the website said. Now that's reversed.

Will the words to the school song, specifically the reference to: "God, our Father, hear our voices, Listen to our cry…" also now be edited, the website asks.

"By the logic of President Nichol's order … it is difficult to understand on what principled basis the text … survives. If Nichol believes that the Wren Chapel is not welcoming to all due to the presence of the Wren Cross, then certainly the presence of the words … that call out to God our Father will not be welcoming to the secular and the anti-religious among the students," the website says.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor also recently was appointed the new chancellor of the college.

But her tenure in the Supreme Court was marked by a growing intolerance by the court for religious symbols – particularly Christian symbols – in public places.

"From the time of Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall, William and Mary has been distinguished by its unusual ability to educate young people to become national and international leaders, and I intend to do what I can to ensure that the college is able to extend that tradition well into the future," she said.

Special offers:

Classic book on USA's Christian heritage: New edition of 100-year-old treasure reveals nation's true religious

Has the cradle of Christianity lost the will to live?

Criminalizing Christianity: How America's founding religion is becoming illegal

Previous stories:

O'Connor new chancellor of cross-removing college

College removes cross – from chapel!

Airline bans woman from wearing cross

'China-level' Christian persecution coming

Ruling: Voters have rights to Ten Commandments

Cross honoring vets protected

Airline bans Bibles to avoid offending Muslims

ACLU threat nixes 23rd Psalm display

High court limits commandments

'Islam will invade Europe and America'

Judge slaps library for barring cross pendant

Woman suspended for cross gets job back