Volume VI • Issue VII • January 2008
THE IVY LEAGUE
CHRISTIAN
OBSERVER
Christian Worldview Conference Held at Princeton Page 9
Chi Alpha Comes to Brown Page 37
Penn Students Host Veritas Forum Page 7
Passion Movement Impacts Harvard Christians Page 23
Columbia Students Take Part in World Aids Day Events Page 24
Dartmouth Grad Dinesh D’Souza Debates Atheist Page 5
Ex-Atheist Praises The Son In The Cornell Daily Sun
Christian Union Conference at Yale Will Mobilize Students, Alumni Page 4
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Brown • Columbia • Cornell • Dartmouth Harvard • Penn • Princeton • Yale
Advancing the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the Ivy League The Ivy League Christian Observer is published by the Christian Union, an independent Christian ministry.
“John Jay was one of the great architects of American liberty. As an author of the Federalist Papers, he played a critical role in winning ratification of the Constitution. As a leading diplomat, he helped to secure the place of the United States in the community of nations. As the first Chief Justice of the United States, he set an example of judicial probity…. I have no doubt that the John Jay Institute will help many of our most gifted young people more fully to understand and appreciate “the blessings of liberty” bequeathed to us by America’s founding fathers.” Robert P. George, J.D., D.Phil. McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions Princeton University
THE JOHN JAY INSTITUTE FOR FAITH, SOCIETY AND LAW ANNOUNCES ITS
2008 Fellowships The John Jay Institute for Faith, Society, and Law is a para-academic center that is committed to raising up a new generation of public leaders who are grounded and established in the political and legal principles of our Judaic and Christian civilization’s heritage. Our students explore a curriculum of theological, political, and legal studies that is especially designed for rising law, government, and divinity students. Academic fellowships entail a semester in residence in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The residency is followed by a 12week practicum placement in a public policy related field in Washington, D.C., various state capital cities, or international political centers.
We encourage applications from college graduates who seek to pursue their respective callings in the public square.
Application deadline for Spring 2008 Term – October 15, 2007 Application deadline for the Fall 2008 Term – March 3, 2008
For more information, visit www.johnjayinstitute.org or call (719) 471-8900.
God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! – Psalm 66:19-20
A ministry of Christian Union, an independent nonprofit organization committed to Advancing the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the Ivy League.
It is God alone who directs the course of the world and only by His power that the Ivy League campuses can be dramatically transformed to reflect His presence and Lordship. We believe that when we pray, God hears and responds. In Luke 11:9, the Lord says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” With the Lord’s encouragement in mind, we are mobilizing people to commit to a daily time of prayer for spiritual transformation across the Ivy League. Throughout the academic year, we are providing a monthly email of prayer requests and updates gathered from many different campus ministries which may serve as a guide to assist you in knowing how to focus your prayers for the Ivy League. For more information, please contact our Prayer Coordinator, Pam Traeger, at Prayer@Christian-Union.org.
To learn more or to sign up to pray for the Ivy League visit www.christian-union.org/prayer.
240 NASSAU STREET PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08542 ILCOEditor@Christian-Union.org Please help us get this magazine into the hands of those who want it. E-mail or write us in order to: • pass along the names of fellow Christian alumni, parents, staff, faculty, or friends who would enjoy this quarterly update from the Ivy League universities. • update us on any address change you have. • be removed from the mailing list. Editor-in-Chief Matt Bennett, Cornell ’88, ’89 Managing Editor Tom Campisi, College of New Jersey, ’88 Senior Writer Eileen Scott, Mount St. Mary, ’87 Field Reporters Mary Beth Fender, Penn ’09 Biblia Kim, Cornell ’09 Ishmael Osekre, Columbia ’09 Layne Zhao, Dartmouth ’09 Christopher Hampson, Harvard ‘09 Grace Chen, Cornell ’10 Photo Editor: Pam Traeger Letters to the Editor Please send us your feedback regarding events and topics described in this magazine at the e-mail or regular mail address listed above.
By God’s power and the help of other ministries, the mission of Christian Union is to change the world by bringing sweeping spiritual transformation to the Ivy League universities, thereby developing and mobilizing godly Christian leadership for all sectors of society. Matt Bennett (Cornell BS ’88, MBA ’89) founded the ministry with friends in 2002 in Princeton, New Jersey. To learn more about the ministry, please visit www.Christian-Union.org. The purpose of The Ivy League Christian Observer (this free quarterly magazine) is to inform Christian alumni, students, parents, staff, faculty, and friends of the Ivy League universities about the spiritual activity on the campuses. Our desire is that you would be encouraged to pray for these universities, give financially to Christian initiatives on the campuses, and use your influence for the cause of Christ.
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ON CAMPUS IN T E L L E C T UA L E N GAG E M E N T Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action to be Held April 11-13 Christian Union Conference Mobilizes Believers By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ‘Is Christianity the Problem?’ Dartmouth Grad Debates Atheist By Caleb Oakes, Contributing Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Self-Proclaimed Atheist Finds the Truth Cornell Graduate Preaches, Publishes the Good News By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Reconciliation in a Divided World Penn Students Host Veritas Forum By Matt Doka, Contributing Writer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Christian Worldview and the Academy Princeton Conference Examines Evangelical Roots of Scholarship By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Jonathan Edwards Center Makes Writings Available Collection is one of the Most Comprehensive By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 S O C IA L AC T IO N Passion Comes to Boston Event Calls Students to Show Christ’s Love to Campuses, Communities By Christopher Hampson, Harvard ‘10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Safeguarding the Future Columbia Students Take Part in World AIDS Day Events By Jin Wang, Columbia ‘10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Donors Beware Center for Excellence in Higher Education Promotes ‘Effective Philanthropy’ By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 ‘Jesus Never Just Walked By’ Columbia Students Unite Against Hate, Racism By Jin Wang, Columbia ‘10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Bringing Fatherhood to the Forefront Princeton Faith in Action Hosts Roland Warren ‘83 By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The Ivy League Christian Observer
Student Moms Have a Friend at Penn Penn For Life Extends Help Through College Parents Fund By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 REVIVAL • REACHING THE L OS T ‘The Call’ Goes out for Revival at Yale Document Signers Pledge Life of Prayer, Fasting By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ‘We are right on the edge of Something’ Ministry Leaders See ‘Quiet Revival’ Slowly Transforming Boston By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Planting Churches, Harvesting Souls KCCE Students Play Role in Venezuelan Church Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Friday Night Live Event Introduces Students to The Real Jesus By Behzad Varamini, Cornell Graduate School . . . . . . . 33 A Heritage of Faith Professor draws encouragement from University’s Christian roots By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 S TUDENT LIFE Ivy League Leadership Conference Makes an ‘Impact’ Students Gather for Time of Discussion, Worship, and Fellowship By Christopher Hampson, Harvard ‘10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
IN PERSON Eclectic Brown Grad is Elected Governor Bobby Jindal Seeks to Bring Reform to Louisiana By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 The Currency of Faith Chase ‘Coined’ the ‘In God We Trust’ Phrase By John Andrew Murray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Ryan Anderson Puts ‘First Things’ First Princeton Alumnus Passionate About Defending Life By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Reflections of a Former Intervarsity Director Oro-Han Helped Launch Veritas Forum By Ishmael Osekre, Columbia ‘09 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Encouragement from the “Bentch” Campus Minister Makes her Mark with Princeton Students By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Praise Him in the Dance Luce Fellow Explores King David’s Worship Style By Gustav Spohn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Living the Letter of the Law Writer Looks to Bible in Quest for Answers By Eileen scott, senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
This Time it’s Personal Ministry Helps Students Connect with their Catholic Faith By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Faith Highway Princeton Alum Pays Tribute to Religious Signage in America By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Helping Students Share the Good News Chi Alpha Seeks to Strengthen Christian Students at Brown By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
DEPARTMENTS
Running out of Fresh Ideas Battling Plagiarism in the Ivy League By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
News-in-Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42-48
The Mission and Vision of Christian Union . . . .49 Prayer Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Do Holly and Ivy Mix? Finals Put Christmas on Hold for Some Students By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
January 2008
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IVY LEAGUE CONGRESS ON FAITH AND ACTION TO BE HELD APRIL 11-13 Christian Union Conference Mobilizes Believers In 2005, the Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action made news in The New York Times article “On a Mission to the Top.” This year’s event promises to make history as it brings together the largest gathering ever of Ivy League Christian students, alumni, parents, and others to “change the world for Jesus Christ.” The 2008 Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action (ILCFA), hosted by Christian Union (www.Christian-Union.org) will take place April 11 through 13 at the Omni Hotel in New Haven, CT. Approximately 700 people are expected to attend the event that will include representatives from the academy, ministry, medicine, business, law, and government. In addition, this year’s congress will include panels on the arts and media. More than 400 people attended the 2005 Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action that was held in Princeton. “People from all these fields will share how they are making an impact for Christ,” said Christian Union’s Founder and President Matt Bennett. “What’s exciting is the coming together of this growing surge of Christian witness in the Ivy League to encourage each other to follow Christ.”
the personal experience in the fields of humanitarianism and campus ministry necessary to speak relevantly to the needs and interests of the participants. Other speakers include Eric Metaxas, Yale ’84, a well-known speaker and the author of Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, and Ken Costa, Chairman of Lazard International as well as Chairman of Alpha International. In addition, eight vocational panels are being scheduled throughout the weekend to facilitate interaction among participants about how to apply Christianity to their vocations.
Richard E. Stearns, Cornell ’73 and Wharton School of Business ’75, and Dr. Charles Gilmer, Penn ’81, are two of the keynote speakers scheduled for the 2008 Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action.
The success of the 2005 conference has led to high expectations for this year’s edition. Regarding the ILCFA, the April 2005 issue of the Ivy League Christian Observer noted that “many alumni, students, and campus ministry staff said that the conference was a tremendous encouragement to their faith, noting the quality of the speakers and the powerful times of corporate worship among Christians from every Ivy school.” “It was humbling to observe so many students worshiping and offering prayers of praise, confession, and intercession for the campuses,” said Jay Harvey,
However, attendees don’t just participate for their own edification and encouragement. According to Bennett, they see their positions of influence as a God-given responsibility to help others. Ultimately, the ILCFA encourages them to use that influence by putting their faith into action in their particular areas of industry and interest.
Princeton ’95.
Renowned Christian speakers will highlight the event and are expected to further inspire students and attendees of all backgrounds. World Vision President Richard Stearns (Cornell ’73 and Wharton School of Business ’75), and Rev. Charles Gilmer (Penn ’81), president of Impact Movement, are scheduled to be the plenary speakers. Both, said Bennett, possess
“The ILCFA showcases the heart of what this ministry is all about, which is reaching Ivy League students and alumni for Christ and strengthening their devotion to him,” Bennett said. The ministry works to reach out to non-believers and believers within the Ivy League to mobilize them to live for Christ and impact the world, he explained.
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That type of acceptance of Jesus Christ and interaction with other Christians within the Ivy League is what Christian Union strives for in its daily mission. The conference is the culmination of that effort.
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On Campus
Those interested in attending the April conference can begin preparing for it now, Bennett said, by praying for God to move within the midst of the conference.
Others interested in supporting the students or registering for the conference themselves can visit the conference website at www.ILCFA2008.com.
Christian Union subsidizes student participation for the event.
By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
‘IS CHRISTIANITY THE PROBLEM?’ Dartmouth Grad Debates Atheist Christopher Hitchens’ best-seller God is Not Great and Dinesh D’Souza’s What’s So Great DARTMOUTH About Christianity are so diametrically opposed that the audience could have skipped the recent debate at the New York Society for Ethical Culture (NYSEC) and still have felt the tension. But those who went witnessed a great show.
million deaths. In comparison, he argued, the tragedies of the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials were relatively minor, with fewer than 3,000 deaths.
The two authors sparred over the question “Is Christianity the Problem?” in front of a capacity crowd of 800 people. The event, held October 22, was sponsored by The King’s College, NYSEC, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and tothesource.org.
Hitchens also argued that, since the world has existed for 100,000 years, and God only intervened in the last 2,000, he must be exceedingly cruel to allow such pain and misery to go unchecked.
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Hitchens, a columnist for Vanity Fair and an intellectual curiosity who eludes classification, proposed three deficiencies in Christianity, calling it man-made, irrational, and sadomasochistic–akin to the worst totalitarian regimes.
“In order to believe the Christian mesAs anticipated, the exchange proved Dartmouth grad Dinesh D’Souza sage,” said Hitchens, “you have to be’83 squared off in a debate lively. In the opening comments, modlieve that heaven watched that for against atheist Christopher erator and King’s provost Marvin 98,000 years.” Hitchens. Olasky, Yale ’71, reminded the audiBoth debaters hit-and-missed their opence of a comment Richard Dawkins made: “If you’re invited to debate Christopher Hitchens, de- ponent’s arguments during the rebuttal. Each claimed the other was wrongly identifying their group with the horrific cline.” massacres of the twentieth century. D’Souza, a Dartmouth graduate (‘83) and former policy analyst for the Reagan administration, had debated Hitchens on The answer to whether Christianity was the problem was two prior occasions and was, nevertheless, up for the chal- probably determined more by attendee’s personal view of lenge again. His first task, however, was daunting—proving Christianity and atheism than by the debate itself. In the opinion of Chris White, a junior at The King’s College, no one the benefits of Christianity in ten minutes. should have gone into the debate expecting a clear cut win“No nation,” D’Souza said, “reaches out to help those in need ner. “That would be absurd,” he said. like Christian nations,” citing the abolition of slavery as a Following the event, both men appeared on various cable telmovement with Christian roots. evision news shows and continued to make their points. And D’Souza also claimed that the foundation of science is based with the fall release of D’Souza’s newest book, What’s So in Christianity. It alone, he said, provides a framework for Great about Christianity, one can expect the public debate an ordered universe. “It’s not surprising to the theist that you over Christianity and atheism to continue. However, if rehave this arrangement; but to the atheist, you can’t take any views of D’Souza’s book are any indication, even unbelievof that for granted.” ers will have a hard time discounting the truths that lie within Lastly, he pointed to the atrocities committed under the athe- its pages. ist regimes of Stalin, Mao, and Hitler–and the resulting100 “As an unbeliever, I passionately disagree with Dinesh
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D’Souza on some of his positions,” said Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine. “But he is a first-rate scholar whom I feel absolutely compelled to read. His thorough research and elegant prose have elevated him into the top ranks of those who champion liberty and individual responsibility. Now he adds Christianity to his formula for the good society, and although non-Christians and non-theists may disagree with some of his arguments, we ignore him at our peril.”
merit of this book is that it concedes nothing. Rather than engaging in the usual defensive ploys, D’Souza meets every anti-God argument head on and defeats it on its own terms. He subjects atheism and scientific materialism to sustained rigorous interrogation, and shows that their claims are empty and incoherent. Infinitely more sophisticated than the rants produced by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens, What’s So Great About Christianity leaves those atheist books in the dust.”
Stanley Fish, author of How Milton Works wrote, “The great
By Caleb Oakes, Contributing Writer
SELF-PROCLAIMED ATHEIST FINDS THE TRUTH Cornell Graduate Preaches, Publishes the Good News
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For Behzad Varamini, a self-proclaimed atheist and graduate student at Cornell, there was no logCORNELL ical basis for Christianity. Simply put, he said, “Christianity was a lie.” His opinion changed, however, once he began to experience firsthand the truth of God’s grace. That grace changed him so dramatically that, in his farewell column for the The Cornell Daily Sun, Varamini unashamedly wrote, “Christianity isn’t simply another option in a ‘what works for me or you’ world. It is the truth.” Varamini’s spiritual journey began early in his graduate studies at Cornell. Everything was about him, he said. He studied nutritional science with the hope of working for a professional athletic team. He began writing for Cornell’s Daily Sun because of the wide readership and the attention he received. But after a series of events and “coincidences,” Varamini came to know firsthand the life-altering saving grace of Jesus Christ.
He read the Gospels as well. “Jesus says a lot of wild things in the Bible,” he said. “One of the wildest was: ‘If you ask anything in my name, then God will grant that thing unto you.’” “I was like ‘OK, let’s see what this is all about.’” So he prayed for the first time. It was a simple prayer for God to open his eyes to a particular matter in his life. Soon after, the matter about which he was unsure became clear, opening Varamini’s eyes to the truth of God.
Cornell grad student and former atheist Behzad Varamini publicly proclaimed the Gospel truth in his final column for The Cornell Daily Sun.
In a talk addressed to a combined campus ministry meeting at Cornell, Varamini gave his testimony. He told of a series of incidents that left him admitting that he “didn’t want his life.” He wasn’t suicidal, but he wasn’t living either.
He described exploring Christianity and Christian literature to impress a friend who was a Christian. As he began reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, his unbeliever’s mind
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asked how Lewis’ small book could defend “the biggest lie ever told.”
The pain of his life didn’t magically disappear, and his journey of faith was not an easy one, but Varamini slowly allowed Christ to enter his life. He participated in a summer Christian fellowship at Cornell and learned about worshiping God. Today, Varamini is a devout Christian and is eager to share the Gospel with others. He is less focused on himself and is committed to serving the Lord. As a result of his shift in priorities, he decided no longer to write for The Cornell Sun.
But he did not leave the paper with a quiet farewell. “I knew in my final column I had to write about what I thought was the most important thing to me,” he said. And so Varamini wrote a column that was decidedly Christian. “For years, I could not believe in God because there was a
The Ivy League Christian Observer
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void of logic, no signs, no evidence, but only a leap of what appeared to be senseless faith,” he wrote. “But the Bible explains that God didn’t intend for us to believe based on signs, wisdom, evidence, only by faith. God has made it so that He won’t ever be found in a telescope or microscope…”
But Varamini was thankful for all of the responses, he said, because they generated discussion about Jesus.
Ironically, Varamini, who once espoused Christianity as a lie, wrote: “We can’t know Jesus as the answer until we surrender to Him. I couldn’t know Him as the Truth until I gave my life to Him. Then I knew.”
No longer self-focused, Varamini is now considering working for a ministry in the future and possibly attending seminary. Although still working on his Ph.D. in nutritional science at Cornell, Varamini is not as focused on the working of the human body; his priority is now on strengthening the Body of Christ.
Not surprisingly, the column generated a mixed bag of blog responses. “This is the Sun's third article in the last month preaching Christianity and/or attacking atheism,” one blogger wrote. “This is an Ivy League institution, but you would never know from reading the garbage printed in this paper.”
“We go to our fellowships and churches, but Monday through Friday we aren’t engaging people in discussion about Jesus. We need the Word daily,” he said.
“I can tell you, as a recent hardcore atheist,” wrote Varamini, “that there is nothing quite like finding joy in God and finally being made right with Him.” By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
RECONCILIATION IN A DIVIDED WORLD Penn Students Host Veritas Forum
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University of Pennsylvania students recently hosted the Veritas Forum, a three-day, interactive lecture PENN event centered on the theme “Reconciliation in a Divided World.” The Veritas Planners, led by Dave DeHuff of Faculty Commons (formerly known as Christian Leadership Ministries), arranged to have a prominent Christian academician share his or her thoughts each night on the forum topic. After each presentation, the speakers spent almost an hour in question-and-answer with students from Penn’s diverse campus body, followed by another hour for discussion around food and refreshments provided by local churches. Penn Christian students attended because of affiliation with sponsoring Christian groups, including Campus Crusade for Christ (www.upennccc.org), InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (www.pennivcf.org), and the Newman Center (www.newman.upenn.edu/ext/). But the target audience of the event was the non-Christian student body, who generally came because of personal invitations from Christians and extensive publicity for the forum. One Campus Crusade student felt comfortable inviting many of her friends because the forum was “tailored to reach someone interested in global politics, human rights, moral issues, or religious issues.”
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The first night’s speaker, former congressman and ambassador to the United Nations Mark Siljander, was especially appealing to such a crowd with his message, “Darfur: Resolving Conflict by Bridging the Muslim/West Divide.” His impassioned discussion focused on the necessity to build bridges between apparently-opposed culture groups, like Christians and Muslims in the Middle East. Siljander spoke of his personal efforts to build a relationship with the president of Sudan. He said discovering commonalities, such as similar beliefs about God, and extending grace proved much better tactics than the oft-relied upon condemnation of the president as the leader responsible for the crisis. Siljander pointed out that such blame had only diminished the hope for a collaborative resolution of problems in Darfur. He demonstrated his own method of having genuine interest in the president as a person rather than a focus on the issue at hand had allowed a real relationship to be built. His message was especially encouraging because it was through his efforts to truly extend love and grace to the Sudanese president and his cohorts that Siljander’s team was able to bring about the implementation of UN aid to Darfur. This event especially helped one student realize that “interacting with other world religions is imperative for my own understanding of myself and others.” Another student said, “It was Page 7
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probably the most fascinating talk I have ever heard.” The second lecture, “The Power of Forgiveness” by Dr. Gayle Reed took a much more personal tone. Reed, a prominent researcher on the psychological effects of forgiveness, presented the efforts of years of research in the area of forgiveness counseling with abused women. Her research showed that women who applied the Biblical notion of forgiveness, irrespective of faith, experienced dramatic returns of psychological health when compared with control groups given regular counseling. The essence of this type of forgiveness was learning to love your enemy and learning to desire the best for them. Although many students found the material too didactic for discussion, Dr. Reed’s message was most helpful to Penn nursing students (she was a psychiatric nurse) and to those who’ve experienced abuse themselves. The final evening’s forum, “Healing the Memory of Evil,” brought together Dr. Miroslav Volf from the Yale Divinity School and both a Muslim and a Jewish responder from academia to discuss the morality of forgiveness and memory. Dr. Volf shared his own experiences, telling how he struggled to forgive a general who accused him of being a CIA operative. The general subjected Volf to prolonged interrogations during his mandatory year of service in the Yugoslavian army. Years later,
Volf realized, his memories were sometimes exaggerated and he was often quick to draw conclusions about the personal, psychological motives of “Captain G,” rather than viewing him as a military bureaucrat callously doing his job to guard against “enemies of the state.” His choice to obey God and extend grace led to the redemption of his memories; and he believes, as did his fellow responders, that only in forgiveness can good come from committed wrongs. The strongest thought Dr. Volf left his audience of 400 was the belief that true right action to others involves both extending the grace we have all received to them as well as holding them to the highest standards of their own beliefs in love. Students had nothing but good things to say about this final evening, such as: “Without a doubt, Dr. Volf had the greatest impact.” “He presented his material in a loving tone. He is approachable and kind while being brilliant and articulate.” The Forum was definitely a highlight in the cooperative effort of Penn Christians to engage in a joint dialogue with the rest of campus. Meeting non-Christians with realistic discussion on relevant topics is a goal that the Veritas Planners and sponsoring Christian organizations hope to pursue with more vigor after such an energizing forum. By Matt Doka, Contributing Writer
Christians and nonbelievers explored “Reconciliation in a Divided World” during the Veritas Forum held at Penn this fall.
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THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW AND THE ACADEMY Princeton Conference Examines Evangelical Roots of Scholarship Christian students need to understand the critical value that both faith and reason play as they PRINCETON approach their studies on secular university campuses. That was the message of a recent conference aimed at strengthening and equipping university students who may be experiencing challenges to their beliefs.
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More than 250 students from Ivy League and peer campuses came away with new perspectives on some of the issues surrounding their Christian beliefs and approach to scholarship after participating in a sold-out, inaugural conference on November 911. Christian Worldview and the Academy, sponsored by the Witherspoon Institute, was held at the Friend Center at Princeton University. Support from more than a dozen co-sponsors, including Christian Union, made it possible to limit the student price to just $25 per person for all expenses. Byron Johnson, co-director of Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion, served as conference director.
in mission, but academic in tone.” Indeed, students and campus ministry leaders alike say they were inspired by the conference. And, students were quick to add that they were pleased to hear their Christian beliefs receive validation from academic experts. “I enjoyed this so much. It’s so refreshing to have what you believe confirmed by a community of believers,” said Caroline Swinehart, Yale ’11. “Community is so necessary for believers. That community can be lacking for believers.” During the weekend, more than a dozen top Christian scholars and theologians addressed topics including: scriptural history and authenticity; secularism; science and Christianity; bioethics; and sexuality and morality. Of the conference, Father John Neuhaus, president of the Institute on Religion and Public Life, told the students that “something very hopeful is happening here.”
“You have been offered a feast of spiritual and intellectual fare,” said Neuhaus, also the editor-inLeaders at the Witherspoon Instichief of New York-based First tute decided to host a conference The Christian Worldview and the Academy Things. “There is a very deep dedicated to the Christian world- conference was held at Princeton sense that we have been recruited view, in part, to show frustrated November 9-11. to a cause that is God’s cause bestudents the extent of the scholarly realm’s roots in Christianity and to explain how that foun- fore it is our confidence. This sense of confidence is not ardation remains relevant despite threats from overt secular- rogance.” ism. As well, conference leaders said they wanted to visit Neuhaus also told the students that, as Christians, they are spiritual subjects of common interest between Catholics and the “great defenders of reason…We are the friends of an evangelical Christians, especially ones involving students. authentic rationalism.” “There is such an acute need expressed to chaplains by students that the Christian faith somehow forces you to compromise your commitment to reason,” said Duncan Sahner (Princeton ’06), assistant director of the Witherspoon Institute. “We wanted to show them how the Christian faith conforms to work of top scholars. The conference was pastoral
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Along the same lines, Russell Moore, dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, encouraged the students not to be ashamed of their faith. “When we are called as Christians to be in the academy, we are not called to shrink back,” Russell said. In addition, Nancy Pearcey, scholar for worldview studies Page 9
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at Philadelphia Biblical University, told the students to embrace a comprehensive Christian worldview and not one that relegates Christian beliefs to the realm of personal values and surrenders academia to secularism. Christianity is not a private, mystical experience. Rather, the only worldview “big enough” to explain and deal with all issues of morality and science is Christianity. Indeed, some students said they were encouraged to hear that Christianity and elite academia are compatible. “It was refreshing to have true intellectuals discussing some of the main topics we have going today,” said Gerrit van den Berg, Princeton ‘11. Han-wei Kantzer, Princeton ’11, agreed. “I like the way they brought up arguments I had not heard before, which were biblically supported,” he said. “It was nice to look at
things from a fresh point of view.” Kevin Staley-Joyce, Princeton, ’09, said he especially appreciated a “forum for these highly intellectual [Christian] speakers…There’s a secularist orthodoxy that dominates the academy.” Blake Altman, interim director of Manna Christian Fellowship, said the students received critical validation. “The students took away an understanding that important issues to their faith on campus are indeed very reasonable,” he said. As they departed, Neuhaus told the students they are living a life of “high adventure,” and they need to remember the bottom line of Christianity. “The task of engaging the world with a Christian worldview is one of love,” Neuhaus said. By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
Mark Your Calendar... May 29 – June 1 Princeton Faith and Action’s
REUNIONS ‘08
THURSDAY, May 29 Noon – 1 p.m. and 8 – 9 p.m. – “Prayer for Princeton” East Room, Murray-Dodge
FRIDAY, May 30 Noon – 1 p.m. and 8 – 9 p.m. – “Prayer for Princeton” East Room, Murray-Dodge
SATURDAY, May 31 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. – “Prayer for Princeton” Wilson House 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Brunch and Open House, Wilson House Celebrating Christian Life at Princeton. 4 – 5 p.m. (after the P-Rade) – “Prayer for Princeton” East Room, Murray-Dodge
SUNDAY, June 1 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Worship Service, Nassau Christian Center Rev. Kenneth Jasko ’78 (Senior Pastor, Monmouth Worship Center), preaching 11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Worship Service, Nassau Christian Center Featuring testimonies from Major Class Reunions, including Dr.Archie Fletcher ’38 (Medical Missions, retired) and Roland Warren ’83 (President, National Fatherhood Institute). For more information contact Christine.Johnson@Christian-Union.org or visit www.Christian-Union.org/reunions
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The Ivy League Christian Observer
I N T E L L E C T UA L E N GAG E M E N T
On Campus
JONATHAN EDWARDS CENTER MAKES WRITINGS AVAILABLE Collection is One of the Most Comprehensive More than three centuries after his birth, theologian and revivalist Jonathan Edwards’ writings YALE are being given new life at the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University.
of paper at that time. Transcribing the thin cursive writing of the day and the abbreviations and notations unique to Edwards’ style is an arduous task, but one the JEC team passionately accepts.
Nearly 100,000 manuscript pages, making up 26 printed volumes, have been painstakingly transcribed and compiled by members of the Jonathan Edwards Center (JEC), making them one of the most rich and comprehensive archives of work of any American theologian in the United States, according to Caleb Maskell, former associate director for the Center.
In addition to translating and compiling Edwards’ work, Maskell is co-authoring a classroom reader for what is, perhaps, Edwards’ most recognized work, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The sermon is part of the first unit of study in American Literature for tenth and eleventh graders, Maskell explained.
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Maskell, a Yale Divinity School graduate who is currently a research editor with the JEC and a doctoral student of Religion and American Culture at Princeton, said the JEC’s mission is to encourage and promote study of Edwards’ work. To carry out that mission, Maskell and his colleagues have not only compiled the printed volumes, which represent only half of Edwards’ writing, but they are working to make the additional fifty percent readily available to students, researchers, and curious individuals around the world via the Internet.
The writers set out to answer the questions most 15 to 17 year-olds have about the work. Questions such as, “Why does Edwards hate people?” and “Does Edwards’ God hate people?” And in doing so, they help clarify the misunderstandings and preconceived notions the students have and enable the young people to see the true meaning of Edward’s work and learn that neither he nor his God hate people.
The fact that the sermon is among the classic American literature studied by young people throughout the nation is a photo courtesy of Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale testimony to the richness and eloquence of Edwards’ writing. To have a classThe Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale Approximately 200,000 people from contains the largest collection of room reader available to help young works by the famed revivalist and 150 countries visit the JEC website each theologian. people understand that writing and Edyear, said Maskell, and they don’t just wards’ message is a valuable resource read the works, they interact with the site, asking the most that can have a positive impact on today’s youth, Maskell exbasic and the most detailed questions about Edwards and his plained. writing. And making the works of Edwards accessible to people of Helping answer those questions is another thing Maskell and his colleagues do at the center. They serve as guides through the vast manuscripts, sermons, and notes penned by Edwards. They also serve as translators of the writer’s abbreviations and shorthand. This is no small undertaking when one considers that aside from the sheer vastness of his writings, Edwards wrote many of his sermons and notes on parcel wrap and virtual scraps half the size of standard computer paper due to the scarcity
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all backgrounds and ages is the very essence of what the JEC is about. The collection is not reserved for the intellectual elite or the scholarly theologian. Anyone with a desire to learn about Edwards and his extraordinary work need only contact the JEC to make arrangements to visit the center and explore one’s area of interest. Maskell hopes that those who do explore Edwards’ words will experience the humanness of his writings. And, Maskell said, although Edwards lived in another place and time, his
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On Campus
I N T E L L E C T UA L E N GAG E M E N T
thoughts and experiences on revival are timeless and valuable to today’s theologians and revivalists. Some of the most common queries the JEC receives from researchers are in the areas of aesthetics and Edwards’ thoughts of beauty and God. That theme, in particular, is one Maskell said is “alive and well in churches in America.” Other topics of interest include justification and biblical interpretation. Maskell, who called Edwards the greatest theologian of the 18th century, said his writings give today’s revivalists a base of comparison and of identification with common themes. They offer a “stamp of intellectual approval,” he said. There is something to be learned from the experience and
process of revival about which Edwards writes, Maskell said. In effect, there is substance in the nuance and detail of Edwards’ journal of revival, as well as in the bold sermons and biblical interpretations. Thus, he continues to influence awakening and revival today through those who come to understand his work and are challenged by his inspiration. Edwards could not have known that his words would be preserved, studied, and revered for centuries. Nor could he have foreseen ever taking his cyber place in digital history. But it seems that the works of the man best know for “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” have fallen safely into the hands of passionate scholars who have meticulously and thoughtfully preserved his work for centuries to come. By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
Excerpt from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” By Jonathan Edwards …How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before tomorrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy! And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition?...
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The Ivy League Christian Observer
IN PERSON
ECLECTIC BROWN GRAD IS ELECTED GOVERNOR Bobby Jindal Seeks to Bring Reform to Louisiana He is Brown and Oxford educated, a Hindu turned Christian, and an Indian American named BROWN Piyush who chooses to go by “Bobby”–a name he adopted from the Brady Bunch character when he was four years old.
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He is the nation’s first Indian-American governor. And at only 37, he is also the youngest. An eclectic, well-educated Louisiana native, Bobby Jindal, Brown ’91, has forgone the wealth and success of a business career and has been working to restore his home state’s dignity and prosperity. But Jindal, who was elected in October, brings more than energetic youth and cultural diversity to the governor’s post. He brings a confidence to do the right thing, despite the consequences, and a faith that guides him as he fights to restore ethics and integrity to a local government long-known for corruption and incompetence.
of thousands. However, my perspective remained intellectual and not spiritual.” He describes his journey from Hinduism to Christianity as “a gradual and painful one.” “It would require many hours of discussion with a pastor before I was ready to take that leap of faith and accept Christ into my life. It would take another two years for me to be baptized into the Catholic Church,” he stated in the article. “My parents were infuriated by my conversion and have yet fully to forgive me…They were hurt and felt I was rejecting them by accepting Christianity. I long for the day when my parents understand, respect and possibly accept my faith. For now, I am satisfied that they accept me…” The people of Louisiana have embraced him, and Jindal accepts the challenge and responsibility of living up to his campaign promises in order to raise Louisiana from its former political blight.
Jindal’s willingness to explore issues to determine the right course of action is perhaps best-embodied by his own personal journey Brown graduate Bobby Jindal “I’m not going to take ‘no’ for an answer on of faith. Raised in the Hindu tradition, Jin- ‘91 is Louisiana’s newest reforming our ethics laws,” he said. “Real dal, in an article he wrote for American governor and vows to make ethics reform is not simply campaign rhetomagazine, explains that he participated in ethics reform a top priority. ric. It is the lynchpin for change, for regainthe Hindu customs, ceremonial rites, and readings of the Vedic scriptures. “Hinduism provided me ing the confidence of the voters, for turning our state around.” with moral guidance and spiritual comfort,” he wrote. Yet, when a Southern Baptist friend introduced him to Chris- In the eyes of some, Jindal may have started taking that turn, tianity, he was compelled to explore it, even though he felt as he brought God to the podium on victory night. ambivalent toward the faith. That exploration, however, soon led him to the Bible. “I began reading the Bible to disprove the Christian faith I was learning both to admire and despise,” he wrote. “I cannot begin to describe my feelings when I first read the New Testament texts. I saw myself in many of the parables and felt as if the Bible had been written especially for me. After reading every book I could find on the historical accuracy of the Bible and Christianity, I was convinced that the Bible had remained unaltered throughout the centuries and that circumstances surrounding Christ’s death led to the conversions
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“I want to thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon me and all of us,” he told the crowd. And when it came time for his closing remarks, he deviated from the typical political farewell—good night and God bless America—by stating “Good night, and may God richly bless you.” Truth and love are what Jindal said ultimately forced him to accept Christ as Lord during his journey of faith. They are also the elements he will seek to use as he works to bring reform to the state capital and passionately serve the state he loves. By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
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IN PERSON
THE CURRENCY OF FAITH Chase ‘Coined’ the ‘In God We Trust’ Phrase
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Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Used with permission.
DARTMOUTH
Fifty years ago, the phrase “In God We Trust” first appeared on our nation's one-dollar bill. But long before the motto was signed into law by President Eisenhower, it was considered for U.S. coins during the divisive years of the Civil War. On Nov. 13, 1861, in the first months of the war, Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase received the following letter from a Rev. M.R. Watkinson: “Dear Sir, One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins. You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic were now shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation?” The clergyman surmised correctly. Chase was indeed a Christian.
the religion of the Bible is the religion I would recommend . . . and I would wish you to make that book your counselor and your guide never forgetting to implore the teachings of the Holy Spirit of Truth.” Chase’s relationship and trust in God would put him on a path that would affect both him and the country in the years to come. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Chase became a lawyer. Believing slavery to be a sin, he defended many escaped slaves in his early years of practice in Cincinnati. He tried to argue, for instance, against the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 on the grounds that Ohio was admitted to the Union as a free state and not allowed to have slaves based on the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Chase eventually gained the nickname “attorney general for runaway Negroes.” He embraced the title (which was intended to be an insult) and went on to fight the institution of slavery while serving first as a U.S. senator and then as the governor of Ohio.
When then-Secretary Chase was chosen by As a young man at Dartmouth College, Chase President Lincoln to serve as chief justice of the had described himself as skeptical of the ChrisSupreme Court in 1864, he appointed the first tian faith. He had written to a friend, Tom Dartmouth grad black lawyer to argue before the Supreme Salmon P. Chase, Sparhawk, in 1826: “A [religious] revival has class of 1826, is Court. And in an 1865 letter to black Americans commenced here [at Dartmouth]. I was not largely remembered in New Orleans, Chase encouraged “the contaught to believe much in the efficacy of such for his role as secrestant practice of Christian virtues” to combat tary of the Treasury things but I do not know enough concerning from 1861 to 1864. “unjust hostility” and “prejudice.” their effects to oppose them.” Not only did Given the association of his name with Chase Chase tolerate Dartmouth's revival of 1826, but he emerged Manhattan, however, Salmon P. Chase is largely remembered as one of 12 new followers of Christ. As Chase wrote to another acquaintance in April of that year, “It has pleased God for his role as secretary of the Treasury from 1861 to 1864. in his infinite mercy to bring me . . . to the foot of the cross Seven days after reading the 1861 letter from the Pennsylvania pastor, Chase wrote the following to the director of the and to find acceptance through the blood of His dear Son.” Mint in Philadelphia: “Dear Sir, No nation can be strong exWhile the thought of a revival at an Ivy League school seems cept in the strength of God or safe except in His defense. The odd today, they were relatively commonplace back then. Like trust of our people in God should be declared on our national his contemporaries, Dartmouth President Bennet Tyler be- coins.” lieved in the importance of integrating faith, virtue and knowledge: “As the obligations of morality are founded in It was several years in the making, but on March 3, 1865, religion, so also the only efficacious motives to a virtuous Congress passed a bill calling for “In God We Trust” to be inlife are derived from the same source. The man who discards scribed on U.S. coins. It would be one of the last acts Presiall religious belief . . . knows no law but his own inclination, dent Lincoln signed into law. and has no end in view but present gratification.” As Chase By John Andrew Murray would write to Sparhawk one year later: “Remember too that Page 14
The Ivy League Christian Observer
IN PERSON
RYAN ANDERSON PUTS ‘FIRST THINGS’ FIRST Princeton Alumnus Passionate About Defending Life The literary front lines of today’s most hotly contested issues might seem an unlikely place for a PRINCETON music major from Princeton University; but for writer and sanctity of life advocate Ryan Anderson ‘04, he is right where he belongs.
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“I majored in music at Princeton knowing full-well that I would never want to be a professional musician,” said the Baltimore native. “I viewed undergraduate study as a time to explore, engage in humanistic study, and develop a passion I’ll be able to enjoy for the rest of my life.” It was the courses outside his major—particularly in religion and philosophy—that foreshadowed the path to which he was called. And his senior thesis—“Twentieth-Century Catholic Liturgical Music: The Holy See, the ‘Experts,’ and the Liturgical, Theological, and Musical Debates”—was perhaps the beginning manifestation of his ability to mix his interests, passions, and intellect into wellwritten form. Since then, he has gone on to pen numerous articles about critical issues like abortion, gay marriage, and stem cell research.
million of Americans who are suffering from debilitating diseases, are caring for loved ones, and yearn for something, anything, to hold onto. They manipulate the public’s emotions in the worst imaginable ways, promising them cures that are, in fact, quite uncertain, and pressuring them to forgo their own ethical convictions. For his Phillips Foundation Journalism Fellowship, Anderson is taking a decidedly Christian stand while working on a series of articles regarding “Reason and Religion in the Public Square,” where he is exploring the alleged chasm between faith and reason. “So many of today’s ‘hot-button’ questions are presented in the media as clashes between faith and reason, science and religion. As a student I became convinced that this isn’t the case. The best of human reason, experience, and science confirms the revealed truths of Christianity,” Anderson said. Although he covers a breadth of topics in his writing, at the core, Anderson said, they are related.
Princeton graduate and
“Most all of the topics I write about are specific issues of moral and political philosophy and theology. That’s my real passion, because it looks at the question of ‘what makes for a good life,’ ‘how should I live,’ ‘how should we live as a society’…And, from a distinctly Christian point of view, it means ‘how am I treating Christ as I encounter Him
Three years after his Princeton graduation, writer Ryan Anderson ’04 champions human rights Anderson has a resume as diverse as his inthrough broad writings terests that includes junior fellow and now that examine current assistant editor for First Things: A Journal issues on human life and dignity. of Religion, Culture and Public Life; assistant director of the Program on Bioethics and Human Dignity at the Witherspoon Institute; as well as two in others.’” additional Fellowships, one as a 2007 Publius Fellow of the Despite the personal reflection, his work is aimed at greater Claremont Institute and the other, a 2007 Phillips Founda- cultural impact. tion Journalism Fellowship. “All aspects of our lives are shaped by our cultural environHis various works reflect his commitment to the ethical treat- ment, and that environment will either support and encourage ment of human beings and he’s not shy about articulating his authentic human fulfillment and happiness or it will detract views about issues he holds true. In a 2006 column appear- from it,” he said. ing in The Daily Standard, an online publication of The Weekly Standard, Anderson defended human life against the Writing about ways in which culture can support authentic assault of television ads denouncing politicians who oppose fulfillment, whether through respecting human life, family life, or basic civil liberties, all seem to be critically important, cloning and embryonic stem-cell research. He wrote: said Anderson. These ads are repulsive. They play on the hopes and fears of Anderson sees bioethics in culture as particularly important January 2008
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IN PERSON to address: “We live in an age where new technologies present possibilities that weren’t even imaginable a generation or two ago. And this is coupled with almost no agreement among the ‘experts’ about what ethical principles should guide how we deploy these technologies. These new technologies have the potential to truly serve human dignity and wellbeing, or to really degrade and cheapen life.” Anderson considers himself an evangelical Catholic and believes the issues about which he writes to be universal among “faithful Catholics” and Evangelicals. “When we face the challenges that we do in contemporary America, we need as much unity now as we can possibly achieve,” he said. Anderson experienced the fruit of that unity while at Princeton, where, until a year ago, he worked as a ministry coordi-
nator for the Aquinas Institute. “Relations on Princeton’s campus are remarkably good right now, as witnessed by the recent conference, the Christian Worldview and the Academy,” he said. The conference was co-sponsored by Evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic ministries. As Anderson looks forward in his career, he plans to attend graduate school and study moral and political philosophy. From there, researching, teaching and writing are on the horizon. It appears, however, that whether in the academy or society, Anderson will stand his Christian ground as he continues to battle the moral issues of the day with a rapier pen and a passion for Christ. By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
REFLECTIONS OF A FORMER INTERVARSITY DIRECTOR Oro-Han Helped Launch Veritas Forum at Columbia
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Kevin Oro-Han, the former director of New York/New Jersey InterVarsity COLUMBIA (www.ivcfnynj.org), was very instrumental in introducing the Veritas Forum to Columbia University. Ishmael Osekre, Columbia ’09, recently asked Kevin a few questions about his former position and discussed some of the challenges and breakthroughs he had on the job. As the former director of InterVarsity for New York and New Jersey, you were very instrumental in introducing the Veritas Forum to a lot of campuses. What was that like?
There are people of faith, professors as well as students, who to varying degrees, feel marginalized on campus because of their faith. The free exchange of ideas is the ideal, but the practice is more difficult than the theory. I believe that Veritas serves a useful purpose with public forums on a wide range of topics with cross-disciplinary appeal. Why did you get into college ministry?
Kevin Oro-Han, Drew ’95, former director of New York/New Jersey InterVarsity speaks to the ILCO about his former position and the challenges and breakthroughs of working with students in Metro New York City.
Well, we started Veritas at Columbia and NYU. It seemed like a great match in both places. There is a spiritual openness on both campuses. People are not necessarily looking for religion or for doctrine, but they are looking for meaning and connection. Veritas brings together thoughtful people who have a cohesive view of the world, and stimulates dialogue by bringing both similarities and differences to the
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surface. That’s what the university aspires to be.
College is, of course, the time when most of us make decisions about what kind of world we want to live in, what kind of life we want to make for ourselves, and with whom we want to “do life.” I find it highly energizing to be part of those discussions. These are really essential spiritual questions.
It’s really a powerful thing when you watch someone begin to discover his calling. Over the course of four years, you can watch someone begin to understand how they were uniquely created, and begin to get some ideas about how that can be tapped in the service of others.
The Ivy League Christian Observer
IN PERSON Please share your most difficult, challenging, inspiring, or life-turning experience in your student ministry. One thing I noticed early on, even in my student days, but I think more pronounced now, is that the vast majority of students want to make a difference in the world. Yes, they want to build a career and get a good job, but there is a recognition that life is about being a force for good in some way. This may get reflected in different ways, service projects or activism and causes, or creative ways to pursue their studies. But my experience has been-and the statistics back it upthat for many, this desire gets put on a back burner upon graduation. I remember one student, a well-known activist on campus, who sat with me for a couple of hours in the cafeteria and just voiced his frustration that people he knew who graduated seemed to have lost their fire to change the world. He was trying to get them to come back to demonstrate or organize, without success. A few years later, I saw him again and he was having some of the struggles he had seen earlier, and was feeling guilty about it. I think that was a significant moment for me. I started to pay closer attention to some of the spiritual giants throughout history. The question became less about how we can get students to do some good stuff now and more about how we can
ground the desire to do good in the world. Can we tie the energy of idealism to some spiritual practices that empower and sustain us over a lifetime? You’ve made a transition to work with a church that focuses on a part of the population that doesn't receive much attention. Tell us a little more about your new ministry. The River Church is focused on downtown Manhattan, a borough that doesn't see too many people go to church, particularly compared with the rest of New York City, or the rest of the country. Our focus is really to reach those folks who haven’t connected well with church before. There is a great quote from an early saint, Irenaeus of Lyons, who said, “A person fully alive is the glory of God.” It encapsulates, I think, something unique about Jesus. It's quite easy to find religion that says, “you have to serve God” or “you have to obey God.” But Jesus claimed that God's desire is to empower an impossibly great life inside of us. What does it look like to have an impossibly great life? How can our relationships, our work and career, our philanthropy, all become fully alive? Helping people work out those kinds of questions is really the focus of The River. By Ishmael Osekre, Columbia ’09
ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE ‘BENTCH’ Campus Minister Makes her Mark with Princeton Students When she was a junior at Princeton University, Lorri Bentch felt a calling to both get serious about her relationship with Christ and to dedicate her life to ministry. Some eighteen years later and after more than a decade of ministering abroad, Bentch (‘91) has come nearly full circle by taking on new duties as a ministry fellow with the Christian Union, where one of her main assignments is to disciple female students at Princeton. “I’m learning how to best reach out to the students, expecting that God will allow me to be a part of what He wants me to be part of on their campus,” said Bentch, who joined Christian Union (www.Christian-Union.org) on a part-time basis in January 2007 and stepped into full-time responsibilities in July.
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Bentch’s main goal is to encourage students to lead a Christcentered life. “My goal is to equip these girls with the foundation of the Scriptures, to encourage their relationship with God,” said Bentch, who graduated from Princeton with a degree in political science. “As they go from here to whatever grand, glorious, or mundane callings are ahead, I want them to face the challenges of life and be vibrant witnesses for Christ.” Bentch, who accepted Christ at age twelve, initially allowed her faith to “backslide” after entering Princeton. “On a personal level, I have a real heart for campus ministry because I really floundered during my first few years as a Princeton student,” said Bentch, who grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania’s Amish country.
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IN PERSON Princeton students say they have been touched by Bentch’s efforts. Auxilia Munhutu ‘10 described Bentch as the “first person who made me feel like I could actually make it at Princeton if I tried.”
Europe.
Student Ana Gonzalez ’11 echoed Munhutu’s comments. “Her love for others and for Christ is evident,” Gonzalez said. “I admire her for her gentleness of heart, understanding, strength, wisdom, and ability to see and relate to people no matter where they’re coming from.”
And while Lorri Bentch quips that she spent most of her life being “known as Tim Bentch’s wife,” she is not short on spiritual and professional accomplishments of her own.
Reaching college students is especially critical because “this is the point in your life where you decide if your faith is going to impact how you live,” Bentch said. Bentch recalls that her own defining moment came during her junior year. One evening, while composing a term paper in her dormitory room, she said she heard a “distinct voice from the Lord. He had called me into ministry, and I would miss His best for me if I did not follow.” Bentch responded by rededicating her life to Christ and by becoming involved with Campus Crusade for Christ– a decision that led to active Bible study, new friendships, and a desire to share the gospel.
Bentch earned a master of constitutional law from Hungary’s Central European University, where she also led a Bible study for graduate students. After graduating in 1996, Bentch helped edit and translate documents for a professor who specialized in human rights law and now serves as a judge. But Bentch’s main devotion remains one-onone ministry. “I realized that what I really enjoyed doing was seeing lives changed,” she said.
Christian Union Ministry Fellow Lorri Bentch, Princeton 91, strives to encourage students to lead Christ-centered lives.
After graduation, Bentch’s hunger to minister took her across the globe, first on an eighteen-month mission to Mexico in 1992 and then on an eight-month trek to Russia in 1994. Between those trips, the former Lorri Rutt also became engaged to Tim Bentch, an opera singer with a forte for evangelism. The couple married in November 1994 and immediately relocated to Hungary, where they spent a dozen years as missionaries with Eastern Mennonite Missions– and tackling some notable spiritual and occupational pursuits. Among them, Tim, a heralded tenor, landed a position with the Hungarian State Opera and performed extensively in celebrated opera houses and with major philharmonics across
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Shortly after arriving in Hungary, Tim combined his twin passions for performance and preaching when he launched A Song for the Nations, an outreach to fine arts professionals.
After twelve years abroad, the couple decided to return to the United States as they saw spiritual growth in many of the people they had discipled. As well, the Bentches were ready to send their three young daughters to English-speaking schools.
In 2006, they relocated to Lorri’s hometown of Quarryville, Pennsylvania. Bentch now rejoices in noting that Princeton is swiftly becoming home. As well, Bentch feels a motherly devotion to the students she disciples through Christian Union’s undergraduate ministry. In the fall semester, Bentch led Bible courses for thirty-four freshman and sophomore women, oversaw weekly gatherings of Princeton Faith and Action, and organized outreach events. The students are “all at the stage where they’re asking really good questions,” said Bentch. “They want reasons to believe.” By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
The Ivy League Christian Observer
IN PERSON
PRAISE HIM IN THE DANCE Luce Fellow Explores King David’s Worship Style
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Kathleen S. Turner, Yale ’08 M.Div., has a lot of questions. And as a recently named SARTS Luce Fellow, she plans to find some answers.
Turner, who came to Yale Divinity School after a decade of teaching dance at Hunter College in New York City, plans to use her fellowship for a writing project entitled If David Had Not Danced. As part of her work, she will examine the Book of Psalms and explore such questions as, “If King David was free enough to demonstrate his praise of God through dance, why can't the modern-day Christian?” “If David had not danced, what impact would that have had upon the writing of the psalms and the call to dance unto the Lord?” “Why did David dance and why are not more congregations dancing as a form of worship and praise today?”
Dance Studio in New York at the age of five. She graduated from the New York High School of Performing Arts and earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from SUNY Purchase. She then earned a master of fine arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College and ventured into some postgraduate work at Columbia’s Teacher’s College. At her home church, The Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, she was founding director of the 300-member Allen Liturgical Dance Ministry, which she directed for 25 years. According to its mission statement, “the primary function of the Allen Liturgical Dance Ministry is to utilize dance as a praise and worship tool to honor the holiness and supremacy of God.”
Turner received one of only two SARTS Luce Fellowships available to students across the country. The Luce Fellowships, funded through the Her goal is to elucidate how King David paved Kathleen S. Turner, Yale New York-based Henry Luce Foundation, are inthe way for the 21st century Christian Church to M.Div. ’08, is working on tended to advance knowledge of the intersections heed the holy call to “praise the Lord with danc- a project entitled “If between theology and the arts by supporting the David had not Danced.” ing.” Long-term, Turner hopes to encourage the research of graduate students and faculty and enuse of liturgical dance in Christian worship settings. couraging the creation of networks of persons working in those “My desire is to expose liturgical dance to interested people who areas. are called to utilize this creative tool within Christian liturgy and to pastors who are uncertain of its value within the Christian corporate worship experience,” she wrote as an entering student in 2005. At the center of her plan is the creation of a curriculum for liturgical dance for use in seminary settings.
Based upon her area of study and writing, one can expect Turner to dance through that intersection of theology and art with a heart for Christ, a passion for dance, and a greater understanding of what it meant for David to dance and of the liturgical legacy he subsequently inspired.
Turner is long steeped in the tradition of dancing and the arts, having begun her formal dance training at the Gloria Jackson
By Gustav Spohn, Yale Divinity School ’73
LIVING THE LETTER OF THE LAW Writers Looks to Bible in Quest for Answers A.J. Jacobs (Brown ’90), known as “The Know it All” from his New York Times best seller of the BROWN same name, recently released another book. In it, Jacobs immerses himself in the Bible on a unique and witty quest for answers that inevitably leads him to more questions—and a bit closer to God than he had thought possible.
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“The Year of Living Biblically is about my quest to live the ultimate biblical life—to follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible,” Jacobs says about his latest work. The book is like Seinfeld, Mad about You, and Yentl morphed into an odd, yet real, personal story of one man’s journey through scriptures. It is filled with firsthand accounts of wear-
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IN PERSON ing only white clothing and carrying a staff in the middle of Manhattan, and of his learning ancient laws and traditions from Orthodox Jews and Christians from Israel to Tennessee. Jacobs embeds himself with the Amish, Hasidic Jews, and a fundamental Baptist congregation in order to learn how the Bible is lived out in practice and tradition. He begins by focusing on the Old Testament where the majority of laws and commandments are found. Because the Book of Numbers commanded those taking the Nazirite vow not to shave one’s beard, Jacobs grows a small bush of facial hair that he describes as “a temporary home to cappuccino foam and lentil.” During his experiment, he builds a hut in his living room, blows a horn at the start of every month, plays a ten-stringed harp, and adopts a modern version of “stoning” Sabbath breakers and adulterers.
explore the New Testament would be telling “only half the story.” But the situation raises the question: Should he continue following the Old Testament laws while following Christianity? Jacobs decides to maintain his Old Testament practices as he moves into the New Testament phase of his biblical year. But he admits to readers, “Overall, it will be much less do-it-yourself than my trip through the Hebrew Scriptures. It’ll be more like a guided tour.” For his foray into what Jacobs called fundamental Christianity, he chose a fringe sect charismatic serpenthandling service in Tennessee; the self-described Red Letter Christians; and Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia (founded by the late Reverend Dr. Jerry Falwell). Interestingly, Jacobs remained determined to not lie while living biblically but when he arrived at Thomas Road Baptist Church, he instantly crumbled into a heap of lies about why he was there, where his wife was, and even his marital status. He finally came clean after the service when he met one-on-one with a church member.
Both Christians and Jews can find humor in the writing and in the concept of trying to observe ancient laws in the heart of Manhattan. Jacob’s book recently inspired a similar project in another U.S. city. Volunteers from Park Street Church in Boston will “Live Levitically” for one month to explore the laws of Leviticus and determine whether they can or should be followed today. At the end of the month-long experiment, the church plans to create a short documentary.
A.J. Jacobs, Brown ’90, takes biblical literalism to the streets of Manhattan in his recent book, The Year of Living Biblically.
Throughout Jacobs’ biblical journey he immerses himself in scripture. He reads Bible commentaries and many translations of the Bible. Jacobs possesses boundless educational resources via the Internet and his team of spiritual advisors. What he lacks, however, is faith.
In Living Biblically, Jacobs ponders social laws, such as killing magicians, sacrificing oxen, and stoning Sabbath-breakers. Ultimately, he leaves the magicians alone and finds an alternate means of stoning–pebbles.
He is meticulous about keeping the ritualistic laws of the Old Testament, but cannot embrace the greatest commandment— “Love the Lord your God.” Jacobs hopes for a spiritual epiphany, yet his unchanged heart prevents him from having a life-altering encounter with Christ.
Intent upon following the rules, Jacobs considers pelting an Avis counter employee who he deems a Sabbath-breaker. However, unable to bring himself to toss even one stone, Jacobs opts to “accidentally” drop them on the unsuspecting sinner’s shoe.
However, that’s not to say that Jacobs was not impacted or changed by his Biblical quest. Clearly the door that was once shut to matters of religion and God is now open. He enjoys giving prayers of thanks and is a more compassionate, involved society member.
He also pebbles an elderly adulterer after an elementary school-like fight breaks out between them over the “queerness” of Jacobs’ biblical attire. Living Biblically in modern New York is challenging, indeed.
But it would seem that for Jacobs, only time will tell if one year of living biblically will eventually lead to him to accept God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Jacobs spends a couple months of his biblical year attempting to follow some of the teachings of Jesus. He writes that to not
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By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
The Ivy League Christian Observer
IN PERSON
FAITH HIGHWAY Princeton Alumnus Pays Tribute to Religious Signage in America From forsaken, winding backroads to gritty inner-city neighborhoods, Sam Fentress PRINCETON crossed the country for decades in search of an unlikely subject to help tell the visual story of religious expression in the United States.
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The Princeton University-educated photographer (’77) spent twenty-five years capturing more than 3,000 images of roadside signs of faith—some left as weathered, handpainted messages on a rustic barn and others illuminated in high-voltage, retro neon letters atop an urban street. The most poignant of the results are published in a 160-page, distinctive hardback that features a mixture of eclectic pictures snapped across fortynine states.
tual and spiritual interests. “As a believer, I’m willing to go further and pick up the Bible and get some inspiration,” said Fentress, who is Catholic. One of Fentress' favorite photographs contains an element of irony. It features “Matthew 6:33” stenciled on the window of a Maryland beauty parlor just below a sketch of a woman with a short, snazzy hairdo. In Matthew 6, Jesus instructed his followers to seek first the kingdom of Heaven, rather than worry about food, clothing, and other earthly matters. In contrast, one of his essay’s more intense images–a black-and-white shot of “Obey God or Burn” scratched as graffiti on a rock outcrop in Harlem–was nearly eliminated by one editor who wanted to pitch the book as humorous and thought readers might find the photograph and its moralistic admonition as too serious.
“I want to appeal to people who are not necessarily religious believers as a document of what goes on in the American landscape,” said Fentress of his recent book, Bible Road: Signs of Faith in the American Landscape. “It’s a particularly American phenomenon and a particularly interesting one.” In 1981, while teaching at the University of Arkansas, Fentress became intrigued by religious-themed road tributes when a student submitted a stunning snapshot of a barn covered with scriptures. “It sort of became a series,” said Fentress. “A few years after that, I started to think there was enough for a book.”
Nonetheless, most of the collection trumpets uplifting refrains, and Bible Road tells a quintessentially American story; the photos originate from all states, excluding Hawaii. Sam Fentress, Princeton ’77, offers snapshots of faith in America in his recently published book, Bible Road: Signs of Faith in the American Landscape.
Ultimately, Fentress showcased 147 titled entries in Bible Road, which contains scenes ranging from inspiring, humorous, quirky, strange, and intense to even scary. Some of the images frame simple messages, while others highlight fervent religiosity mixed with art or commerce. “Everybody seems to have something different they connect to in [the book],” said Fentress, an architectural photographer in St. Louis. “It was sort of an artistic project and a documentary at the same time.” On a personal level, the photographer notes that his quest to chronicle drive-by evangelism appeals to both his intellec-
January 2008
“The book shows a lot of what America looks like from the road while blended with commercial messages,” said Fentress, adding that his wife, Elizabeth, and their six children helped locate many of the scenes for his collection.
The images show that “religion is alive and well in the United States,” he said. Fentress, who graduated with an independent major in photography, said his own faith was deeply shaped by his years as a Princeton student. Courses in the philosophy of religion and even studio photography led Fentress, who was raised Methodist, into a deep contemplation of his spiritual views. Eventually, he was moved by Roman Catholic theology and teachings and converted to Catholicism. After his stint in the Ivy League, Fentress earned a master of fine arts from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1980.
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IN PERSON Today, his photographic compositions are part of collections at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art and Bibliotheque nationale de France as well as the private collection of film producer Bruce Berman. While at Princeton, Fentress studied under Emmet Gowin, a master photographer who is renowned for his black-and-white compositions of his wife and children. Gowin, a professor in the Center for Creative and Performing Arts, recalled Fentress as a student who “set a kind of standard.” Regarding Bible Road, Gowin said, “There’s a mastery that comes with pursuing something for 25 years, having thought about a
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particular thing so passionately. The photos were composed with articulate visual wisdom and illustrate photographic craftsmanship.” Not surprisingly, Fentress said he is still moved by the time he spent documenting a slice of spiritual signage on the landscape of American highways.
Photos from Bible Road, a collection of roadside faith pictures by Sam Fentress, Princeton 77.
“Over the years, I’ve been inspired many times by the chutzpa of the people with the property, the risks they took,” Fentress said. “These people are not afraid to put religion out in the public square and let it be seen at 50 to 60 miles per hour.” By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
The Ivy League Christian Observer
SOCIAL ACTION
On Campus
PASSION COMES TO BOSTON Event Calls Students to Show Christ’s Love to Campuses, Communities Over 1,300 college students gathered in Boston University’s Agganis Arena October 12-13 as the HARVARD Passion Conference came to Boston, one of six cities on its current tour. The main speakers were Louie Giglio and John Piper, and worship was lead by Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, and Steven Fee. “Finding in Christ all we need and spending our lives to make Him famous… that’s what Passion is all about,” says the Passion website.
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Several Harvard students attended part or all of the conference, and departed greatly excited and encouraged, especially for the opportunity to worship with people from a variety of backgrounds. Jordan Baehr, ’08 remarked, “It was, in many respects, like a rock concert, but one in which the conference attendees were performing, rather than spectating.” “I had always envied the disciples, the crowds who saw Jesus, the people alive 2,000 years ago who could see Christ, experience His miracles, feel His power, and hear His words… [later] I realized how privileged we are, of all generations in history, to see with our eyes Christ’s ridiculous prophecy about His global Body realized.” Behind the music and the talks was a spiritual symbolism that also left a mark in the memories of attendees. Two simple
crosses were brought to the bottom of each of the aisles, with cards on which to write prayers. Conference prayer teams were continually praying for the conference, the attendees, and the requests that had been left with the crosses. The service aspect was also very significant for the students who attended. “Their commitment to giving was astounding,” said Ona Streikas, ’08. Part of the mission of the conference is to be a blessing to each of the cities in which it is held. The Boston conference together gathered 610 towels and 3,400 pairs of socks for Boston’s needy, $18,476 for six wells in Africa, and $15,334 for students around the globe through the Passion World Tour. “We are called to show the love of Christ in us, and bring that love to our community here in Boston, to our hometown, and to our campus,” said Streikas. In 2008, Passion Conferences (www.268generation.com) will be held in Los Angeles (January 25–26), Dallas/Ft. Worth (February 15-16), Washington, D.C., (February 22-23), and Atlanta (April 11-12). By Christopher Hampson, Harvard ’09
More than 1,000 students, including several from Harvard, attended the Passion Conference held at Boston University this fall.
January 2008
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On Campus
SOCIAL ACTION
SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE Columbia Students Take Part in World AIDS Day Events While the sun was still rising on the frigid morning of November 30, a group of Columbia students COLUMBIA from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (www.columbia.edu/cu/ivcf/) and Korea Campus Crusade for Christ (www.kcccusa.org) began their weekend by traveling to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church for the conclusion of a 24-hour global event to raise awareness about the international AIDS crisis. World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, sponsored the Global Vigil which began November 29 at 9 a.m. in Toronto, continued with back-to-back vigils in seventeen cities around the globe, and concluded with a final vigil in New York.
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AIDS activists, students from the New York and New Jersey area, and many others gathered for the event, which began with an introduction by Bwalya Melu, a native of Zambia and a World Vision employee who lost all three of his brothers and their wives to the AIDS virus. Melu set the tone for the event: “This disease is killing millions and destroying the lives of millions more; but each [one] of those millions is a real life. My brothers and their wives had real children who feel the tragedy of their loss every day. We must safeguard their futures as well.”
Participants in the event also assembled AIDS Caregiver Kits to supply volunteer caretakers in communities affected by the pandemic with vital and often scarce supplies. For each kit, participants wrote a note of encouragement and prayer for the caregivers. Jonathan Walton ’08 closed the vigil’s formal program with an invitation for the college students in the audience to participate in the Student Advocacy Campaign. “You can see all that has happened in Africa as an obstacle or [as] an opportunity,” said Walton. “[You can] save a generation of Africans and the generations to come in China and India, or you can stand back and let history repeat itself. That's the choice we have today.”
Columbia Students work together to prepare kits for World AIDS Day in New York City.
The event featured performances by the Christian band Shane & Shane and the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus. In addition, the names of 300 African children who had lost a parent to AIDS were read aloud. During each vigil around the world, participants read names to honor the estimated 6,000 children who lose a parent to AIDS each day. The last of the day’s 6,000 names were read in New York City and also featured on ABC’s Good Morning America. “I thought the name-reading really helped give an identity to the mere statistics and numbers on the page,” Ki Hoon Kim, a firstyear student at Columbia College, observed afterwards. “The
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symbolic significance behind it was very moving. I think God spoke to me and showed me that this was my duty, my privilege, to be in a position of service.”
The campaign challenged the students to collect 6,000 signatures from around the city as part of a petition asking Congress and President Bush to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program.
Students canvassed the city, collecting signatures in Times Square, Penn Station, and their respective campuses. Jordan Davis, a Columbia College senior, was one of those who went to Times Square. “Obtaining signatures was definitely a challenging experience,” he said, “but it was really wonderful to see the way the words ‘AIDS relief’ broke through people's hardened New York facades. Some people were already past me by the time I said those two words, and [they] actually came back to lend their support by signing the petition.” Students gathered again December 1 at Columbia University Teacher’s College in recognition of World AIDS Day and lis-
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SOCIAL ACTION tened to Richard Stearns, president of World Vision U.S., speak about the organization’s response to the deadly disease. Stearns said AIDS is a social and humanitarian problem, not just a medical problem. An entire continent’s professional class of lawyers, teachers, and engineers is being terminated; and children are left to take care of their younger siblings once their parents have passed away, he said.
On Campus
bia University collected 950 signatures–the most of any participating campus. In total, over 4,000 signatures were gathered during the event. On December 2, President Bush committed to renewing the PEPFAR Bill with plans to double the funds earmarked for PEPFAR program implementation, from $15 billon to $30 billion for the next phase (2009 -2014). By Jin Wang, Columbia ‘10
The results of the signature drive were also announced. Colum-
DONORS BEWARE Center for Excellence in Higher Education Promotes Effective Philanthropy
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Christians affiliated with Ivy League institutions have another option for matching their financial contributions with their interests.
A new nonprofit organization seeks to hold U.S. colleges and universities accountable for the gifts they receive. A group of philanthropists, individually known for targeting substantial gifts to higher-education institutions, recently founded the Center for Excellence in Higher Education to help donors safeguard the intent of their contributions within tax, legal, and academic constraints. John M. Templeton, a Yale (’62) and Harvard Medical School alumnus (’68) and a physician who served as professor of pediatric surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, is a key investor with the Indianapolis-based organization. The Center’s chairman of the board is Mike Leven, an honorary member of the Cornell Hotel Society, a former hotel franchiser, and a former executive with Holiday Inn and Days Inn. Of the more than $300 billion spent annually on higher education in this country, more than $28 billion originates from alumni and other donors, according to statistics compiled by the Center for Excellence in Higher Education.
“Given the way that universities have secularized, a Christian donor who is contemplating a major gift needs to be very careful about how he or she structures that gift to avoid it being used for the general purposes of the universities rather than the specific intent,” said Frederic Fransen, executive director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education. Among its services, the center helps donors draft program proposals, negotiate details with university officials, and provide due diligence after a gift has been placed. However, representatives of universities say many institutions already have systems in place to monitor the use of donations; and they point out that most sizeable gifts are handled through carefully negotiated, legally-binding agreements.
John M. Templeton, Yale ’62 and Harvard Medical School ’68, has joined forces with other business leaders to safeguard donor intentions.
The organization asks a question of interest to many Christian donors: are donors to higher education getting their money’s worth? The center asserts the answer often is “no,” and it also warns donors that some of the nation’s nearly
January 2008
4,300 universities have violated the intent of some gifts.
“When there are issues, they are isolated,” said Rae Goldsmith of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. “Donor confidence remains at an all-time high.”
Nonetheless, the center was formed on the heels of a growing trend for alumni to contribute to specific university projects, assert a louder voice in those ventures, and demand detailed reports on results. And donors as well as administrators are watching with keen interest a lawsuit involving Princeton University and a fund that has flourished to more than $880 million, according to news reports.
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In 2002, several family members of the late Charles and Marie Robertson filed suit against Princeton and sought to sever the Robertson Foundation’s ties with the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs after questioning spending practices and claiming few graduates actually took jobs in government service, news reports said. However, in a lengthy letter to The Wall Street Journal in October, Princeton Secretary and Vice President Robert K. Durkee defended the university’s use of its bequeathal from the Robertson’s A&P supermarket fortune. Princeton has “always used the funds given by Marie Robertson solely for the purpose for which she made her $35 million gift in 1961,” Durkee wrote. Overall, when it comes to the philanthropy involving higher education, what’s at stake is not pocket change. According to New York-based Council for Aid to Education, financial contributions to the eight Ivy League institutions alone topped $4.1 billion in 2006. Harvard was first on the list with $594.9 million, followed by Yale ($433.4 million), University of Pennsylvania ($409.4 million), Cornell ($406.2 mil-
lion), Columbia ($377.2 million), Princeton ($207 million), Dartmouth ($158.4 million), and Brown ($126.4 million). As such, Fransen said his organization is particularly interested in working with donors who want to target gifts to Ivy League campuses. “We want to work with philanthropists who want to make a difference,” he said. For believers, the issue of the soundness and security of their contributions is especially relevant. Christians “need to be especially cautious about their giving to higher education,” Fransen said. “There is the possibility that they are giving to purposes they don’t support.” Specifically, evangelical donors should be concerned about Christians being “marginalized” on university campuses, Fransen said. “We believe, in general, that universities, including the Ivy League schools, if left to themselves, are not moving in a direction that is beneficial to the country,” Fransen said. By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
‘JESUS NEVER JUST WALKED BY’ Columbia Students Unite Against Hate, Racism
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Two instances of racial bigotry occurred at Columbia’s Teacher’s College within weeks of each COLUMBIA other this fall. First, a noose was put on the door of Madonna G. Constantine, an African-American professor at the college. Just weeks later, a swastika was painted on the door of Jewish professor Elizabeth Midlarsky. Both professors are faculty of the Teacher’s College Counseling and Clinical Psychology Department.
dents at Columbia appear to have been committed with racist intentions. No arrests have been made.
United States were later revealed to be hoaxes, but the inci-
Students also reflected upon the incidents at several events on
In response, Columbia InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (www.columbia.edu/cu/ivcf/) decided to display its support and consolation for Constantine and Midlarsky. Students signed plates containing the inscription Ubuntu on them. According to ministry leader Ashley Byrd, the essence of the word Ubuntu is “to say my humanity is Chris Colombo, dean of Student Affairs for bound up in what is you. I am because you Columbia College and the School of Enare.” The students also included the pasA noose and a swastika were found gineering and Applied Science, sent an e- over the doorways of two Columbia sage from Corinthians referring to when mail to students after the incidents. “While professors. InterVarsity responded one part of the body is hurt, everyone immediate steps have been taken to re- with solidarity and compassion. hurts. “We are part of Columbia’s campus move the vandalism, the impact of this and when someone on the campus is being hateful act can not be removed as quickly.” discriminated against, we want to stand in solidarity with that In recent years, some bias crimes on campuses throughout the person. That is what it means to live with integrity,” said Byrd.
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The Ivy League Christian Observer
SOCIAL ACTION campus. Based on the success of his poetry slam (poetry with a hip-hop flair) at Teacher’s College last year, Columbia invited Jonathan Walton ’08 to organize Action Against Apathy, a poetry slam against hate and violence on November 30. Walton echoed the sentiments of Byrd when he emceed for the night: “When one is affected, all of us should be affected. We are many members, but one body. This is something that's fundamental to our faith, and this principle could be a powerful testimony on our campus if we chose to support those who are marginalized. Jesus never just walked by. What if we had the same mentality, the same compassion? The world just might be a different place.” The event was co-sponsored by InterVarsity and included spoken word performances by members of the fellowship, Walton and Jessica Schenk Luwandaga ’04, as well as poetry and hip-
On Campus
hop dance performances by other Columbia students. Lisa Harper, director of New York Faith and Justice Mission, joined the students with her own poetry performance. The night ended with a musical performance by Virginia Tim Be Told, a Christian band from Charlottesville, Virginia, whose music is a blend of pop, soul, and blues. Kathryn McCaleb ’11 said, “The evening was a great time of reflection. The event drew attention to the apathy of those around us and increased my awareness of the world in a broader sense.” While Professor Constantine and Professor Midlarsky were unable to attend the event due to conflicting schedules, gifts were given at a later date to the professors who appreciated the show of support. By Jin Wang, Columbia ’10
BRINGING FATHERHOOD TO THE FOREFRONT Princeton Faith and Action Hosts Roland Warren ’83 In the early 1980s, Roland Warren was an unlikely candidate to become a national spokesman for fatherhood. Over the Christmas break of his junior year at Princeton University, Warren, learned that his girlfriend, Yvette Lopez, was pregnant. Despite rejection and urges for abortion, Warren decided to keep the child, marry Yvette, who was a sophomore at Princeton, and break the ugly cycle of fatherlessness that is prominent in the community. Warren, who grew up without a father, is now the president of the National Fatherhood Initiative. The 46-year old African-American shared about the significance of fatherhood during the November 28 meeting of Princeton Faith and Action, Christian Union’s undergraduate ministry. Warren, the father of two, also met with nearly a dozen Princeton students and ministry staffers during a dinner sponsored by the Christian Union earlier that evening. Participating students said they were touched by Warren’s presentations and by his devotion to promoting the importance of fatherhood–a rare topic on college campuses. “Mr. Warren told us to think about fatherhood as a vocation. It is a part of what you do,” said Robert Haraway ’10. “In our culture, it’s something that happens to you. He suggested a shift in the general perspective to see that it’s a calling, just like anything else.” January 2008
Robert Krause ’10 said he felt inspired by Warren, especially by his desire to reach men before they become fathers. “It encouraged me to do what I think is important for society,” Krause said. “I love to hear about people who are trying to make a core, substantive social impact. It’s exciting to hear someone who left a lucrative career to do something more valuable for society.” Indeed, Warren spent nearly two decades circulating in corporate powerhouses before taking the helm of the National Fatherhood Initiative in 2001. Warren, who earned a master of business administration from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996, previously served as a financial consultant for The Goldman Sachs Group in Philadelphia and held management positions with IBM and PepsiCo. He also served as the associate director of development for Princeton University, where he earned a degree in psychology in 1983 and played running back for the Tigers. But a desire to help children hurt by the harsh realities of fatherlessness, led Warren, a board member since 1998, to exit the business world and join the National Fatherhood Initiative as executive vice president. He assumed the role of president a few months later. Today, the 14-year-old organization maintains an annual budget of $6 million-plus and about 40 employees. The Na-
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On Campus
SOCIAL ACTION
tional Fatherhood Initiative provides programs and resources for a variety of fatherhood issues, though most center on education for new and expectant dads. The National Fatherhood Initiative also strives to work with teens and young men to prevent unplanned pregnancies and to encourage responsibility in crisis pregnancies. As well, the National Fatherhood Initiative celebrates the contributions of “great” dads, including military parents, and spotlights corporations that encourage dads to be committed to their children’s lives. The Gaithersburg, Md.,-based organization has nominated Cuba Gooding Jr. to receive one of its trademarked “Fatherhood Awards” in 2008.
Warren and his team desire to change. Warren hopes his own story will inspire young men facing unplanned pregnancies to become committed fathers. The baby at the heart of Warren’s crisis is now 25, married and an arts and entertainment writer for The Wall Street Journal. Jamin Warren, who earned a degree in social studies from Harvard University in 2004, described his father as “attentive” and “intensely interested.” As for the former Yvette Lopez, she earned a psychology degree from Princeton in 1985 and a medical degree from Temple University in 1993. She practices family medicine in Maryland. Youngest son Justin, 22, is a senior at the University of North Carolina, where he is majoring in communications and previously played tailback for the Tar Heels.
Overall, the number of children living in “father-absent” homes stands at about 24 million, according to the National Fatherhood Initiative. As such, about one in three Roland Warren (Princeton ’83), president of the National children will “go to sleep in a home where Fatherhood Institute, met And, as for Warren, he remains committed their father does not live.” Those children with members of Impact to inspiring “our nation that kids need inare more likely to be “suspended from during a dinner sponsored by volved fathers.” And, he has taken his mesChristian Union. Warren later school, or to drop out; be treated for an emosage across the nation and to major media addressed students at tional or behavioral problem; commit suiWhig Hall. outlets and The Oprah Winfrey Show. cide as adolescents; and be victims of child “I’m impacting the future,” Warren said. “One of the most abuse or neglect.” As well, they are more likely to experipowerful things you can do is be a good father and leave a ence poverty or commit violent crimes, according to the Nagood legacy.” tional Fatherhood Initiative. Equally as disturbing, about two-thirds of African-American children grow up in households without a dad—a scenario
By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
STUDENT MOMS HAVE A FRIEND AT PENN Penn For Life Extends Help Through College Parents Fund Penn For Life (www.pennforlife.com) is better known for championing the lives of the unborn, PENN but its College Parents Fund shows that it also has a heart of compassion towards students with children. Through the College Parents Fund, this pro-life organization offers support for students who are also parents and are working to meet the demands of raising children and achieving an Ivy League education.
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According to graduate student Shannon Martino, the College
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Parents Fund (CPF) is dedicated to supporting Penn students and their children by providing need-based scholarships to pregnant and parenting students. The vision of this non-partisan, non-sectarian organization, she states, is to create a supportive environment on campus for mothers and families so that “students are not forced to choose between their education and their child.” “I do think that these kinds of resources are incentives for students not to have abortions,” Martino said. She also
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SOCIAL ACTION pointed out that it sends a balanced message that as a prolife organization, they are not only concerned for the children, but also for the parents. “If a woman is going to have a choice, she should have a choice for life as well,” Martino said. And CPF is a way of helping student parents ensure a richer life for themselves and their children by continuing their education and pursuing their career goals.
On Campus
newness of the program. She said the organization is making a concerted effort to increase awareness about the fund throughout campus with initiatives such as a new link to CPF through the Penn For Life website. However, one student who has benefited from the program wrote a letter of thanks to the organization. In that letter, the student expressed her surprise at the lack of support the university offers students with children.
The program was started a year ago with “We were utterly dismayed when we learned an extensive fundraising campaign. Christhat the university had no method of finantian Union, through its grant program, was cially assisting student parents, particularly one of the original donors to the organizawhen other schools offer daycare subsidy or tion. To receive funds, students needing vouchers,” the student wrote. “Not only is this assistance must complete an application to grant of financial benefit, but it acknowledges CPF. Once the funds are awarded, students The College Parents Fund our presence at the University of Pennsylvawill receive confirmation and can then offers financial assistance to nia.” purchase the necessary items and submit a graduate and undergraduate Perhaps the essence of what Penn for Life and students with children and reimbursement form to receive the funds. those who are pregnant. the College Parent Fund are all about can be Support is open to all undergraduate and best articulated through the words of Susan B. graduate students who have children or are pregnant. Anthony—words that are displayed on the Penn for Life There are no restrictions as to how the funds are used, as long as they are used in the raising of the children, Martino said. Intended uses are diapers, childcare, doctor visits, etc. According to Martino, there are approximately 200 grad students alone at Penn who have children. Requests for funds have been sparse, so far, but Martino attributes that to the
website: “Sweeter even than to have had the joy of caring for children of my own has it been to me to help bring about a better state of things for mothers, generally, so that their unborn little ones could not be willed away from them.” By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
R E V I VA L • R E A C H I N G T H E L O S T
‘THE CALL’ GOES OUT FOR REVIVAL AT YALE Document Signers Pledge Life of Prayer, Fasting From the Ten Commandments to the Declaration of Independence, throughout history God and YALE man have put into writing the tenets, laws, and beliefs integral to human morality and advancement.
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In 2006, attendees at The Institute of Campus Revival and Awakening at Yale University also were inspired to pen a document that would be a call to action and Christian living and ignite the flames of revival through personal example January 2008
and accountability. The New Haven Call, according to its framers, is “a document being used by campus ministers, faculty, students, and Christians in general to mobilize campus communities for another Great Awakening on our college campuses.” In effect, the New Haven Call (NHC) is a shout to all Christians with a heart for revival to commit themselves to a
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On Campus
R E V I VA L • R E A C H I N G T H E L O S T
lifestyle of prayer, fasting, unity, and purity to help prepare the way for the manifest presence of God on campuses, according to David Warn, founder and director of Collegiate Impact and director of the Campus Institute of Revival and Awakening. “We felt that our week at Yale was such an historical time. We felt like God met with us,” Warn said. Although it was not their intent to craft a document such as the NHC, Warn recalled that participants of the Institute came to him saying, “We really believe, in light of what God has done here, we should issue this call to the campus community.”
as a national day of prayer and fasting. Many committed themselves to the Call during their time at the Institute at Yale and signed the document while there, according to Warn. Others have obtained the document by downloading it, or ordering multiple copies through the Institute of Campus Revival website at www.lifeaction.org/collegiateimpact/institute/. It’s important for those signing the document to add their names to the New Haven Call e-mail list while online, Warn said. By doing so, signers receive a regular e-mail of encouragement to help them fulfill the commitments of the Call and to stay focused.
And that the call should sound from Yale was no coincidence, according to Warn. “Yale has a more prevalent and punctuated revival history than any campus in the United States,” Warn stated.
The New Haven Call assists in the mobilization of campus communities for another Great Awakening.
He also believes that “God wants his campuses back,” and that Yale and the other Ivies will play a role in the next Great Awakening.
It is with the intent to help prepare the way for God to reclaim the nation’s campuses that the Call harkens ministry leaders, students, and others to sign the document. It calls signers to commit to “a lifestyle of prayer, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines to invite the Kingdom of God in revival, awakening, and transformation.” The document also calls signers “to live the prayer of unity issued by Jesus in John 17:23 and to dedicate each Monday
“One of the things I’m most excited about is how God is going to use the NHC in the individual lives of people. We are doing this for campus transformation, but also the lives of the signers,” Warn said.
For those with “eyes to see and ears to hear,” Warn hopes the New Haven Call will be a steady voice to guide and encourage those hearts, despite the current spiritual state of the country and its campuses. “A lot of campus ministry leaders are tired and see the darkness of our nation,” Warn said. “I want leaders to lift their eyes up and embrace things like the New Haven Call. I want us to have hope. I believe that God wants to move and is going to move in our day. I hope the New Haven Call generates that kind of faith.” By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
‘WE ARE RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF SOMETHING’ Ministry Leaders See ‘Quiet Revival’ Slowly Transforming Boston
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“There are all of three Christians in Boston.” That’s what one student from Boston told a Princeton ministry leader.
However, while some describe Boston as spiritually bleak, others are inspired by a “quiet revival” taking place in the city. To them, it’s clear the city is on the spiritual move. Some people may perceive a lack of faith in Boston because of a decline in Catholic and mainline churches, according to
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Jeff Bass (Princeton ’81). Bass is the executive director of the Emmanuel Gospel Center, a church research and consulting organization in the Boston area. He noted an abundance of church planting among smaller denominations and within a number of immigrant groups that have brought their faith with them to Boston. Their members are reaching out to their community with the love of Christ and producing a lot of good fruit in the city, Bass stated.
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On Campus
This is part of what Bass considers to be “the long-term renewal of Christianity in Boston, as the Quiet Revival growth has been steady for over 30 years and it is having a transformational impact on our communities.”
nect between the local communities and the students.
“There is certainly a quiet move of God, especially among the poor in Boston,” said Pat McLeod, director of Boston Metro Campus Crusade for Christ and a chaplain at Harvard University. “People are responding to and following the leadership of minority pastors in the city who seem to have the anointing of God upon them.”
To help build those pathways, one local church is reaching out to students at Harvard, MIT and others through cooperation with Campus Crusade and InterVarsity.
Tammy McLeod, also a Harvard University chaplain, agrees.
“Students are a big part of the population, but [they] tend to be in their own world. There needs to be better pathways,” Bass said.
Park Street Church, a historical fixture in the city, has taken an innovative approach to reaching undergraduate students by putting their resources into a direct partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ known as Real Life Boston.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re in revival because the numbers of people coming to Christ are still Harvard Chaplain Pat low,” she said; but “it feels like we McLeod anticipates great are right on the edge of something movement in New England as more and more Christians just exploding here.”
Real Life Boston is currently on twentysix campuses in the area and has the goal of providing every student with the opportunity to hear the Gospel. Currently, there are about 300,000 students in the migrate to the city and build Mrs. McLeod is the wife of Pat area, with approximately 500 underthe Body of Christ. McLeod and the director of college graduates attending Park Street alone, ministry at Boston’s Park Street Church. She believes God is according to Mrs. McLeod. pulling the body of Christ together in anticipation of a future But Park Street isn’t simply trying to increase its own attenrevival. dance, she explained. This is a case of the Body of Christ One indicator, she believes, is the number of church planters and workers moving into the Boston area and the unity with which the various churches and ministries work together for the Kingdom.
working together to increase God’s Kingdom. “We want to partner with other churches,” she said.
“Students are really important in all this,” according to Bass, who cites the “caliber” of the students in the Boston area and their potential to impact the future of the country and the world as they become leaders.
And, with 25 percent of all heads of state having graduated from a school in Boston, according to Mrs. McLeod, the potential to carry the Gospel message worldwide is a key factor in the emphasis on Boston revitalization and revival.
According to Mrs. McLeod, ten percent, or 600 to 700 of Harvard undergraduates are evangelical Christians–a high number that she says would surprise most people.
But all that makes Boston great insofar as its esteem for education and its attraction to so many future leaders, could also slow the momentum for revival, suggested Pat McLeod.
“Boston churches, leaders, and events do have an impact on Harvard students," said Chris Hampson, Harvard ’09. “The spiritual climate of the Boston area is the backdrop against which Harvard Christians live out their faith; and although it may not be easily sensed, change in Boston does permeate the Ivory Tower.”
“God resists the proud, and I do think the Achilles heel of a college city that has more of the nation’s top 40 universities than any other city will be the feeder sin of pride,” he said. “Revival only comes when there is brokenness; and that, of course, is the opposite of pride.”
Despite this, the McLeods and Bass agree there is a discon-
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“Boston is a particularly critical area because it is a hub for internationals, especially students,” said Hampson.
By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
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On Campus
R E V I VA L • R E A C H I N G T H E L O S T
PLANTING CHURCHES, HARVESTING SOULS KCCE Students Play Role in Venezuelan Church Growth The Korean Church at Cornell, English ministry (KCCE) has supported teams to Venezuela since CORNELL 2005. Commonly referred to as “MTV” (Mission Team Venezuela), the number of Cornell students who have seen God’s work abroad firsthand through this program is growing—and they have also seen their own lives changed.
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KCCE members Jeffrey Bae ’07, Virginia Nam ‘08, and Thomas Rho ’08 guided a fourth MTV group during a twoweek mission last summer. Bae and Nam have served in ministry to Venezuela since the initial MTV trip in 2005, which focused on ministry around Caracas. Three subsequent trips, however, have been to the city of Maracaibo to support the congregation of La Comunidad Cristiana: El Señor es Nuestra Victoria (“The Christian Community: The Lord is Our Victory”). Plans for a spring 2008 trip are already underway.
and Danilo asked KCCE in early 2007 to partner with them in planting a new church in Los Altos Tres, a poverty-stricken city on the outskirts of Maracaibo. The new church is springing from a 40-member cell group which began meeting after a Vacation Bible School session led by the winter ’07 MTV team. Although the adults were not the focus of the team at that time, God planted seeds in them through the children that afternoon. Now there is a tangible desire for change and a passion for spreading the good news of Christ throughout this sprawling 100,000-person district.
Rev. Montero sees God’s work in Los Altos Tres as humbly addressing the needs that accompany poverty. He hopes to build not only a church, but eventually a Christian school, a clinic, and a place where children can eat. Despite enormous financial hindrances, Danilo still has joy and trusts that God Led by Pastor Danilo Monwill provide whatever is tero, both the young and the needed. Indeed, Hector comold of La Comunidad Crisments, “One of the greatest tiana have demonstrated the Korean Church at Cornell, English ministry has been workchanges I see in Pastor love of Christ to every visit- ing to assist with Venezuelan church planting since 2005. Danilo’s church is that they ing team thus far. Christopher are no longer a small group, Kim ’07 observed, “I thought it embodied the description of a but rather a big church with big plans to advocate the Word of true church–one that acts as one body and follows the Bible in God.” fellowship and family to the letter, like that one passage [in Acts The church body at La Comunidad Cristiana and its plant in 2] that talks about even eating with your brothers.” Los Altos Tres are brothers and sisters in Christ with whom La Communidad Cristiana was planted eight years ago when Rev. Montero felt God calling him to start a small group, even while he was part of another congregation. Though he did not like the idea at first, he obeyed and eventually was led to plant the church. KCCE (www.kccem.org) coordinated its first MTV trip through Youth with a Mission (YWAM), assisted by missionary and translator Hector Chirinos. It was Chirinos who later introduced KCCE to La Communidad Cristiana after praying about how to encourage Rev. Montero’s fledgling congregation. The relationship between the two churches blossomed,
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KCCE is building long-term relationships. With the projected ground-breaking for the church in Los Altos Tres scheduled for the summer of 2008, there will definitely be the potential for additional partnering between the churches for years to come. And although KCCE is a student church, its congregation believes the effectiveness of the MTV projects and the fellowship between the congregations are affirmations that God uses the weak and gives much grace to the humble—all so that their boasting may be in the Lord. By Biblia Kim, Cornell ‘08
The Ivy League Christian Observer
R E V I VA L • R E A C H I N G T H E L O S T
On Campus
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE Event Introduces Students to The Real Jesus In an effort to debunk the multitude of colorful opinions about Christianity and Jesus, Campus CORNELL Crusade for Christ, Chinese Bible Study, and Fellowship of Christian Singaporeans held a joint event at Cornell University on October 12 called “Friday Night Live” (FNL).
about a lot of stuff…but not right on about a lot of other things.”
The goal of the event was simple: to share the biblical life and person of Jesus Christ, to debunk myths regarding his life and death, and to answer the questions: Who is Jesus? Why should anyone care?
The video ended and a short message was delivered by a student member of Crusade. The message began by describing Jesus as the most popular person in human history; more songs have been sung about him, more paintings painted of him, and more books written about him than any other person. Jesus is prevalent in pop culture, the speaker described, most notably proven by the large number of students and even celebrities who can be found wearing a cross around their necks.
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The event was borne out of a realization by ministry leaders that views on Jesus are largely scattered and inaccurate. It is difficult for people to see Jesus as worthy of investigation, even more so worthy of praise, when the general view of the person of Jesus is so misconstrued.
“A man who died for sin, right? … I think his death had something to do with sin.” “The second part of the Trinity.”
But what does the cross really mean? The message continued by describing Jesus’ life, who he said he was, FNL opened with a praise team comand how he died a gruesome death posed of Campus Crusade and Chion the cross. The speaker described nese Bible Study members. The what the cross achieved: reconciliamusical selection was wide, with tion between God and man and the both classical hymns (“In Christ absorbance of God’s wrath for man Alone”) and modern rock (David poured out on his only Son. HistoriCrowder Band’s “Glory of It All”) to Cornell’s Campus Crusade for Christ, Chinese cal evidence was also presented Bible Study, and Fellowship of Christian suit all tastes. which described Jesus’ life, death, Singaporeans hosted “Friday Night Live” Two emcees welcomed the audience to debunk myths regarding the life and and resurrection. Numerous authors death of Jesus Christ. and introduced the first speaker, a have written that more evidence exCornell student described as a “hardists for Jesus’ life than Julius Caecore-athiest-turned-Christian.” He shared his testimony of how sar’s. Students listened as the Gospel was laid out in simple and he went from an adamant and outspoken unbeliever to a hun- plain terms, as the life and death of Jesus was described as havgry and needy believer through a series of difficult and life- ing more weight than the life and death of just another teacher. transforming events by the power of the Holy Spirit. The At the end of the event, the emcees invited everyone to Hans testimony brought laughs as well as silent moments. Bethe House, a nearby residential program house, for snacks Next, a brief video was played in which a number of Cornell students were interviewed during the preceding days and asked the following questions: Who is Jesus? What do you think of when you think of Jesus? Who do you think Christians think Jesus is? The question “Who is Jesus?” garnered some of the most interesting answers: “A good idea” “A good guy who had a lot going for him, who was right on
and board games. While it is unclear and impossible to detect the direct result of such an event on people’s hearts, one thing is clear: it is important to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to believers and non-believers, to know Christ and help make him known. It is the hope and prayer of Crusade, Chinese Bible Study, and Christian Singaporeans at Cornell that FNL and future events like it help achieve just that. By Behzad Varamini, Cornell Graduate School
January 2008
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A HERITAGE OF FAITH Professor draws encouragement from University’s Christian roots Like most schools in the Ivy League, Dartmouth’s roots are steeped in Christian herDARTMOUTH itage. Established in 1769 by Eleazer Wheelock, a Congregational minister, the college sought to educate the local Native American community and share the Gospel with them. More than 200 years later, the spreading of Christianity is no longer a hallmark of the institution. But a handful of Christian staff and faculty remain committed to integrating faith with their academic lives and to reaching out to students in the name of Christ.
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Dartmouth’s Faculty/Staff Fellowship is a group of Dartmouth educators, staff members, and their spouses who share the organization’s vision to “cooperate with God in the advancement of His Kingdom, both in our personal lives and at the college as a whole.”
“One thing we think is important,” said Denton, “is to have some kind of presence so people know there is a Christian group visible—that there are such things as Christians [on campus].” Although Denton works in the science field with others who do not share his Christian beliefs, Denton said that, for the most part, his colleagues are not openly antagonistic toward him or his faith; however, their attitudes are not seemingly open to religious belief.
“Dartmouth’s founders created a university environment that would educate the mind and strengthen the soul. Denton said he too has a vision for God to do something at Dartmouth. That “something”, he believes, goes beyond meetings or efforts on the part of individuals.”
The Fellowship’s constitution goes on to state, “We would like this group to be a visible expression of our unity and common commitment to Jesus Christ. We believe that such unity expresses the heart of God.” “I think that it’s a combination of ministry to us and mission to people outside of us,” said Richard Denton, a research professor in physics and one of the ministry founders. According to Denton, the members meet to encourage one another in the unique, intellectual environment of the university. They also work to reach out to students by sponsoring and participating in events such as the panel discussion “What’s Important to Me?” and by assisting with the creation of the Apologia, Dartmouth’s student Christian journal. The ministry has hosted a
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number of receptions and barbeques for students as well.
Still, he said, “It’s not as hard to be a Christian as some people think at the university. It’s not usually like people are waiting to pounce on you when they find out you’re Christian.” But simply to be tolerated isn’t what Denton strives for, either.
“I think for me, Dartmouth has been a mission,” Denton said. “I feel like this is where my interest has been in reaching out more than any other place…I pray a lot here.” Dartmouth’s founders created a university environment that would educate the mind and strengthen the soul. Denton said he too has a vision for God to do something at Dartmouth. That “something”, he believes, goes beyond meetings or efforts on the part of individuals. “What we do [in the ministry] is nice,” he said, “but I’m looking for the Holy Spirit to do a much greater thing here at Dartmouth in terms of awakening.” Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
The Ivy League Christian Observer
STUDENT LIFE
On Campus
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE MAKES AN ‘IMPACT’ Students Gather for Time of Discussion, Worship, and Fellowship On Friday, October 26, fourteen Harvard students set their coursework aside and took a trip HARVARD to the other end of Boston Metro’s “Red Line” to attend the Ivy League Student Leadership Conference, hosted by Christian Union (www.Christian-union.org) at the Radisson Hotel in Rockland, MA. These students, members of Harvard’s Christian Impact Fellowship (www.harvard.edu/icb), had the opportunity to spend time both together and with students from other Ivy League schools, engaging in worship, discussion, and hang time. The music team from City Life Church, with several members from the Berkeley College of Music, led worship during the event.
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far ahead when planning their lives—“nothing less than 10,000 years,” said Green. This concept moved the focus beyond the individual: “campuses don’t need us, they need Jesus,” Green said, citing one of James’ talks.
After several of the talks by other featured speakers, the students broke into small groups and answered questions. Students from colleges in different locales, but with so many similar characteristics, were able to share perspectives, encouragement, and challenges. Common challenges at Ivy League schools include pressure to achieve and overzealousness for time, remarked Lorenzana. Comparing notes with people from other schools is particularly helpful in the light of the particular character of Ivy League culture. Even more time spent with students from other schools would have been useful, noted Green. Students from around the Ivy League attended the Ivy Student
According to Daniel Lorenzana ’09, the purpose of the conference was to enable interns and staff with Campus Crusade to talk about their experiences and to help college students Leadership Conference in Massachusetts to explore ministry At the same time, noted leadership and work after graduation. sort through the plethora Lorenzana, part of the of concerns that often helpfulness of the weekaccompany thinking about the future, including finances end was in its distance from the business of normal coland relationships with parents. The theme of Lordship was lege life. “It took me out of the busy work atmosphere of central to helping students think about full-time ministry Harvard and gave me time to interact with my fellow leadand put their future into a helpful perspective, Lorenzana ers,” he said. A designated “campus time” gave students said. Questions addressed included: What does it mean the opportunity to huddle with their peers and spend some that Christ is the Lord of our lives? What does it look like? time communicating about the current issues on their camCarol Green ’09 related that one of the most meaningful aspects of the conference was a profound yet hilarious talk given by Rick James, a national speaker and a publisher with Cru Press (Campus Crusade for Christ). James spoke on being a child of God, being forgiven by God, and planning for the future. He encouraged the students to think
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puses. For the group from Harvard, communication and evangelism was a theme, and the extra time spent off-campus working through group direction and group dynamics was extremely helpful. By Christopher Hampson, Harvard ’10
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THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL Ministry Helps Students Connect with their Catholic Faith How do you take the enormity of the Catholic Church and make it personal to roughly 6,000 students? By bringing the faith home.
where students are provided pat answers. “Questions are part of the faith experience,” Zlock explained. “We give them permission to live in the question and wrestle with the discomfort.”
And that’s what Penn senior Luly Trevino and the Penn Newman Center are doing through informal groups that meet weekly in student dorms on campus. The Newman Community Groups are designed to help students explore their faith and build a closer relationship to Jesus Christ, Trevino said. The meetings allow time for students to ask personal questions about their faith, discuss issues, and share their experiences as Christians at Penn.
While the groups are open to all students on campus, regardless of their religious background, the discussions are decidedly Catholic. It’s not ecumenical, Trevino explained, and students don’t talk about similarities of varying faiths. They discuss the Catholic faith and what it means to be a Catholic Christian.
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Trevino spearheaded the effort to reach out to help the nearly 6,000 self-described Catholic students at Penn and help them reconnect with their faith about two years ago. She said it’s easy for students to feel somewhat isolated or distant since the Newman Center is located at the edge of campus. In addition, she said, depending upon what Mass students attend on Sunday, they might not get to know other Catholic students.
Faith can place a student at the antithesis of academic culture; Trevino noted that she does sense a bias against Catholics on campus. “What I feel from students is that they think we are judgmental,” she said. Students sometimes avoid talking about certain things [in front of her] because they know she is Catholic and assume she would look down on them, she explained.
The Newman Community Groups at Penn offer Catholic students the opportunity to connect with each other and grow deeper in their faith.
Father Charles Zlock, chaplain and director of the Newman Center at Penn, (www.newman.upenn.edu), explained that Trevino was among a group of Catholic students who established the community groups to reach out to their fellow Catholics on campus and make connecting easier. “I’m in awe of these young people,” Zlock said, “I continue to be incredibly moved by their commitment and the depth of their inquiry.” According to Zlock, the students have lots of questions. The Community Groups provide a safe, open environment where those questions can be asked. The students are then encouraged to seek answers for themselves. The groups are not a substitute for mass, nor are they classes
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Catholic students commonly face challenges from others about their beliefs, and the community groups provide a forum where those tough questions can be addressed. It’s also an opportunity for students to reaffirm their own beliefs and to identify with other intelligent, like-minded believers, Trevino explained.
“In classes, it’s an impression that we don’t think for ourselves because of the Vatican,” Trevino said. “Professors look down on people who are very religious.” Zlock said the Community Groups also provide a solace for the students. They afford an opportunity for them to be “spiritually searching” and provide an atmosphere where they are not expected to know all of the answers. This, he said, stands in contrast to the academic environment at Penn where many believe it is the place to come to get all the answers. This effort to reach out to fellow Catholics is not unique to Penn. In fact, according to Zlock, Newman Centers have been estab-
The Ivy League Christian Observer
STUDENT LIFE lished worldwide as part of a movement on the part of the Catholic Church to reach Christians on a more personal level. “The Catholic Church is big. It’s a big, institutional Church,” said Zlock, who noted how the church comes to the aid of people in need when a disaster strikes. “We’ve built a well-oiled machine. Where I think we have fallen short in the last several years is that at its core, the Catholic Church is about personal relationship[s]. That’s where we come up short.”
On Campus
Zlock said the Church has not been known in the past for its hospitality, but things are changing. Grassroots efforts like the Newman Community Group and parish small groups are bringing the Church to the homes and dorms of Catholics worldwide, uniting them through a spirit of hospitality which is grounded in the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ. By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
HELPING STUDENTS SHARE THE GOOD NEWS Chi Alpha Seeks to Strengthen Christian Students at Brown
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There’s a new family in the ministry community at Brown, and its name is Chi Alpha (www.chialBROWN pha.com). Also know by the Greek letters XA, the ministry takes its name from the Greek phrase christou apostolio which means “Christ’s sent ones,” and it “seeks to reconcile students to Christ.” While its name may sound like a fraternity, this is no mere social club. XA is dedicated to “following Jesus Christ and making Him famous around the world,” said ministry director John Michaelson. Founded in 1953 at Missouri State University, XA is located on more than 200 campuses worldwide. Although an Assemblies of God ministry, the organization is very interdenominational, said Michaelson, who cares more about the hearts of the students than their denominational affiliations.
Adding to the challenge of being a Christian at Brown, said Michaelson, is the preconceived notion many non-believers have of Christians, particularly evangelicals. Many tend to associate Christianity with conservative politics. “(The term) ‘evangelical’ now has a political, red-state image,” said Michaelson. “Colleges are blue-state.” It’s hard, he explained, for students who don’t have a background in the church to understand that there is a difference between faith and politics.
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship may be new to the Brown campus, but ministry leaders are working to give the ministry a permanent home.
Michaelson and his wife Lynne, who works with the ministry part-time, came to Providence from Texas where they served at the University of Texas-Austin. They had previously ministered at Ohio State University. “The climate at Brown is challenging,” said Michaelson. “In Texas, the students assume that they are in a culture where there are a lot of Christians. To be a Christian [at Brown] is
January 2008
different. It’s very different.”
Christians at Brown run into students who may never have been inside a church or had a conversation with a Christian, Michaelson explained. As a result, he believes Christian students often feel like they have to be on the defensive, ready to defend their faith.
“If you’re Christian, you’ve got to be strong to make it,” he said. “A lot of what we feel like we’re doing right now is damage control,” he said. “That’s kind of sad, but it also gives us an opportunity to preach what we believe.” And helping students share that Gospel is what XA is about. “We feel our goal is to help students to be Christ’s ambassa-
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STUDENT LIFE
dors,” said Michaelson. “God is using us as tools of reconciliation between Himself and others and impacting the university, the marketplace, and the world.” Chi Alpha also takes a special interest in ministering to international students. When they return to their home countries and become leaders, according to Michaelson, that impacts the world. Although XA only has about a half-dozen student members, they are working toward being an officially-recognized campus ministry. They can’t host outreach events on campus to encourage further growth until they receive that recognition, due to university requirements. Once the ministry is established, Michaelson and his wife plan to firmly plant XA on the campus. He said they had been looking to serve in an area that had a spiritual void and a need. By many accounts, New England certainly fits that description.
thing is going to happen here in New England…another Great Awakening.” And XA stands ready with Brown’s other campus ministries to work toward making way for the Lord to bring that Awakening. Michaelson said that XA has had a good reception at Brown and that the other Christians they’ve come to know are “excited” there is another group there. He admits that he’s sensed a sort of competition among student ministries on some other campuses where he’s served. And that competition is something Michaelson said ministries on Ivy League campuses can’t afford. “The work is so great and the people are so resistant to the Gospel that if you don’t have a spirit of cooperation and unity you’re not going to do any good,” he said.
“When we told people that we were going to New England,” Michaelson said, “they were like, ‘Wow, they really need God’.”
Unity is a bit of a buzzword among students on campuses, Michaelson said, and many of them talk about being on the same team. “But we really feel it here. We feel like we’re not trying to create one group, but we are all one body—the body of Christ.”
In addition, there are many Christians who believe that despite the current spiritual void, New England will be the site of revival. Michaelson is among them.
In other words, as the ministry family at Brown continues to grow, there is a shared desire to bring Jesus to into the hearts of students and prepare the way for the Lord’s awakening.
“It’s exciting to be here,” he said. “I really believe that some-
By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
RUNNING OUT OF FRESH IDEAS Battling Plagiarism in the Ivy League
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The Eighth Commandment simply states, “Thou shalt not steal.” Most would agree this comALL IVY mandment set down by God through Moses is pretty straightforward. The taking of another’s property is usually a clear-cut case of right and wrong. But when it comes to the pilfering of the ideas, thoughts, and words of others, the ensuing ambiguity can make this commandment seem more like a request than an order. Merriam-Webster defines plagiarize as “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own” and “to commit literary theft.” And while its occurrence is not rampant within the Ivies, the student, professor, or alumnus who is caught with a hand in the idea cookie jar attracts wide attention and public scrutiny.
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Harvard suffered a particularly troublesome episode last year when an undergraduate student, lauded for her first published novel, was later exposed as a plagiarist as portions of her book mirrored those of a previously-published work. As this academic year began, the issue of properly citing work was raised throughout the Ivy League to help dissuade would-be plagiarists from lifting others’ thoughts and words. For example, university websites dedicate sections to defining the terms and conditions of plagiarism and the consequences associated with them. Some schools, like the University of Pennsylvania, offer expansive resources to both students and faculty, including faculty tips for informing students about plagiarism as well as links to various cites that might be used by cheating students.
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STUDENT LIFE Other schools such as Yale have offered “integrity awareness” events to bring the issue of original work to the forefront of students’ minds. “It is unethical in every discipline and not permissible,” said Jon Butler, dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Yale. “We want our students to be aware of the ethical standards within the school. These standards are prevalent in industry and academia. Whether at Merck [Pharmaceuticals] or the University, they are going to be in trouble for plagiarizing. It’s simply wrong.” But this “literary theft” goes beyond industry and academia; even those with a “higher-calling” have been felled by the lure of plagiarism. As author Thomas G. Long writes in The Christian Century, “Pulpit plagiarism may not be new, but there is plenty of evidence that the practice is spreading and that the kerosene on the fire is the Internet. Not only are thousands of sermons available for the snatching on church Web pages, but scores of commercial sites hawk complete sermons, illustrations, outlines, images, and PowerPoint accompaniments for a fee.” Students, too, are faced with the digital temptation of prewritten reports and papers found on such boldly named web sites as the Evil House of Cheat and eCheat.com (where “It’s not Cheating, It’s Collaborating”) and many others. Although called e-Cheat, the site states it was created to “provide a reference for students writing papers.” As long as you cite the paper, it’s not really cheating, the e-Cheaters claim in their FAQs. Yet, according to Valerie Ross, director for the Critical Writing Program at Penn, these “paper mill” documents would not be acceptable documentation as a source. “The papers are dreadful,” she said. “The caliber of writing at papermills isn’t good.” Ross said the papers are either poorly written or they are “too knowing,” meaning the language would make it too difficult to have been written by an
On Campus
undergraduate. However, even if a student could pull the wool over the eyes of an instructor, e-cheaters may be doing battle in their own domain as campuses begin using plagiarism detection software such as turnitin.com. Currently available at Harvard and Penn, this software enables instructors to electronically scan papers for common sentences and phrases that are available in on-line works. But the particulars of digital cheating or digital detection fall short of the fundamental question around plagiarism, which often lies in the intent. “There are students who don’t know they are cheating,” Ross contends. “For the most part,” she said, “the students who are plagiarizing are writing under a great deal of stress. They tend to be doing it under duress.” Still, she admits there are those “frauds who have found ways to get by with cheating.” One student from Cornell echoes those sentiments: “It’s important to combat plagiarism in general, in order to maintain academic integrity and, not to mention, the creative rights of the original author(s). But it’s also equally important not to be so quick to define all those who do plagiarize… as criminals. Plagiarism may be considered a crime in certain places, but it is really unfortunate for a stressed-out college student to be permanently labeled as a plagiarizer on their record just for misciting a quotation in a final paper.” Even if the act is not criminal, a sampling of students questioned by the ILCO about plagiarism still considered it to be sinful, immoral, and unethical. And for Christian students committed to following Jesus Christ, honoring God means honoring University honor codes regardless of the consequences. Dan Knapke, director of undergraduate ministry for Princeton Faith and Action, recalls an incident last semester when a senior at Princeton came to believe that he had cheated
Students, professors and graduates all wrestle with the challenges of authentic writing and proper citation when producing academic public works.
January 2008
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On Campus
STUDENT LIFE
early on in his classes. Despite the potential ramifications of admitting to violating the honor code, the student notified the professors for those classes. In the end, upon in-depth discussion with the professors, it was determined the student had not, in fact, cheated. The situation, however, exemplifies the struggle some students have with clearly understanding the guidelines for the honor codes, and more importantly epitomizes that one’s values and faith do not stop at the classroom door. However, for Valerie Ross to plagiarize or not to plagiarize is not necessarily the question. Rather, she questions the con-
cept of owning ideas in the first place. “None of us has an original idea,” Ross states. She explains that much of what we know has come from our life experiences such as our parents, the books we read as children, and so forth. “You’d need a history of your subjectivity before saying whose idea it is,” she said. “There is nothing new.” Or as French moralist and essayist Marquis de Vauvenargues (1715-1747) put it, “Every thought is new when an author expresses it in a manner peculiar to himself.” By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
DO HOLLY AND IVY MIX? Finals Put Christmas on Hold for Some Students
I
If there is one thing that keeps Christmas cheer at bay throughout the Ivy League in early DeALL IVY cember, it’s the intensity of thousands of students working diligently to finish final papers and exams and get home for the holidays. This is true even at Harvard and Princeton, where finals aren’t taken until after Christmas. “In general,” one student said, “I think the average Christian Harvard student is extremely busy wrapping up papers-essay papers, not wrapping paper-right up to our break… and then we all leave to celebrate Christmas with our families. I’m afraid that you’ll find that the time that feels Christmas-like [before the break] is a very short piece of time. It doesn’t feel like Christmas to me until I’ve left school, and I’m pretty sure most of my friends here feel the same way.” But even if the students had time to look up from their laptops during the Christmas season, they may see “holiday” trees and “holiday” decorations, but what they wouldn’t see—despite the Christian heritage of most of the schools—are more overt symbols. At Cornell, Dean of Students Kent Hubbell stated, “Individual students are free to express themselves as they wish. Institutionally, we don’t set up nativity displays in consideration for those in our population who do not observe Christmas. However, holiday decorations, trees, etc., are present in many locations throughout the campus.” In recent years, the Christmas season has ignited nearly
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as many political issues as spiritual ones. Who can say Merry Christmas at what store, and what interfaith symbols of the season peacefully co-exist on municipal lawns around the country tend to take the headlines. Around the Ivy League, however, students and ministry leaders reported that anti-Christmas sentiments seen elsewhere in the country are not seen as a big issue at the schools. Although, that may once again be due to the “blinding” effect of studies. Brodie Herb, a staff member with Brown’s College Hill for Christ, said that most students are too consumed with finals to be concerned with the effort of some in society to keep Christ out of Christmas. According to Clay Daniel, director of Yale’s Reformed United Fellowship, “Holiday events are tough with campus ministry…as most students are home during the salient times.” Daniel and his wife did host a gathering at their home for Reformed United Fellowship (RUF) leaders on December 8 and a campus-wide Christmas party for RUF was also held. However, in spite of the many demands of the academy, and the absence of some Christmas symbols, the spirit of Christ’s birth and the altruism of the season still twinkled amidst the clouds of work as students and staff of the universities brought the season to life through song, worship, and selflessness. Cornell hosted the annual Sage Chapel Christmas program, which according to Hubbell is one of the most pop-
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STUDENT LIFE ular and well-attended events during the season. The program included music by the Cornell University Glee Club and Chorus and readings from the Bible by prominent members of the Cornell community. On December 6, Music of the Season at Yale was held. The annual event featured the Yale Glee Club Chamber Singers, the Yale Collegium Players, the Yale College Chamber Singers, and members of the Yale Concert band. Additionally, Princeton’s University Chapel was the site of an Advent Concert by the Chapel Choir. At Dartmouth, holiday giving started in early November when the Church of Christ at Dartmouth opened its annual “Christmas Market with a Difference.” What makes this market different is that all profits from the market are returned to the non-profit organizations that participated in it. In addition, each year, the church also purchases gifts and clothes for families, children, and adults in the Upper Valley.
On Campus
Center for Advanced Learning put a new twist on office giving by pooling money usually spent on intra-office gifts to purchase a goat from Heifer International, a nonprofit organization working to end world hunger by connecting animals with struggling families worldwide. Students involved in Cornell’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) participated in Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse. FCA members coordinated the effort at Cornell, where students shopped for items to fill shoeboxes that were distributed to needy children. In addition, some Cornell’s FCA members sent Christmas cards to U.S. military members overseas. So, despite political correctness and busy schedules, the sentiments and gestures of Christmas were present in the Ivy League to some extent. And despite studying into the wee hours and missing nativity scenes, it wasn’t a totally “Silent Night.” By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
The Dartmouth newspaper reported that the University’s
photo by Pam Traeger
Exam preparations delay Christmas cheer for a lot of Ivy League students. Nonetheless, some ministries find time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
January 2008
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF ALL IVY Boston University Conference Highlights ‘Evangelical Intelligentsia’ Christian Union Founder and President Matt Bennett joined several Ivy League alumni, students, and faculty at Opening of the Evangelical Mind, a conference sponsored by Boston University’s Insti- Christian Union Founder and tute on Culture, Reli- President Matt Bennett, gion, and World Affairs Cornell ’88, joined other Ivy League alumni and students (CURA). The confer- for the Opening of the Evanence, held in December, gelical Mind conference in was designed to “illumi- Boston. nate the development, contributions, and cultural consequences” of the emerging evangelical intellectual elite, or “evangelical intelligentsia,” according to CURA. Participants in the event included: Nicholas Wolterstorff, Ph.D., Harvard, and former Noah Porter Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale, Andrew Schuman, Dartmouth ’10, founder and executive editor of Dartmouth’s Apologia, and D. Michael Lindsay, Ph.D., Princeton, and author of Faith in the Halls of Power, among many others. Christians Seen as ‘Cool’ at School
An article by Reuters News Service determined that “a revival” among churches on campuses has made it “cool” to be a Christian on campus.
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According to a November article by Reuters News Service, it’s “cool to be Christian on campus.” Reporter Andrea Hopkins determined that “while public colleges in America were once considered hostile territory for religious students, a revival among both evangelical and traditional churches on campus has made it safe–and even cool–to be a college Christian.” The article also cited a 2004 University of California-Los Angeles survey which concluded that “8 of 10 college students attend religious services, 90 percent discuss religion
or spirituality with friends, and 69 percent pray.” “There’s an increasing acceptance that intellectualism and Christianity go hand in hand,” stated Christian Union Founder and President Matt Bennett in the article. Bennett, Cornell ’88, said between three and nine percent of Ivy League undergraduates now participate in various Christian activities each week. Study: Parental Involvement Benefits Student’s College Experience According to an article in Family Edge, the National Survey of Student Engagement determined that involved parents are beneficial to the quality of life of college students.
Children of so-called “helicopter” parents, those who hover over their children’s lives, were more satisfied with their college experiences, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement.
“Compared with their counterparts, children of ‘helicopter parents’ [termed so because they hover closely near their children] were more satisfied with every aspect of their college experience, gained more in such areas as critical thinking, and were more likely to talk with faculty and peers about substantive topics,” survey director George D. Kuh said in the article. College Parents of America President James Boyle said involvement of college parents is a natural offshoot of the emphasis put on the benefits of parental involvement during grades K-12.
CHRISTIAN UNION Christian Union Board of Directors Names New Member Lolita Jackson, Penn ’87, was recently named to the Christian Union Board of Directors. Jackson is in her second year serving as president of Christian Union’s New York City ministry. Jackson is also the Manhattan director for Mayor Bloomberg’s Community Affairs Unit in New York City. “Lolita has such a heart for the Ivy League and New York City,” said Carol Fausnaught, vice president for City Chris-
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF tian Unions and director of Public Affairs for Christian Union. “She is a tremendous asset.” Lolita Jackson (Penn ’87), president of New York City Christian Union, was recently named to the Christian Union Board of Directors.
Students Put Faith in Action at Princeton Enthusiasm from a group of Princeton University students interested in sharing their faith prompted leaders of Princeton Faith and Action (pfanda.com), the Christian Union’s undergraduate ministry, to hold evangelism training sessions in November.
Dan Knapke, director of Undergraduate Ministry for Christian Union, talks with Princeton students about sharing the Gospel during evangelism training at Wilson House in Princeton.
“It’s part of the larger initiative to equip and motivate the students to reach out and share their faith with their friends,” said Lorri Bentch, a ministry fellow with the Christian Union. Persevering with Prayer and People Is Theme at CU Luncheon
January 2008
BROWN Brown Featured in PBS Segment: ‘Religion vs. Spirituality’
About 25 students attended the first session on Nov. 17, and 15 or so returned for the second session on Dec. 1. Princeton Faith and Action Director Dan Knapke led the training, which took place in three-hour sessions on Saturdays at the Wilson House.
Tom Campisi, managing editor of the Ivy League Christian Observer, spoke about perseverance at the November Christian Union staff luncheon.
referenced the “Hall of Faith” found in Hebrews 11. Campisi shared his testimony about coming to Christ at the College of New Jersey through InterVarsity and encouraged the Princeton Faith and Action campus ministry team with Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Tom Campisi, managing editor of the Ivy League Christian Observer, delivered the devotional message at Christian Union’s monthly luncheon for Princeton University staff members on November 13 at Wilson House in Princeton. His message, “Persevering with Prayer and People,”
Public Broadcasting System featured Brown University during its Students and Chaplains at Brown University were the November 9 segment of focus of PBS’s “Religion and Religion and Ethics Ethics Newsweekly.” Newsweekly. “Religion vs. Spirituality” included interviews with some evangelical Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and others who are Brown students. The show differentiated between an observance of religious traditions and an authentic faith that is deepened by practice. Brown was depicted as a place where religions can and should be challenged because such tests can strengthen the faith of true believers. Two students discussed the trials they faced when they arrived at Brown because of their Christianity and their need to defend their faith. University Extends Compassion to Children of Fire Victims Brown University is among seven Rhode Island colleges and universities pledging to provide scholarships and financial aid to seventy-six children who lost a parent in The Station nightclub fire of 2003. The institutions are offering a variety of tuition and aid services. Specifically, Brown plans to open its summer college preparatory program to the children. The offer to students will remain in effect until 2024, in order to include the youngest child who was an infant at the time of the fire.
Brown University is offering scholarships and assistance to children who lost parents in the tragic nightclub fire in Rhode Island.
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF Holiday Events Encourage Service and Stronger Relationships
College Hill for Christ and Athletes in Action teamed up to host a variety of outreach events for Brown students.
Brown’s College Hill for Christ (www.collegehillforchrist.com) and Athletes In Action (www.aiaatbrown.com) held their annual fall retreat in midOctober, challenging students to live out the Gospel through growing in their relationships with each other, with God, and with non-Christian students on campus.
Additionally, as the holidays approached, students hosted a Thanksgiving dinner and a Christmas party to encourage service and stronger relationships among those within the ministries and with other students on campus. Nearly half of the 50 people who attended the Christmas party were nonChristian, providing opportunities for outreach and camaraderie among the students. Christian Union provided grant money to help support these ministry efforts.
COLUMBIA Upperclassmen Serve Freshman Columbia Students for Christ (www.columbia.edu/cu/ccc/) held a class dinner on October 16. Upperclassmen cooked a homemade meal for attending freshmen, giving them a respite from dining hall food. Icebreakers were used to help encourage interaction and the dinner also included a time of prayer and worship.
Columbia Students for Christ hosted a class dinner for freshmen this fall with upperclassman cooking the meal.
According to the event’s coordinators, the purpose was to connect with freshmen and develop deep and meaningful relationships with them. The event was partially funded by a Christian Union grant.
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Columbia Student Wins Religion Reporting Award Tina Shah, a graduate student at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, won the 2007 Chandler Award for Student Religion Reporter of the Year. The award is part of several contests sponsored by the Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) that aim to honor excellence in religion reporting in mainstream media. Shah received her award at the 2007 RNA Annual Contest Awards Banquet, September 29, in San Antonio, Texas. Tina Shah, a student at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, received the 2007 Chadler Award for Student Religion Reporter of the Year.
Ministries Reach out at Thanksgiving InterVarsity, Columbia Students for Christ, and Korea Campus Crusade for Christ came together for a Thanksgiving outreach activity that focused on inter-ministry bonding through serving the At Thanksgiving, community. On November Columbia students 17, students volunteered prayed together and fed the hungry in the Bronx with the Latino Pastoral Acand Manhattan. tion Center in the Bronx. Groups spent time praying, serving Thanksgiving dinner to homeless people, and taking part in the Homeless Plunge, an activity in which students went into the surrounding community to befriend the homeless and share a meal with them.
CORNELL God is the Constant at Concert Measureless and aRise, two Christian performing arts groups on Cornell’s campus, held a joint program themed God is the Constant on November 4. Measureless demonstrated its a capella ministry and performed accompanying skits; aRise, a group founded during the spring ’07 semester, shared the Gospel story through dance. Directed toward believers and non-believers alike, the semi-annual
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF concert gathered members of several campus ministries and their friends. Cornell’s Christian music groups, Measureless and aRise, performed a concert for believers and nonChristians at the University.
Cornell Christians go Into the Streets Into the Streets, a program established by Cornell students in 1992 through the Cornell Public Service Center, focused on clean-up efforts in the Ithaca area on October 27. The program is designed to promote a lifetime of community service. Into the Streets caught the attention of Christian campus ministries and churches in the Cornell area, which saw its ability to tangibly serve and love others in the community. The outreach was expanded to span three New York counties in 2006.
photo by iStock
Cornell Christians took to the streets to help with cleanup efforts in the Ithaca area as part of the Cornell Public Service Center’s Into the Streets program.
Campus On A Hill Leaders’ Forum Leadership from various Cornell ministries met December 1 to exchange ideas, share prayer requests, and provide ministry updates to Campus On A Hill Leaders from Cor(COAH) leadership. COAH, an nell’s various Christian ministries met umbrella organization for ChrisDecember 1 to share tian groups on the Cornell camprayer requests and pus, desires to unify and provide ministry updates. L-R COAH strengthen efforts make Christ Core Team. Josh known at the university. The Lequieu, Raymond forum was in addition to the Li, Henri Wen, weekly COAH meetings atBehzad Varamini. tended by one representative from each participating ministry.
January 2008
DARTMOUTH Trustee: University Leaders Don’t Believe in God, Country Dartmouth Trustee Todd Zywicki ’88 generated controversy and criticism from fellow alumni and the Dartmouth community when he spoke October 27 at the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy in Raleigh, N.C. In his speech, Zywicki accused donors to the academy of “buying indulgences for being rich,” referred to former Dartmouth President James Freedman as an “evil man,” and declared that those who control the university “don’t believe in God or country.” Zywicki later told Higher Education Online that he was speaking in an informal manner and “didn’t mean many things to be taken literally.”
Dartmouth trustee and graduate Todd Zywicki’88 generated criticism and debate when he accused donors to the academy of “buying indulgences for being rich,” among other statements.
Presidential Candidates Vague about Bible References During a major Democratic presidential debate at Dartmouth College, participants were asked to name their favorite Bible verses. None responded with a specific chapter and verse. Hillary Clinton cited: “The Golden Rule – ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ I think that's a good rule for politics, too.” Barack Obama responded, “The Sermon on the Mount, because it expresses a basic principle that I think we've lost over the last six years.” And John Edwards said, “What you do unto the least of those, you do unto me.” Barack Obama, Columbia ’83 and Harvard Law School ’91, joined other Democratic presidential hopefuls for a debate at Dartmouth that touched upon the candidates’ beliefs and faith.
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF Dartmouth Hosts Poverty Awareness Events As part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, November 11 - 17, Dartmouth hosted programs to increase understanding and action about poverty issues. The Upper Valley Educational Task Force on Homelessness and Poverty and Dartmouth’s Economic Equity Initiative offered the events.
Harvard Dinner Promotes Religious Literacy
photo by iStock
Dartmouth hosted programs to increase understanding about poverty issues as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
Grace Outreach in West Lebanon, New Hampshire was the site of “Try My Life,” where participants roleplayed what life is like for people living on low incomes by interacting with human service agencies, bill collectors, and grocers. Moore Hall was the venue for a seminar by poverty expert Jodi Pfarr entitled “Bridges Out of Poverty.”
HARVARD Harvard Law Professor Named Vatican Ambassador President George W. Bush has nominated Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon as ambassador to the Vatican. According to the Boston Globe, Glendon is “an anti-abortion scholar and an opponent of gay –marriage who has written on the effects of divorce and in- President George W. Bush, Yale ’68, nomicreased litigation on society.” nated Harvard law Pope John Paul II appointed professor Mary Ann Glendon to the Pontifical Acad- Glendon as ambassaemy of Social Science in 1994, dor to the Vatican. and in 1995, she led a 22-member delegation of the Holy See to the Fourth U.N. Women’s Conference in Beijing. Glendon is the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard and has authored numerous works in the fields of human rights, comparative law, constitutional law, and legal theory.
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On October 17, The Cambridge Roundtable on Science, Art & Religion (www.cambridgeroundtable.org) and the Harvard University Committee on the Study of Religion presented a dinner and discussion at the Harvard Faculty Club. The event featured Stephen Prothero and the topic of religious literacy. Prothero is the author of Religious Literacy–What Every American Needs to Know–and Doesn’t. During the roundtable, he discussed his theory that Americans need to have knowledge of the world’s religions to have proper insight into the major issues of the day.
The Roundtable on Science, Art & Religion was held at Harvard on October 17. Stephen Prothero was the featured speaker and discussed religious literacy.
“Through Prothero's essential points and the discussion, it became clear how potentially conflicted the interpretation and implementation of that idea might be,” said one participant. Harvard Honors First Woman President with Thanksgiving Service Harvard marked the inauguration of its first woman president, Drew Gilpin Faust, with a Service of Thanksgiving at the Memorial Church at Harvard on October 12.
photo courtesy of Harvard University
Drew Gilpin Faust
The Reverend Professor (Penn '71 and *75), the Peter J. Gomes; Bernard first woman president Steinberg, president of Har- at Harvard, was honored with a Service of vard Chaplains and presi- Thanksgiving. dent of Harvard Hillel; and the Right Reverend G.P. Mellick Belshaw, Faust’s cousin, attended the service. “We have come to pray for the happy and useful administration of our twenty-eighth president, Drew Gilpin Faust,” said Gomes, in the Harvard University Gazzette. “We are mindful of her gifts, and we pray that they may be both sustained and increased in our behalf.”
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF PENN CCC Holds Fall Retreat Campus Crusade for Christ held its fall retreat from October 5-7 at Camp Innabah in Spring City, PA. The speaker for the event was Alec Million of Wycliffe Bible Translators. The focus of the retreat was on individual and corporate spiritual growth and unity. According to retreat coordinators, this is a time when “freshmen get deeply involved and develop stronger relationships with upperclassmen.” In addition, taking a weekend off campus to spend time together enables staff and students to refresh the ministry’s vision for outreach. Penn Graduate Joins Faculty at Southern Seminary
Penn alumnus David Powlison *96 was recently named visiting professor in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Biblical Counseling program.
Christian author and lecturer David Powlison recently accepted a visiting professorship in the Biblical Counseling Program at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Powlison received an A.B. in Social Relations from Harvard (’71), an M. Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary (’80), and an M.A. (’86) and Ph.D. (’96) from the University of Pennsylvania.
Powlison, the author of Speaking Truth in Love, Seeing with New Eyes, Power Encounters, and Competent to Counsel?, is a faculty member at The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and a visiting professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.
Ugandan Pastor Speaks of Transformation in Africa, U.S. Ugandan pastor and transformation leader John Mulinde spoke at Penn’s Houston Hall on November 3. He addressed college students in the Philadelphia area to help equip them for a revival like the one that occurred in his homeland. Before Ugandan pastor the revival hit, the Ugandan people and transformation leader John were oppressed and the country’s Mulinde spoke to government was corrupt. However, college students in a researcher describes the African the Philadelphia area about revival. nation as one of the most transformed nations on the face of the earth. The Ugandan leaders believe God is now leading their hearts to pray for this type of transformation in the United States.
PRINCETON Anscombe Society Threat Is a Hoax The Anscombe Society, a pro-abstinence, pro-marriage group at Princeton University, received national attention in December after one of its members was allegedly attacked and others received threatening e-mails. However, a police investigation revealed that Princeton University student and Anscombe member Francisco Nova ’09 sent the e-mails and also inflicted injuries on his own body while fabricating a story of being beaten and threatened. Princeton University did not make an immediate decision regarding disciplinary action. Nova, who committed a similar act while at the Groton School in Connecticut, could also face charges for filing a false police report. Manna Christian Fellowship Supports World AIDS Day, Orphaned Children Manna Christian Fellowship (www.princeton.edu/~manna/) participated in World AIDS Day by selling T-shirts to highlight the plight of orphaned children in sub-Saharan Africa. Students in the ministry sold the shirts, labeled “ORPHAN,” to about five percent of the student body at
January 2008
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF Princeton University to help demonstrate that one in 20 children in sub-Saharan Africa is orphaned by AIDS. Over 200 students wore the bright orange shirts on December 3 in coordination with campus events scheduled across the nation by World Vision. Manna Christian Fellowship sought raise awareness about orphaned children during World AIDS Day.
toward missions trips to help restore the Gulf Coast, fund inner-city youth initiatives in New England cities, and serve the poor in the Dominican Republic. The CD producers “hope that by raising awareness for God’s ministry and mercy, the Driven CD will further help to glorify God’s Kingdom.” The students also plan to send copies of the CD to China and Morocco through a grassroots distribution within those nations. The project was partially funded by a Christian Union grant. Yale to Host Institute of Campus Revival and Awakening
Respect Life Week Highlights Pro-Life Stance Respect Life Week 2007 was held at Princeton from October 7 -12. The events began with ProLife Sunday, which included an photo by iStock inter-faith service held at University Chapel. Other events inRespect Life Week 2007 raised cluded a pro-life, pro-family awareness of pro-life evening of dessert, coffee, and issues such as conversation with Professor abortion and euthanasia. Robert P. George and other Princeton faculty members, and a message from Karen Shablin of Feminists for Life, who addressed her experience with abortion and how she became pro-life. The week concluded with a candlelight vigil on Frist Lawn that included five minutes of silent mourning for the lives lost to abortion and euthanasia. The event was sponsored by Princeton Pro-Life.
Yale University will once again be the site for the Institute of Campus Revival and Awakening this summer. Scheduled for July 13 through 19, this annual event helps to educate attendees on past awakenings, as well as current events, and helps equip them for transforming campuses today.
Among the scheduled presenters are: Walt Kaiser, author of Revive Us Again: Your Wakeup Call for Spiritual Renewal, Rhonda Hughey, director of Fusion Ministries and author of Desperate for His Presence, and Dr. J.P. Moreland, speaker and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Biola University. Seminar Explores Christianity and Career Scholarship
YALE Worship CD to Fund Missions’ Efforts “Driven,” the worship team at Yale Christian Fellowship, recently released a CD featuring music from Africa and Latin America, gospel tracks, and contemporary Christian music. According to Yale Christian Fellowship (www.yale.edu/ycf), all proceeds from the CD will go
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Dr. J.P. Moreland is one of the anticipated speakers for the 2008 Institute for Revival and Awakening to be held at Yale July 13 through 19.
The fall Revindell Seminar, Becoming a Biblically Faithful Scholar, explored the challenges of the believer in academia.
Yale Christian Fellowship’s worship team, Driven, released a music CD which features a variety of genres.
The Rivendell Seminar: Becoming a Biblically Faithful Scholar was held at Yale this fall.
The event, sponsored by the Rivendell Institute at Yale, was an exploration of the challenges and opportunities facing the believer aiming to become a faithful follower of Christ as a scholar and teacher. The seminar consisted of a series of related themed events that were held from September to November and included topics such as Scholarship as a Christian Vocation, Essential Virtues, and Three Critical Turns for a Faithful Life.
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CHRISTIAN UNION
THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE CHRISTIAN UNION Christian Union Founder Matthew W. Bennett Shares the Vision and Purpose of the Ministry Following is the mission and vision of the Christian Union, which is printed in each issue of the Ivy League Christian Observer to keep new readers informed of the ministry's purpose and passion.
icans are in church, however, adding up the involvement of all students every week in all the para-church, and local churches combined it would amount to less than 10 percent of the student body.
The mission of the Christian Union, by God’s power and with the help of other ministries, is to change the world by bringing sweeping spiritual transformation to the Ivy League universities, thereby developing and mobilizing godly leadership for all sectors of society. It’s an ambitious vision, but it’s what God has called us to give our lives to. We have a deep passion to see Jesus Christ honored and exalted at the eight Ivy League universities (Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale). As you may know, these universities were established many years ago to bring praise and honor to Jesus Christ, but have drifted far from their moorings. For example, Yale was founded in 1701 by the colonists of Connecticut, and in 1726, Yale College laws, reflecting the students’ and university’s devotion to Jesus Christ, ordained that: “Every student shall consider the main end of his study to know God in Jesus Christ and answerably to lead a godly, sober life.”
You may ask, what can be done to bring these universities spiritually in-step with the rest of the country? The most important means to improve the spiritual dimension is to supply enough long-term, capable, godly campus Christian workers. The spiritual vibrancy of the campuses is most directly related to this reality. Yes, we also need effective strategies, and, of course, we need the Holy Spirit’s presence and power; however, the Spirit works through people, and without campus Christian workers leading the charge, there is little spiritual life. Take Cornell, for example. It has 20,000 students, served by 3,000 faculty and 7,000 staff. That makes a total of 30,000 university people who need to be presented with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and taught the Scriptures. If you were to count all the full-time Christian workers on campus, it would amount to less than five people. Even with the Herculean efforts of volunteers and the local churches, there is no way for the university to be significantly imChristian Union Founder and President, pacted.
The contrast with today could Matthew W. Bennett, Cornell ’88, ’89 Moreover, the few campus Chrishardly be more startling. The former tian workers present are usually not there long enough to beassistant dean of Religious Life at Princeton stated of all the faculty on campus that he ministered to, evangelical Protes- come excellent in what they do, nor are they able to establish tants were the most fearful of disclosing their religious be- an institutional memory for the ministry as they transition liefs to others out of fear of discrimination and ridicule. At out. Every few years, most ministries start from scratch all Dartmouth, the administration tried to ban the distribution of over again through the work of ambitious recent college the book Mere Christianity a few years ago until media at- graduates. After a few years, these dedicated workers usutention forced them to back down. In spite of all the rhetoric ally move and the cycle starts again. The workers move beon campus about the “free exchange of ideas,” there is in cause they see the position as a stepping stone toward other many quarters, an intense hostility to Jesus Christ. Reflect ministry positions, such as the pastorate. What we need are on the fact that on every Sunday, almost 50 percent of Amer- people who see university ministry as a calling in and of itself
January 2008
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CHRISTIAN UNION and not as a stepping stone to other ministries. An even bigger reason that people move on is that they get married and have children, and are no longer able to raise the needed support. Living close to campus in these university towns is expensive, and it is difficult to raise the money that’s needed. To provide enough godly, capable, long-term Christian workers and to meet other challenges, the Christian Union was formed in 2002 to trust God for dramatic change on these campuses. A unique aspect of the ministry is our commitment to both help other Christian ministries on campus through fund raising and other means as well as implementing our own direct ministry programs. Our passion is to see these campuses changed, whether or not it happens through one of our particular programs. We only direct our ministry programs to the Ivy League schools because they are among the most hostile to the Gospel, but also among the most infleuntial in our nation. Many of our country’s future leaders will graduate from these schools, and as the leaders go, so goes the country. Thousands of future leaders in business, media, law, government, journalism, medicine, ministry, academia, and the arts are currently enrolled at the Ivy League schools. And when they graduate, they will make an indelible mark on society. Ivy League alumni include the founder of Federal Express, the founder of Amazon.com, the CEO of eBay, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Martha Stewart, Warren Buffet, eight of the nine U.S. Supreme Court Justices, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, the head of the FBI, the head of the
CIA, the head of the SEC, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, the National Intelligence Director, Donald Rumsfeld, the head of the World Bank, Madeline Albright, Janet Reno, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman, former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and countless others. The names of those who serve in government are more recognizable than other names, but there is similar Ivy League representation in media, academia, journalism, medicine, and other fields. For the sake of the individual students, staff, and faculty on the campuses who need forgiveness and peace through Jesus Christ and for the sake of the future of our country because of the leadership these people will give, we must do whatever it takes to see these campuses transformed. I want to urge you to pray fervently for these campuses, to give generously to supply more campus Christian workers, and to use your influence in whatever capacity you have to make an impact. By God’s grace and by all of us working together, we can see significant spiritual transformation.
Yours sincerely in Christ, Matthew W. Bennett Founder and President of the Christian Union
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Page 50
The Ivy League Christian Observer
PRAYER REQUESTS BROWN
HARVARD
• Pray for the ten students involved in College Hill for Christ, who are starting their training and preparation for a mission trip to help restore lives of child victims of war-torn Uganda Pray that they bring the comfort and hope that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can offer..
• Be in prayer for Harvard-Radcliff Christian Fellowship as they meet each Friday evening for a time spent glorifying God together in prayer and worship.
• As Reformed University Fellowship continues to meet each Friday night for a time of fellowship, worship and teaching, pray that the participants will learn to love and live together as Christians and that relationships would strengthen and grow deeper.
• Pray for the members of the different Christian campus ministries, as they take time out from their busy schedules to meet with God, in a time of worship and prayer each weekday morning. Pray that they will be strengthened and prepared to face the day God has given them, no matter what challenges they are met with.
COLUMBIA
PENN
• Pray for the Christian students as they renew their vision to advance the Kingdom of God at Columbia. Pray that the whole campus will be transformed as Jesus Christ changes lives.
• Pray that students who participate in the Penn Campus Crusade for Christ large group meetings (“Cru”), will continue in their desire to share their faith with confidence with their friends.
• Pray that Christian students at Columbia would impact not only their campus, but New York City as well.
• Pray that Catholic students would find grace and peace at the college’s Newman Center.
• Pray that as a result of the Veritas Forum, the campus will have truly been exposed to Jesus Christ and many people will begin asking questions about Christianity.
• Pray for increased excitement about Athletes in Action, where students learn how faith in Jesus Christ can impact theirs lives in the midst of the challenges and demands of sports and college life.
CORNELL
PRINCETON
• Pray that the meeting space and reference room at Christian Union’s Mott House will continue to serve as a blessing for the cause of Christ.
• Be praying for the Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action in April, specifically that many will attend, that much will be learned and that God will be glorified.
• Pray for even greater unity among the ministries and Christian faculty at Cornell.
• Princeton Pro-Life joined the March for Life in Washington DC in January. Pray that their efforts continue to promote and foster a culture of life at Princeton, and their presence in DC will increase their effectiveness.
• Cornell’s Chosen Generation gospel concert in December brought out 750 people. Pray for each member of the choir as they strive to expose the Cornell community, through song to God, and inspire them to walk closer to Him.
• Pray for the lasting fruit from the Princeton Faith and Action week-long Ski Trip to Vermont this winter.
DARTMOUTH
YALE
• Fifteen new students became actively involved in Christian Impact at Dartmouth as a result of their fall outreach. Please pray that these students will continue to grow in their faith and love of God and serve Him with passion all the days of their lives.
• Keep the leadership of The International Church at Yale in prayer, as they continue to minister to about 40 students from different nations, through Bible teaching, worship and Friday evening dinners. Pray that the students attending would find meaningful fellowship and friendships.
• The Dartmouth Christian Graduate Students are soon to start a weekly discussion of ‘Mere Christianity’. Pray that this will promote much in-depth discussion and spiritual growth and students will challenge each other to live out what they believe.
• Pray for students’ hearts to be more of a match to their talk, for intellectual substance to their faith . Pray that they would love God with all their heart, mind and soul. Pray for clarification of calling for students.
January 2008
Page 51
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Ivy League Con gr ess on Faith an d Action Dates: Apr il 1 1 -1 3, 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Location: New Haven , CT Our mission and passion is to change the world for Christ through the mobilization of the Ivy League community. Next spring we will be hosting the 2008 Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action for Ivy League students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends. Our plenary speakers will be Dr. Ch ar les Gilm er, President of Impact Movement and Rich ar d E. Stear n s, President of World Vision U.S. During the day on Saturday there will be seminars on various vocations with experts in their fields who have changed the world for Christ within their particular discipline. Seminars include Business, Law, Government, Media, Ministry, Medicine, and Academia. The weekend will also provide opportunities for attendees to meet each other in order to form mentoring and collaborative relationships to help change the world for Christ. For info, visit www.Christian-Union.org/ILCFA.
Rich ar d E. Stear n s is president of World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization serving children and families in nearly 100 countries.