ISSUE 3 SPRING 2015
. VERACITY
VERACITY
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
This quarter has been a whirlwind to say the least. With Alice being on JR in NY, I’ve needed to take a lot of the reigns for this issue. It’s been a stretching experience, and as I look back on this year with Veracity, our first year of publication, I can’t say I’ve done my best. That’s not to say it hasn’t been incredibly rewarding, I’ve been amazed by the positive feedback, but I’ve let people down and I’ve had to make compromises I didn’t want to. These imperfections, among many, have been a large theme of my quarter. My journey has been reconciling the fact that I am an imperfect human being and that Jesus completely and willingly makes up for that with His death on the cross. In addition to learning more about how my faith and faults intersect, I’ve been blown away at the support and effort from the Veracity team. Alice and I have been blessed this year with staff and writers that believe in our mission to create dialogue about the Christian faith. As this year comes to a close, I hope and pray that Jesus has shown through this magazine most of all. I hope that amidst faulty page stapling, grammar mistakes, and a small spring budget, Veracity has allowed people to catch a glimpse of how wonderful grace really is. - Breanna Kazmierczak Editor-in-chief
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Alice Zhang & Breanna Kazmierczak JOURNEY EDITOR Ashley Gilmore LIFE & CULTURE EDITOR Christen Johson CAMPUS EDITOR David Lee CREATIVE DIRECTORS Anna Baran & Jillian Sellers PHOTO DIRECTOR Hannah Lin FINANCIAL DIRECTORS Jacob Jones & Karina Myrtil MARKETING DIRECTOR Jordan Villanueva SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR Diane Arthur WEB DIRECTORS Noah Conley & Pheobe Kim DESIGN TEAM Chelsea Sherlock, Ethan Albrecht, Marcus Stemple PHOTO TEAM Austin McCredie WRITERS Bethany Mueller, Lydia Fern, Zach Zaruba, Denise Zou WANT TO GUEST WRITE OR GET INVOLVED? EMAIL NUVERACITY@GMAIL.COM icons on front cover design provided in part by FreePik
CONTENTS // SPRING 2015 04 - discerning GOD’S VOICE 05 - a look at BIBLE TRANSLATIONS 06 - stewarding your TIME 07 - SELFISHNESS IS __________. 08 - is SEMINARY right for you? 11 - PHILANTHROPY 13 - a response to ISIS 14 - “HANDCRAFTED GIFT” 15 - christianity in the WORKPLACE 16 - chicago urban program (CUP) 17 - the MARRIAGE CLASSROOM 18 - christianity and RUSSIAN LIT 19 - Q&A with freshmen and seniors 21 - ministry on THE EL
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MISSION STATEMENT Veracity Magazine strives to be a relevant publication that represents the college generation of Christian viewpoints, challenging them to retheink faith in life and culture, build campus-wide community, and serve as a resource for those seeking to learn more about the Christian faith. Above all, we recognize that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the foremost motivation foundation for all dialogue.
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DISCERNING
GOD’S VOICE BY Zach ZARUBA
Building a relationship: How to know when God is speaking to you and what He really wants for you and your life. If we could hear God as easily as some people of the Old Testament did, there probably wouldn’t be any need to write this article. But unfortunately none of us have seen a bush on campus burst into flames and begin talking to us as we walk by. Why isn’t God such a clear speaker, especially when we’re looking for answers to our prayers? The first step seems like it should go without saying, but it can probably be easily overlooked-listen! This is something we often fail to do. It is common to pray to God asking for things. The problem is we just expect our prayers to be answered and are frustrated when they are not. We might try to seek answers elsewhere or even take things into our own hands. If that’s the case, we are clearly relying on something other than God, making void our
original act of praying. As college students we are busy and certainly don’t have the time to do all we want, but if we ask things of our God who loves us and desires to hear our prayers, we should take the time to listen for His reply. Even if we pay attention, hearing is still difficult. There’s no sudden telepathic voice in our heads. Rather, God has an affinity for speaking to us in other ways-through Bible verses, the wisdom of other Christians, and opportunities He places in our lives. The latter is somethingI definitely attribute to Him. Sometimes after I pray for something to happen, even the very next day it seems that I encounter situations that are clearly a response to what I asked. It is one of those things you can’t seem to explain aside from God’s intercession.
In addition to seeking God’s response through the ways noted above, James 1:5-8 and Matthew 21:21-22 say that we need to believe that He will answer us. With God, there is no “catch”, there is no going back on His word that He will answer us. If this is something we don’t believe in the first place, what’s the point of praying? With all this in mind, the bottom line is having a relationship with God. Not everyone will have the same relationship; some feel closer to Him by worshipping, others know Him more easily when experiencing Him in nature. More find Him through quiet reflection and meditation. It’s important to figure out how you interact with God best to be able to hear Him in your life.
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A LOOK AT
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS
BY Jordan Villanueva
KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) PARAPHRASE
LITERAL
COMPARE: 1 Timothy 1:5-7
closeness to original text
James I commissioned this in the early 17th century and it has endured since. The first translation of the Bible in English, it still remains one of the best-selling versions. Some see it as the only way the Bible should be read in English, but there is growing sentiment that its language makes it seem irrelevant to modern Christians.
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV) PARAPHRASE
LITERAL closeness to original text
This 20th century update took the classic translation and stripped it of outdated language while still preserving the elegance of the original. Many young people enjoy this version for its lack of “Thee” and “Thou,” while still containing the voice of the original version.
“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) PARAPHRASE
LITERAL closeness to original text
The NIV is somewhere between a translation and a paraphrase—those working in its production took care to find a balance between translating individual words and roughly abridging full phrases. The result is a modern English version that is simple to read, yet doesn’t necessarily carry the same weight as the KJV or NKJV.
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.”
THE MESSAGE (MSG) PARAPHRASE
LITERAL closeness to original text
When prudence and caution are discarded in translating, the result is a paraphrase. Many young people find The Message the easiest to read, and with good reason. Phrases were translated and adapted to late 20th century speech patterns, rather than dissected word by word. Meanings are all the same, and passages are simple and concise.
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“The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into culde-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven’t the remotest idea of what they’re holding forth with such imposing eloquence.”
JOURNEY
MAKING USE OF YOUR TIME
How to spend what’s left of your college experience BY Lydia Fern
western as kairos, rather than just chronos, I think we will find so much more ’m on a quest. A quest for that magisatisfaction and joy than when we just cal and elusive time management frantically fill our hours with scheduled formula to ensure the perfect college activity. experience – spend enough hours As Christians, what makes our time on schoolwork to get A’s, maintain at Northwestern kairos time? Investing friendships, have a social life and get a in our peers— students who are decidhealthy amount of sleep. I obsess over ing what they believe about life, purpose it, scheduling my weeks, days and hours and God, and who may end up being to make sure I am getting the most out some of the most influential people in of my time. the world. Think about it, But what if I stepped when else will we be liv“(God) wants to back, and looked at my ing, working, and playing time from a different completely change the with over 2,000 college stuperspective? trajectory of students’ dents? I believe that when There are two Greek God looks at our campus, words for time: chrolives.” at the people who spend nos and kairos. Chrofour incredibly important nos is how we normally think of time, years here, and the lives of those who signifying a time lapse. Chronos is the don’t know who Jesus is, He wants to fifty minutes I spend in lecture, the hour completely change the trajectory of stuI have in between classes to grab lunch, dents’ lives. the 22 minutes and 35 seconds of my faThis means being bold with others vorite show on Netflix. Chronos is sim- and intentional with our time at school. ply and literally, time passing. It means surrounding ourselves with Kairos, is not just the passing of sec- people–living in residence halls, joining onds but something much more mean- clubs, and reaching out to peers in our ingful. Kairos means the opportune mo- classes, rather than just letting our four ment. Whether that’s five minutes or five years pass as we think about ourselves years, kairos is referring to the value and and our schedules. This means meeting possible significance of a period of students who are different from us and time. When we start think- investing in those relationships, instead ing about our time of staying in our comfortable friendat North- group bubbles. This means looking at the big picture of our time at college – a unique four years where we can mature in our faith and share that with others.
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JOURNEY
WHY SELFISHNESS IS _______________. BY ANNA BARAN
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elfishness is not foreign to us—we see it in people around us, public figures in the news, and in ourselves. One could argue that there is an undeniable appeal to looking out for your own success and pleasure, so why does the Bible tell us to abandon selfishness?
…NATURAL
When God designed the world, he formed it with no selfishness: initially, Adam and Eve were not governed by the desire to increase their comfort, pleasure and success. In Eden, they were free to love, obey, and praise their Creator. After the fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), all human nature was marred by sin and selfishness. Throughout history, it has been natural for humans to seek their own good above that of anyone else—“survival of the fittest.” But God does not leave us to our “natural” sinful tendencies. He tells us to leave this nature behind and to take on a new nature, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne Review By Bethany Mueller
…NOT THE WAY TO ENSURE YOUR WELL-BEING
Actions driven by selfishness may seem like a way to ensure success, pleasure, and well-being. One might think selfishness could result in more money, security, happiness, comfort, and that these are all in our absolute best interest. Truthfully, the pleasures of this world are nothing in comparison to what God has in mind for your best interests. In his sermon, “The Weight of Glory,” C.S. Lewis, a 20th century atheist-turned-theologian, said, “Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink, sex, and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us... We are far too easily pleased.” Selfish choices seem like a way to guarantee security, but selfishness is actually limiting your potential and well-being. God has assured us there is an infinitely better way to be secure.
…NOT WITHOUT A CURE
In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (NLT). God has ensured the full well-being of your soul with a sacrifice of love and grace. This was by sending his only Son, Jesus, dying on the cross to secure our salvation and eternal joy in heaven (Romans 3:22-25). In doing so, he has liberated you from the restraints of selfishness and self-sufficiency, freeing you to instead live as a follower of Christ. Let’s remind each other what God has done and how he is seeking our good for his glory, and let’s encourage each other to believe that we are free indeed.
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hronicling the start of his grassroots movement, his time with Mother Theresa in Calcutta and his controversial move to Iraq to protest American involvement in the violence, Claiborne’s Irresistible Revolution asks us to transform the way we think about the distribution of material goods in this world. Before we can start start curing the systemic social ills that build such injustices into human lives, Claiborne says we need to ease the suffering inflicted by poverty and want. He invites us to do more than just write a check, but spend our lives following the instruction in James 2 and providing for people’s physical needs as a way of caring for their souls.
WHY I AM NOT GOING TO SEMINARY (and why maybe you should) BY Erin Donohoe
“W
hat are you doing after graduation?” During this past winter quarter, my answer to this question changed every day. I could no longer imagine myself teaching—but then again, as a senior about to graduate, what choice did I have? It was then that another option—one I had never seriously considered—popped into my head: seminary. But I hardly knew anything about it. I then did what any other Northwestern Christian would do: I prayed. And did a ton of research. Mitchell Cruit was one of the first people to whom I reached out. Cruit, 25, is in his third year of pursuing a Masters of Divinity degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). Cruit said a few key factors influenced him to
pursue a seminary degree. One factor was something Cruit calls “the three-pronged key”—one’s personal desire, unique gifting for ministry, and Church’s affirmation of that calling. According to him, these three criteria are essential to consider before making a decision to pursue seminary. Cruit also mentioned the reasons that someone might pursue a seminary degree matter. “[One] good reason would be if you want to serve the Lord in full time ministry and you’re realizing [you] don’t have the tools to do it. ...Another good reason would be if you don’t feel particularly called to ministry, but you want to be a lay leader in the church and want to lead and minister well within that context,” Cruit said.
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JOURNEY
TYPES OF SEMINARIES CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE
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“The broadest spectrum of different kinds of seminaries...are focused on critical scholarship of Christianity. You study the New Testament and the Old Testament, but it’s not through a lens of faith. Your professors aren’t going to be Christians, most likely. ”
EVANGELICAL PERSPECTIVE “And then there’s the more evangelical spectrum of what most students who are wanting to go into ministry are going to want to be a part of. And within those, all of those profs are going to be looking at these questions through a lens of faith.”
THEOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHY
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EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
SPECIFIC DENOMINATION
ACADEMIC FOCUS
“They’re going to be focused on passing along their particular theological traditiont…The field of conversation is going to be narrower the deeper you get into one tradition.”
“It’s a place to train for ministry, but it’s also graduate school and [they] want you to be prepared to engage in the world of ideas.”
BROAD EVANGELICAL
PRACTICAL FOCUS
“Those schools are going to [expose] you to a broader array of theological ideas so that as you encounter them, you can figure out these [theological] questions, like ...Should I only baptize people who believe in the Lord or not? And why?’”
“They’re ...going to be more focused on, what does it look like to do small groups?...It’s going to be more [about]…the things [they] can give you right now that benefit your ministry.”
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JOURNEY
But are there bad reasons to go to seminary? Absolutely. The first thing Cruit mentioned was money--seminarians don’t make a lot of it. “Another [bad reason] would be to think that somehow seminary will make you a better Christian… Maturity comes through walking with Christ faithfully, not through knowledge.” It’s also true that good intentions don’t always seal the deal. Many college students across the country now graduate with thousands of dollars in student loan debt, and seminary isn’t free. Cruit heavily advised getting a job instead if this is the case. But even if I did decide to apply—where would I start? Cruit described for me the basic differences between the types of seminaries. Contrary to what many Christians believe, seminary is not just for those who want to become pastors. According to their website, TEDS offers 16 different Masters programs, including Mental Health Counseling, and Educational Ministries; on the other hand, Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago lists eight Masters programs on their website, such as Spiritual Formation and Discipleship. One thing is certain: seminarians, no matter what they study, are busy. Balancing school, studying, work, ministry, and a social life takes a lot of discipline. As a Northwestern student who tends to take on more than she can handle, there was no doubt in my mind that, if I decided to pursue it, seminary would be an incredible challenge. Cruit has been learning many valuable lessons while attending Trinity. “I feel like I can rightly handle the Word of God….I know as I’m reading it and as I’m hearing people teach
and preach whether or not what they’re saying is really what the Lord intended to say through His Word. And that’s—huge!” Correctly interpreting the Bible affected Cruit’s convictions about many contemporary issues. “I am no longer content to just be a part of a middle-class suburban church that’s not concerned about the issues of justice...I think if you’ve decided to go [to seminary], you want to think really critically about what places you want to shape who you’ll become. Not just ‘Where [do] I want to learn and what theology do I agree with?’ but, ‘Do I want to be in this place that will change who I am and the way I think about the world?’ Because that’s gonna happen,” he said. Clearly, seminary was not a decision I could enter into lightly. So, you may ask, what did I decide? I spent time praying over my motives, my gifts, consulting those in my church, my current circumstances. And in the end, I knew that the answer to the seminary question was obvious. No. At least, not right now. God had made it apparent that He was calling me elsewhere. But He had also showed me that I was not a teacher. Which leaves me, conveniently, back at the beginning: “What are you doing after graduation?” I don’t know yet. But I have a thousand opportunities before me. And as scary as that is, it’s also liberating. God will lead me where He wants me to go— and wherever that is, I will have no regrets.
“A Bad reason to go to seminary would be to think it will make you a better christian...maturity comes through walking with christ faithfully, not through knowledge.”
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L I F E & C U LT U R E
Volunteer with these 5 Evanston non-profits
VERACITY // SPRING 2015
L I F E & C U LT U R E
“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” - Isaiah 58:10
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esus is very clear throughout the New Testament that we are to serve others. He grieves over the widows and orphans, and instructs His followers to give of their time and money to care for them. He also identifies with the poor, emphasizing the importance of being a servant and being the least of all. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus chastises his disciples for not providing for His needs. He replies to them that they failed to care for Him when they did not meet the needs of others. saying the King will tell them “‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” The Lord is also clear that this is not to be a means of salvation. Works still are not the point. This needs to come out of love for God and caring for His people. However, caring for others is hard. Students do not always have the ability to meet the financial needs of others, and in terms of volunteering our time and services, it is not always clear where to start or what organization to volunteer with. The following are organizations many students volunteer with. They are great starting points for living out Jesus’ vision for caring for the harassed and helpless.
Project Soar
What it is: A one-on-one mentoring program in Evanston whose goal is to create lasting relationships between at-risk youth and adults. Mentors meet up with their mentees weekly to do activities together, like playing sports or going camping. Mentors need to be able to commit for a minimum of one year. How you can get involved: Volunteer to be a mentor. What it is: An organization that connects younger adults with isolated senior citizens in the Evanston community--common activities include taking walks, having conversations, even working on memoirs together. Volunteers are expected to meet with their senior citizen for at least one hour a week for a year (or a school year, in the case of college students). How you can get involved: Volunteer to meet with a senior citizen weekly. Other opportunities to vol-
unteer include cleaning up the office, driving senior citizens around, preparing mailings, or helping with computer skills. What it is: If you love all creatures great and small, this one’s for you. This non-profit helps animals find new, safe, and healthy homes, provides animal education to the community, and aims to reduce pet overpopulation. How you can get involved: Volunteer to foster an animal (as long as your apartment complex allows it), assist at outreach events in the community, or work the Pet Food Corner at the Irving Park Community Food Pantry in Chicago. What it is: This program provides Chicago’s homeless population with rehousing services, permanent supportive housing, prevention programs, and supportive services including health, education, and employment. How you can get involved: Volunteer positions include answering phones, working with clients, teaching classes, purchasing food, planning events, and much more. You can apply to volunteer on a weekly basis or freely attend one of the Service Days (Mondays and the second Saturdays of the month).
This organization con-
nects students with Habitat for Humanity housing projects, coordinating groups to work on build sites during the weekends. GreekBuild specifically encourages students involved in Greek life to come build. The organizations also plan and implement fundraisers to cover the costs of builds. How you can get involved: Sign up through their website or join the listserv to learn about upcoming builds. Northwestern Community Development Corps (NCDC) is a student group that is also a great resource
SPRING 2015 // VERACITY
A RESPONSE TO ISIS By Austin Mccredie
U
nless you’ve been woefully unaware of world news in the past year, or just woke up from a multi-year coma, you’ve probably heard of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria terrorist group, or better known as ISIS. The rise of ISIS, an extremist Islamist group operating out of Iraq and Syria, is arguably one of the most notable changes in the modern era. However, while it is easy to read news articles and develop a justifiable anger against their atrocities, how does ISIS affect us as Northwestern students, and how should we even react? In June and July of last summer, ISIS captured major cities in Iraq and Syria, such as Mosul and Tikrit. They declared an Islamic caliphate, or an Islamic religious state, claiming to be the true heirs of the previous
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caliphates. While there is a lot more to say about the how and the what, it is far too complex to adequately articulate here. The declaration of the caliphate, though, is the focal point. By declaring this new religious state, the terrorist group is claiming to be the ultimate religious authority for all Muslims, and the successor to the prophet Muhammad. ISIS has a radical and violent theology, as well as military power to back it up. Muslims from all over the world are flocking to the Middle East to help fight for ISIS; some from America, but mostly from Europe and Australia. With that said, the religiously-motivated agitator pose a threat to anyone, whether it be a Muslim, Christian, Jew or an atheist. As Americans and college
VERACITY // spring 2015
students, it is hard to see how dle East to fight against ISIS, I ISIS is relevant to our daily do suggest a relatively simple lives since they are not directly response: be informed. All huentwined into our nation. We mans are citizens in the globdon’t have to worry about a lot al world. Here on “Planetship of things, some being whether Earth,” no matter our race, or not the Iraqi Army will come religion, ethnicity, or any othto liberate our town, or if we er marker, we are all “made in will be forced to flee our homes God’s image,” (Gen. 1:27) and and wait for rescue atop of a He knows our suffering. mountain. As to what ...while it is easy to read news we should do articles and develop a justithough, well, that is a little tricky. fiable anger...how should we The complex and react?” painful history of the region, particularly within recent history, makes it difficult God cares about the pain for Western governments to of those who are under ISIS, simply march in with their guns Christian or not, and the least ablazing. we can do is care about their afWhile I don’t recommend flictions as well. joining a militia in the Mid-
HANDCRAFTED GIFT BY Joseph Jones I was blinded and I misunderstood. How could I not see that you are a creation of beauty and good? That The Creator hand-crafted you, Crafted you into something so much greater than I ever knew. With thoughts that are guided by wisdom, With eyes that burn with a passion for God, With lips that taste of milk and honey, With a voice that echoes through the air with pure goodness, With hair that is tousled with beauty, With a heart that’s filled with the love of Christ, With a soul that is faithful and true, With arms that extend with mercy, With hands that shake with anger and wrath, With fingers that flow with amazing grace, With feet that steadily walk with patience. When I look at you now, all I see is Him. My eyes are filled with light, and are no longer dim. You scream Godly woman. One who is surrendered and obedient. One who is constantly seeking The King. One whose identity is in God, and not in any earthly being or thing. I don’t deserve such a beautiful blessing, I don’t deserve such an amazing gift. But with this wonderful opportunity, I promise I will never go adrift.
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JOURNEY
BY chelsea SHERLOCK
TIME TO MOVE FORWARD What it’s like to be a Christian in the work world Soon after this is published, an estimate 2.8 million undergraduate students will graduate and enter the workforce. Along with the struggles of paying bills, adjusting to new jobs and settling into their living situation, Christian graduates will most likely also be looking for a new community. Graduates (and students with jobs and internships) face a new area of ministry - the workplace. Ministry is difficult. There are many reasons why people are held back from sharing the gospel with others. Workplace ministry can add some additional challenges. There are office dynamics to account for, time constraints (people actually need to do work) and the struggle of adjusting to a new environment. But these are also people who you are guaranteed to spend time with each day. Be rooted in Christ It is not human effort that can change someone’s heart, and trying to do ministry without relying on the Holy Spirit can easily lead to getting burned out and frustrated. Why? Because it is not how God envisions His children doing ministry. In Galatians, Paul continually reminds the church that salvation is through Christ and to not fall into the trap of trying to do works in our own power. Build genuine relationships “I think one of the biggest things is being relationship focused,” said Aaron Frank, who graduated last year and now works as an analyst at Accenture. “It’s important to have good relationships with coworkers in order to minister to them better
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and meet them where they’re at.” An important step that needs to be made is to try to authentically build a friendship with co-workers. It is easier to talk about your relationship with Christ with someone and put effort into caring for them when you know them well and have established mutual respect. “The pace of relationship building slows down a ton after college, so it can often feel like you’re not
IT IS NOT HUMAN EFFORT THAT CAN CHANGE SOMEONE’S HEART, AND TRYING TO DO MINISTRY WITHOUT RELYING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN EASILY LEAD TO GETTING BURNED OUT AND FRUSTRATED getting anywhere. But relationships take time and extra intentionality after college because people don’t live near one another or have very different lives,” Frank said. Frank offered some more advice on how to build those friendships. Eating lunch or spending time together away from the office can lead to enlightening conversations. Pray. Spend time praying for specific coworkers, asking God to work in their lives and yours. Ask for specific and big things. You can not know
exactly what God is going to do, but you do know that God commands us to pray on behalf of others. Ask questions Get to know people and what they believe. Take an interest in their life. A great question to ask in conversations is “How did you arrive at that belief?” Glorify God in your work. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” Colossians 3:23. Building relationships with coworkers gets even harder when a person is known as the office slacker or is not willing to contribute to the team and help others. It is hard, and cannot be done without the Spirit, but one of the best ways to represent God at work is by holding yourself to His standard and being above reproach in your work. “I think the main thing I focus on at work is just doing excellent work. God is glorified even in our most menial of tasks, which is comforting and encouraging even when you’re not in a dream job or what you’re doing seems kind of pointless or meaningless,” Olivia Beaty, Bienen’13, said. Beaty works at Uncle Dan’s as a key holder/sales shift manager. “I also try to cultivate thankfulness for the job that I do have and the opportunities it affords. I’ve found it can be a big witness to, as much as possible, not participate in gossip or word-bashing about coworkers. It’s actually really hard to do and I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it, but it can really set you apart.”
CAMPUS
Chicago Urban Program BY Jacob Jones
D
oes being biracial mean that I belong to two cultures, or none? How can God use people whose culture doesn’t seem to match anyone else? Are racial differences something to be overcome or celebrated? How can I help those in need without acting like their savior? Why are corn tortillas so much better than flour tortillas? These are all questions I’ve thought about since coming to college. This past spring break, I got a chance to address them. I went with InterVarsity to the Chicago Urban Program, in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. Around 100 students from a variety of schools from Illinois and Indiana got together to learn and serve. I went hoping to serve a community and spend a week with old friends while getting to know new ones. By the end, the program showed its real purpose, changing my perspective on both the community and my own identity. CUP is first and foremost about racial identity and justice and how they are tied into the kingdom of God. There were breakout groups for each race, times to examine the benefits and issues of our identity, and plenty of amazing food from cultures, from sesame chicken and fried rice, to fried chicken and collard greens. Emotions filled the week, and there was often laughter, crying, anger, or some combination of the three. As a biracial student who looks en-
tirely white, it was probably the first time I’ve ever actually sat in a room of other biracial people and talked about both our shared experiences, and the experiences that are unique to each person. Having that time to discuss identity so candidly with people who understood where I was coming from was extremely freeing, as it’s not always a common thing for people to do. We also got to hear stories from people who have been trying to understand racial concepts for longer than I have been alive. We listened to stories of living in areas we want to avoid, structured around Jeremiah 29:4-14 when God told the Israelites to settle in at Babylon instead of waiting to be delivered. We heard the life story of a black woman who lived through the Civil Rights era in the deep South, causing her to harbor a deep mistrust and even a hatred of white people until God helped her to heal those wounds. We listened to the struggles of people who were taught to despise their own identity, wishing they could look like someone else to escape the prejudices they face, along with people who were taught to hate those of other identities. All of these accounts allowed us to begin to understand the vast scope of God’s kingdom, and how it is truly here for everyone. Another major aspect of the program was service. For three days, we all split up and served in numerous different or-
ganizations doing whatever they could use help with. I was sent to a church and community center to help with an afterschool program for kids that ranged from preschool to middle school. We got to see how the church allowed these kids to escape whatever situation they had at home or school, and just enjoy life. Whether they had a bad day or a great day at school, they came to the center ready to have fun, and get homework done. In the end, we realized that our service wasn’t us saving the community, but the community showing us God’s love. By the end of the week, I was tired, but didn’t want to go. God not only showed me that He uses culture and communities to reflect the different characteristics of himself, but most of all, that God is not colorblind. If we were all truly sculpted in God’s image, then differences in race are something to be celebrated, not ignored. I can’t say that I found out the answers to all of my questions. I’m still a pasty biracial guy who can’t figure out his culture. I still don’t know exactly how being biracial can help bridge gaps between other cultures. I definitely don’t understand why exactly flour tortillas are so much worse than corn tortillas. But what I can say is that I know that God celebrates our heritage, and so should we as the body of Christ.
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The Marriage Classroom BY Amy Vergara
I
t’s the first day of class, and my professor says, “If you’re not prepared to be made uncomfortable, I suggest you get out now.” From the teetering chuckles and rumbling murmurs around the room, I know I’m not the only one having a mini panic attack. What have I gotten myself into? Welcome to Marriage 101, a Northwestern HDPS class offered every spring. A popular favorite for the past 15 years of its existence, it’s gone through a few iterations since it began. The hundred-person class now only takes upperclassmen, and students don’t take the course with a partner anymore. But listed topics are largely the same: developing emotional strength, navigating sex and intimacy, managing conflict, and understanding what “good love” is. When I had a free spot in my senior spring schedule, I excitedly signed up. Marriage is an undeniably a fascinating subject, and this course had made me delve deeper into understanding why. It’s both a private household arrangement and a public label. It brings up blissful thoughts of weddings for some and the pain of divorce for others. Though it has declined in recent years, it has also expanded with non-traditional pairings entering the public sphere. Yet I think the central appeal of marriage is this: it unapologetically addresses deep human desires for unconditional love and forever commitment. It’s familiar and mysterious, risky and stable, frightening and exciting. It’s both cynically rejected and hopefully yearned for, and taps into our indefinable need for something more than what just we ourselves can provide. The ideals of marriage – sacrifice, humility, love – transcend tangible comprehension and control. In other words, it gives us a taste of something spiritual. As a Christian, I already knew this to
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some extent. After all, God has a lot to say on marriage. The Bible talks about man and woman becoming one flesh (Mk 10:8), the importance of non-marital abstinence (Heb. 13:4), and the image of Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as His bride (Eph. 5:25). I’ve known marriage as a sacred covenant, a fulfillment of man’s basic desire for community, and a reflection of how God sacrificially loves us. Coming into this class, I wondered how a secular course would address my sanctified view of marriage. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised and affirmed by how it has. Spiritual ideals are scattered in our lectures, woven throughout our readings, and apparent in our discussion sections, even if my classmates don’t directly state or realize it. One lecture described “consummate love” in a way that embodies God’s love for us. A reading called sex as a complicated concept that “borders on the mystical” (Perel, 2006, p. 124). Our stories of past hurts and current joys reveal
“the real fascination is this: marriage unapologetically addresses deep human desires for unconditional love and forever commitment.” our inherent desire for connection. In an interview with Dr. Alexandra Solomon, the course coordinator, I was able to hear her personal opinion on the topic. Smart, confident, and speaking with her usual bright-eyed cheer, Dr. Solomon readily acknowledges the highly spiritual nature of marital commitment. A Jewish convert since marrying her husband, she has been on a self-described “spiritual journey” the
last few years and has increasingly viewed marriage as nothing other than a “spiritual crucible.” “The Golden Rule is like the heart of marriage, treating someone the way you would want to be treated,” she says. “You are asked day in and day out to treat somebody with patience and kindness and without judgment...and you get to practice that every single day.” Beyond an idealization of love and commitment, Dr. Solomon recognizes marriage as a difficult process of self-discovery and refinement, and a chance to grow individually and help one’s partner do the same. Relating to Christian ideology, marriage is an opportunity for two sinful people to join together and push each other closer to God. “Every day I get to learn more about me in my marriage,” Dr. Solomon continues. “[My husband] reflects lots of me back to me, and I get lots of chances to learn and expand myself. It’s a really precious classroom for me.” What a classroom that must be – a place where two people continually experience deep personal growth, and then come together to make a powerful, dynamic team. Despite its inevitable challenges, research shows that the majority of the population one day hopes to enter that space. I know I do. For now though, being a student in Marriage 101 has been quite sufficient. There are times the curriculum has bumped up against my faith, and there are times I have felt uncomfortable (as promised). But I’ve learned more than I ever could have hoped for, not only about myself and relationships, but also about the true spirituality of marriage. That it is an institution intended to honor the God who designed it and boldly reflect His glory.
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the
Grand
inquisitor
Jesus’ temptation revisited
BY ashley Gilmore
S
lavic 210, also known as Russian Lit, is among the most highly praised classes at Northwestern. It has a CTEC course rating of 5+ and raving comments. Through novels such as The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Professor Gary Morson teaches students how to understand human psychology, think of authors as philosophers, and develop the skill of empathy in fiction. It can also be good reminder of Biblical truths of the novels discuss faith frequently. The topic of Christianity is prevalent through the reading of The Brothers Karamazov as two of the novel’s three brothers, Ivan--the scholar--and Aloysha--the monk, extensively discuss faith and religion in the form of mockery, paradoxes and role reversals, and the retelling of Biblical stories. The most prominent retelling occurs in the chapter, The Grand Inquisitor. Here Ivan, the scholar, retells Matthew 4, where Jesus is tempted by the devil three times to prove he is the son of God through different miracles. Ivan tells this story through the viewpoint of a jail inquisitor who has arrested Jesus for performing miracles on the Sabbath. The inquisitor disagrees with Jesus’ choice to not prove the devil wrong. Through his
image by John Leach, edited by Marcus Stemple
interpretation, the devil was offering Jesus different grandiose ways to be the messiah of the people—a miracle worker, a healer, and a political leader—instead of being a simple man. Disgusted with his choice, the
God is more of a savior as a
simple man than a
majestic political leader. inquisitor criticizes Jesus, saying as a social authority figure he himself is a better savior than Jesus. While Ivan’s interpretation dwells on the glory of heavenly power, traditional Christian interpretation resides on the lack thereof. Basic interpretations use Matthew
4 as an example of Jesus’s ordinariness. Jesus chose to be a simple man to teach the message of God and to die on the cross so the sins of mankind could be forgiven. This is an illustration helping Jesus, even though a supernatural being, be relatable to the common man and his struggle with various temptations. As seen in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” God is more of a savior as a simple man than a majestic political leader. He doesn’t need grandiose to work in our lives and the lives of people around us. But sometimes we forget that and when we don’t see tangible or immediate results to our prayers we can look to other things, people, even ourselves for guidance—just as the inquisitor put himself on a pedestal because he didn’t see the reason Jesus’s actions. The Great Inquisitor passage is not only a reminder that the creator of the universe is attainable and reachable because of what his “ordinary” son did on the cross, but it is a call to trust in God’s way of doing things and not the way we think things should run.
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Looking Back By Anna Baran and Zachary Zaruba
Northwestern freshman reflect on how their expectations of college compared to realities this year, while seniors share their experiences throughout college and how faith has played a part in the advice they would give to the incoming class. Lydia Van Zalen, Senior What has been your biggest challenge? What did you learn from it/how has it changed you? I would say living side by side with friends who struggle with mental illnesses and being an active part in their life. And working through some of what was going on with them. I think I learned a much greater dependency on God, as well as the importance of prayer, the depth of the brokenness of the world, and how God can redeem the darkest situations.
Would you say that people on campus are willing to talk and think about questions of faith, Christianity, and philosophical ideas? I think people are willing to engage you about their own lives and their own philosophical questions and in that, they might ask what your personal thoughts are. I guess people like to expound on their own thoughts and questions and like to be asked about it but don’t like being told what is right.
What do you wish you had done differently? I wish I had not closed myself off to only people who were similar to me and taken the time to get involved in other organizations and explored more of what other things I care about. I wish I had realized how little I knew, so that I could’ve more quickly sought to gain knowledge and wisdom from people around me. Part of that being, you can learn a lot from people who are different than you, plus those can be some of the most beautiful friendships.
something that’s respected. And I think that should be the avenue in which to engage each other about what we think. I think practically, though, religion is in general seen as irrelevant and backwards in a lot of ways, and misunderstood. I’ve rarely met somebody who is not a Christian who seemed to have a good grasp of what Christianity was, or what it was supposed to be about. Hopefully that’s why more dialogue or continuing dialogue will be helpful for those things, so that people could be understood and communicate what they actually believe, and why they believe it, and how it affects them.
What is something you think is important for freshmen to know? I think like when like fall quarter comes around and I meet freshmen as they’re getting connected, or as they’re getting adjusted to Northwestern, a lot of times I really just wish they would know there are people that are here that would care about them. Especially because I felt super lonely when I first got here, and I’ve been able to find people that really do care about me. And I think it doesn’t come from just Christians. I just hope freshmen would know that there are people that care about them that are here, and to be patient and seek that out.
T.J. Dohm, Senior What are you most proud of from your time at Northwestern, and what helped you achieve or accomplish that? I think I’m just most proud of the relationships I’ve made. As I think about the friends that I knew when I was an underclassman, I was just so influenced by them. What role do you think religion plays in the college environment? Or what role do you think it should play? I think our campus, in general, appreciates religion as like a cultural, personal experience. I think that’s
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Looking Forward Elijah Park, Freshman Is your freshmen year what you expected or not? How is it different? No. I thought it’d be easier…which is, retrospectively, a stupid assumption to make. I think that was because most of my life I had been told I was pretty smart. I never expected to join a Christian group. I came in not really wanting to pursue my faith further. I also didn’t expect to have a bunch of friends who were older than me. I guess I expected that everything would work out—that I would just meet people and hit it off—but I think it was more of a struggle for me. I came into college and realized I was not as good at making friends as I thought I was, so that was a shock. In other ways, my expectations were met. I never thought living by myself was going to be hard. Wasn’t worried about managing my own schedule either.
You mentioned you didn’t expect to have a lot of older friends. Can you elaborate on that experience? I think having older friends are great. An advantage I have over freshmen that don’t have smart, wise, experienced older friends is that it has helped me be a better person. It helps me learn faster than I otherwise would because I have this information to glean from others. What has been your biggest challenge? What did you learn from it/how has it changed you? Academics have been my biggest challenge. I think I came into college worrying about a lot of other things—my social life, getting involved—so academics wasn’t the most important. I didn’t do super well
fall quarter, did better winter quarter – I think I am learning and improving, but it’s not an immediate change. What role do you think religion plays in the college environment? It depends on the person and how important it is to them individually. To me it plays a huge part because it’s not just a part of my college experience; it’s a part of my life. It doesn’t end in college, but college is a crucial time to foster my faith. I think of college as something not a place where I fit my faith into; but college is something that will help me grow my faith. Faith is not just a part to the whole of college; it’s more so that college is a part in the whole of faith.
I just hope freshmen would know that there are people that care about them that are here and to be patient and seek that out Jordan Shochatovitz, Freshman What has been your biggest challenge so far, and did you expect it or not? I guess meeting new people. It’s harder than I expected. But for it to be the first year I thought it would be like you just kind of meet people in classes, but I don’t know. I guess that’s the least likely place for you to meet potential friends. Is there a way you think your interactions with others could improve in the coming years?
page background by flickr user Jacob Gube
I think I could be more open about my character instead of taking a long time to kind of open up about who I am. Do you think topics like faith or philosophy should be open for discussion? Yeah, I think they should. And also I don’t think people should be offended when you say something that could be considered controversial on a topic like philosophy or faith. As long as you say it respectfully and just back up your point as
objectively as possible. What role do you think religion plays in the college environment? Do you think it should be just more of a statement, like a description of people? Or something that they actively live out and that affects their lives in college? I think people should practice their religion if they found joy in the past I guess. But like, you shouldn’t do something you just don’t want to do.
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EL
Ministry on the BY Austin Carr
E
very Northwestern student rides the El. Either you’ve ridden it, you’re about to ride it or bless your heart, you’re literally riding it right now as you read this article. Riding the El is sort of an unofficial prerequisite to graduating from this school, not to mention a surefire opportunity to share your faith, be entertained, be scrupulously examined, or all three at once. When I reflect on all of my El rides, I can recall experiences ranging the whole gamut, from jubilant conversations with an inquisitive stranger to being uncomfortably wedged between some type of strong odorous urine smell and blood alcohol levels higher than my gpa… Ok, that’s an exaggeration. The point is, many are the unique
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and (potentially) day-brightening opportunities when riding along on the CTA, or any public transit for that matter. Earlier this quarter, as I rode for the umpteenth time to my internship downtown on the purple line express, the thought occurred to me: how do I glorify God while riding the El? I’ve thought quite a bit about this. I don’t have all the answers. And some might not think twice about such a seemingly trifling matter. However if you’re a Christian, you know that we’re called “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). So for all of us who are walking, running, sitting and riding, as a disciple of Christ, here are some thoughts about glorifying God while
riding public transportation. 1. Leave the soap box at home. Preach through personal connection. Now this isn’t to underestimate, underplay or undermine the integral part of public proclamation as a kingdom building action. What I mean by this is that, though the proclamation of the gospel is one of the chief endeavors and missions of the Christian walk, standing on a chair in the middle of a noisy or otherwise disinterested train cab to share your faith may not be the most effective method. Unless the Lord’s Spirit should shine down His golden opportunity to you between Thorndale and Bryn Mawr, perhaps you should engage with the silent bystander gazing outside with a loving conversation. It has taken
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me a while to get this point, to try engaging a bewildered or otherwise lonely looking commuter who stands there awkwardly blank-faced. I’ve also grown to realize that every conversation doesn’t have to entail talking about Jesus. Though I hope to get there and we should aim for that end, many times people are only on for a few stops before they spring out on their way. Sparking up any kind of conversation can “I’ve also grown to be the highlight of their whole day realize that every con- for all you know. versation doesn’t have Just last week, I was standing next to entail talking about to a man who was reading something jesus.” in Hindi and who I’d seen earlier in the week at the same time. The book looked interesting, so I asked him about it. What ensued was a short conversation about the book and then where he works, where he’s from, why he likes the book and then BAM! It was his stop, he said goodbye and I haven’t seen him since. I don’t know how God is working through that conversation, but I’ll never forget the sweet and reflective smile he gave me as he bid me a kind farewell. It was clear that the conversation had brightened his day. He could tell that I
genuinely cared about him and hopefully that will pave the way for the gospel to reach him. 2. Crack out that Bible! ‘Quiet Time’ with the Lord can also be ‘In a Rickety Train Car Time’ with the Lord! If you have an internship, it may have to be like that many days. But more importantly, it may spark conversation with others. Don’t be unashamed to crack out the Word in the middle of a packed train. 3. Be on the lookout for ways to help others. Giving directions, helping lift things, giving food or money to the person in need, standing up so another can sit down: all ways that we can be a light in the darkness. 4. Sleeeeeep. Jesus rested too. Just put your possessions (and head) in a safe place. Preferably done with a friend accompanying you. 5. Build community. If you’re with friends, whether believers or not, talk! Joke! Be friends and build into each other’s lives 6. Just meditate on the Lord. Because… Well… Psalm 1:1-2. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I hope it will help turn your mind to serving and loving the Most High even during that hour of downtime that so often feels like a gap of nothingness during the workday.
Veracity Magazine strives to be a relevant publication that represents the college generation of Christian viewpoints, challenging them to retheink faith in life and culture, build campus-wide community, and serve as a resource for those seeking to learn more about the Christian faith. Above all, we recognize that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the foremost motivation foundation for all dialogue.