A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN STUDY
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WINTER 2013
CHRISTIAN FORMATION:
A LOOK AT OUR MISSION
“Habits, Practices, and Conformation to the Kingdom”, p 3 “Thinking Greek: Seeking Wisdom for a Pivotal College Decision”, p 6
THIS ISSUE: Habits, Practices and Conformation to the Kingdom by Bill Wilder, page 3
Honoring Julia: Announcing the Julia Elisabeth Green Memorial Fund
STUDY CENTER STAFF
by Shelly Pellish, page 5
Thinking Greek: Seeking Wisdom for a Pivotal College Decision
BILL WILDER
Executive Director bill@studycenter.net
by Jay McCabe, page 6
Daryl Richman: A Special Visit From One of the Study Center’s Founders
LANE COWIN
Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Women lane@studycenter.net
by Ashley Wooten, page 7
FITZ GREEN
Director of Educational Ministries fitz@studycenter.net
On the cover: James K.A. Smith speaks at University of Virginia’s Old Cabel Hall on November 1, 2012. Learn more about this special lecture at www.studycenter.net/smith. (Photo by Ashley Parsley, U.Va.’12.)
JAY MCCABE
Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Men jay@studycenter.net
THANK YOU PARENTS! Photo by Elisa Bricker
SHELLY PELLISH
Director of Development, Alumni + Parent Relations shelly@studycenter.net
DEBBIE RODRIGUEZ
Director of Finance + Administration debbie@studycenter.net
ASHLEY WOOTEN
Director of Communications ashleyw@studycenter.net
PHOTO: EXAM SNACKS
AMY ZELL
Director of Counseling Resources amy@studycenter.net
WHO WE ARE We are a non-profit education and outreach ministry serving the University of Virginia and Charlottesville since 1968. We seek to serve Jesus Christ by fostering the serious consideration in the university environment of a Biblical worldview, and by encouraging and facilitating wise discussion of the Truth in light of the challenges of contemporary culture.
Every semester we are amazed at the number of students who pile into this building during exam time to study. We are also grateful for the number of parents and friends who give so generously to provide healthy, tasty treats to care for these students. (This December we fed about 200 students three times daily, with the help of over 80 parents!) As the staff at the Center, we are blessed to provide Christian care and support, time for prayer in the midst of exams, healthy food, and welcomed study breaks. We saw so many students serving others during this time (in the midst of their own full workloads) and caring for one another as friends. God is at work at the University of Virginia. Thank you for partnering with us here at the Study Center! PAG E 2 S S T U DY C E N T E R NEW SLETTER W I NTER 2 0 1 3
CONTACT US Phone: (434) 817-1050 Email: info@studycenter.net Website: www.studycenter.net Twitter: studycenteruva Facebook: studycenteruva The Study Center Newsletter is published for our friends and supporters. University Christian Ministries, Inc. (dba Center for Christian Study) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation EIN 51-0192618.
HABITS, PRACTICES, AND CONFORMATION TO THE KINGDOM Have you ever wondered what makes us tick—not only why we do what we do but why we want the things we want? Have you ever wished that you could change what you want or what you do but seemed powerless to do so? At the end of the day are we simply the helpless and hapless victims of our desires because, as Woody Allen said in famous self-justification, “the heart wants what it wants”? Most of us would probably not condone Woody Allen’s actions, whatever his heart happened to want; and, in any case, most of us need only our own experience to understand what Paul meant by “indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind” (Eph 2:3) or, for that matter, “doing what I don’t want” (Rom 7:16). These passages also remind us that the Holy Spirit is the only hope for transformed desires and actions (Rom 8:14), more than a match for “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph 2:2). A cosmic battle is being waged in and around us, but the Spirit is on our side (Gal 5:17-18). Still, victory in that battle doesn’t seem so easy to come by. Why do we often feel so powerless? One reason may be that we pay less attention to our embodied, creaturely existence in the world than the spirits themselves do. Perhaps we neglect the means through which the spirits work—that is, through the habits and practices of our embodied, deeply relational lives—believing that the spirits share our own tendency to oppose the spiritual to the creational. What if we understood that they work through (and not apart from) social, cultural, and physiological
by Bill Wilder, bill@studycenter.net Executive Director
structures? What would it mean for us to attend to the way in which our embodied habits and practices shape our imaginations, our desires, and ultimately our way of living in the world? What if we understood this as a deeply spiritual practice? In order to answer some of these questions, the Center for Christian Study co-hosted Dr. James K. Smith, Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College, for a series of events in the late fall. On Thursday evening, November 1, Dr. Smith addressed some 400 students and community members on “Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works.” Over the next two days he also spoke to groups at the Study Center, at the Covenant Pictured below: James K.A. Smith addresses the crowd at the November 1 event, School (a private Christian school), “Imagining the Kingdom.” and Trinity Presbyterian Church. Dr. Smith’s focus was not on the nature of the kingdom itself (for that you should read How God Became King, by N. T. Wright), but rather on how the practices of worship themselves shape our imaginations and desires. For Dr. Smith, the things that we do day in and day out mold us in ways we may have trouble imagining. If we regularly read or hear God’s Word, praise him for his goodness, and confess our sins (for example), those things will further STUDY CE NTE R NE WS LE TTE R W INT ER 20 13 S PAG E 3
shape the way we treat others and engage the world. On the other hand, even someting like an iPhone may shape our expectations of the world and others more than we realize. A self-confessed iPhone lover, Dr. Smith mentioned a beer commercial in which a guy swipes, pinches, and stretches his way through an iPhone screen of life (beach and bar scenes with annoying men and alluring women). The moral of the story? That iPhones may also train our expectations of the world, leading us to believe that everything should always be at our fingertips with all that we want available for zooming, all that we dislike easily swiped away. That summary really can’t do justice to all that Dr. Smith said at Old Cabell Hall that evening or at the various events that followed. I hope that you’ll listen to the audios that are available on our website (studycenter.net/smith) or read one of his books (see the suggestions below). Still, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself more alert to the ways in which going to the mall, reading a book, playing a video game, or worshiping God are forming your desires and shaping your life. Attending to our habits and practices may indeed be one way—a very spiritual way—of beginning to change what we want and what we do. Even so, I suspect that for some there may remain a nagging reluctance to concede the need for all this “shaping” or “formation” in the first place. Not everyone will be convinced, of course, particularly in a University setting in which a good education is prized. For many the whole goal of education is freedom: freedom from tradition, faith, dogma, and superstition. The problem is that the purpose of education has changed for the culture at large in ways that it should not for Christians. For followers of Christ, education is still formation—conformation, to be exact. There is still a larger Reality to which we must be conformed— or risk being forever deformed. C. S. Lewis put it like this in The Abolition of Man, a short book containing his reflections on education: For the wise men of old the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality, and the solution had been knowledge, self-discipline, and virtue. For magic and applied science alike, the problem is how to subdue reality to the wishes of men: the solution is a technique.
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For Lewis, conforming the soul to reality is what education is all about. The opposite approach is to subject reality to one’s own mastery, not just in science but in every area of life. Admittedly, the challenge is great. Our understanding of education and much else has changed. We are heir to Romantic and expressionistic traditions that define sincerity as being true to our present emotions rather than to some external ideal or person. We are deeply suspicious of truth claims, precisely because we have seen such claims in the service of self-interested power. We are concerned that a stress on formation might lead to a graceless, self-righteous legalism. In each case there are good reasons for the concern, though sometimes our reaction to one error simply leads to the opposite error (rather than its correction). All this is of more than passing interest to those of us at the Center for Christian Study. In this most formative time in young people’s lives, we want to be clear about the forces shaping them and us. We also want to be clear on our own hopes and dreams for our students: What sort of affections and imagination, worship and action do we long to see taking shape in these young people’s lives (and ours)? How can we shape our ministry at the Center in ways that are themselves attuned to the complexities of this world we live in— preeminently to the Reality of God as he has revealed himself in Christ? We’re still very much in the process of answering those questions here at the Study Center. Still, we’re grateful for those like Smith, Wright, and Lewis (with many others) who help us to think through such things. May the Lord enable us, through them and many other means, to shape our imaginations, desires and actions in ways that will enable us “to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls us into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess 2:12). It is to that future Reality (already at work in us by the Spirit) that we wish to be conformed. FURTHER READING:
How God Became King, by N.T. Wright After You Believe, by N.T. Wright The Abolition of Man, by C. S. Lewis Desiring the Kingdom, by James K.A. Smith Imagining the Kingdom, by James K.A. Smith
HONORING JULIA:
ANNOUNCING THE JULIA ELISABETH GREEN MEMORIAL FUND by Shelly Pellish, shelly@studycenter.net Director of Development, Alumni & Parent Relations A few years ago I attended a wedding reception for a young couple who had been involved at the Study Center while at U.Va. Looking over the crowd, I was struck by all the Study Center friends who had supported this young couple throughout their relationship and now were gathered together on that night. As I panned the room, I saw a scene I get to experience often: the interweaving of Christ-centered relationships that are decades in the making. I’ve always believed that wedding receptions are a great window into the relationships represented through our Study Center community. But, I’ve also come to realize that the sweetest evidences of this community, for me, have been in the ways we grieve together and bear each other’s burdens with the strength that only the Lord can provide. In less than two years two of our first-year students, Tom Gilliam and Julia Green, have died unexpectedly. Both times I have seen many of you stop your lives and offer support, prayers and words of encouragement, irrespective of whether you knew the family. And you continue to ask us how they are doing. Thank you. Twice now, too, I have seen friends and family members step quietly forward to honor a sweet student’s memory and to love his or her family. As a result, with bittersweet joy, we announce the establishment of the Julia Elisabeth Green Memorial Fund. In the weeks following Julia’s death, we received memorial gifts amounting to more than $12,000 from over 100 friends and family around the world. In November her parents, Mark and Lucy Green, established an endowment to honor the memory of their daughter and her time at the Study Center. This fund will sponsor Center staff that work in undergraduate women’s ministry. To date we have received nearly half of the amount needed toward the endowment’s $100,000 minimum requirement. Once the Center
Julia Green (left) pictured here with her sister, Emily, who is a fourth-year student at U.Va.
reaches the minimum amount required, annual interest income will be drawn from the account each year (5% or $5,000) to support undergraduate women’s ministry. Mark and Lucy would like to express their gratitude for all those who helped them turn the idea of this gift into a reality: “We are thankful for the generosity of people who have contributed to this endowment in memory of our daughter, Julia. Though the reason for it is grievous to us, we pray that this fund will be used over many years just as Julia would have wished: for other students to come to a deeper understanding of the joy and hope they have in Jesus Christ.”
GIVING TO THE ENDOWMENT If you would like to give to the Julia Elisabeth Green Memorial Fund, contributions may be sent directly to the U.Va. Fund for this restricted account (account code: FSOD595). The address is: U.Va. Fund | Attn: Jennifer Bonenfant P.O. Box 400314 | Charlottesville, VA 22904 Please write “Center for Christian Study” in the memo line of your check and reference the account code/Julia Green fund.
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THINKING GREEK:
SEEKING WISDOM FOR A PIVOTAL COLLEGE DECISION An interview with Jay McCabe, jay@studycenter.net Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Men Q: Tell me about the Thinking Greek event. What is the purpose? Who is the audience? How long has it been going on? This is the second year we’ve hosted Thinking Greek. Our goal is to help students who are thinking about rushing to approach that decision thoughtfully, prayerfully, and in community. The idea originally came about during my first year on staff at the Study Center as I walked alongside a number of guys during Fraternity Rush and watched lots of girls struggling during Sorority Rush. I found myself wishing I could turn back the clock a month to help them think and pray about this process before they were in the middle of it. I also saw how isolating the Rush experience can be and longed to connect students who could go through the process together. That was the inspiration for Thinking Greek and it continues to guide what the event is about. Q: What happened at the Thinking Greek event for undergrad students in November? Lane Cowin and I began the evening by talking about our U.Va. experiences. Neither of us joined a Greek organization, though we found great
friendships and significant activities elsewhere. Then I spoke for about 10 minutes on the importance of applying the gospel to this decision and the need for community during the process. After that we had 6 upperclassmen share their experiences and perspectives on the Rush process and the Greek system, followed by an open time of question and answer. Finally, we prayed for students and had a great pizza dinner. Q: What was the highlight from this year’s event? I think the upperclassmen panel was the best part of the evening. We had three girls who are active in sororities, two guys who are in fraternities, and one guy who is not in the Greek system. We asked them to share how they made their decision about rushing, as well as any advice for students who were still deciding or preparing to go through Rush. I was really impressed by how thoughtful and honest they were about the Rush process and Greek system. Each of them acknowledged challenges for Christians who participate in Greek life as well as opportunities to grow and live out their faith. Q: How does Thinking Greek relate to the Study Center’s goal of Christian formation? Our ultimate goal at the Study Center is seeing students formed into the image of Christ. We know that there are so many challenges in the University culture that can fight against this Christian formation, including Greek life. Fraternities and sororities can (but not always) promote a culture of exclusivity, drunkenness, and promiscuity. We want to help students pursuing Christ and choosing to go Greek. Whether it’s joining a fraternity or an a cappella group or participating in a Christian fellowship, students will be influenced by the people with which they surround themselves, and we hope
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to help them be formed in Christlikeness in their college experience. Q: What advice would you give to a student thinking about participating in Greek life? I would encourage students to consider how the gospel of God’s love for you in Christ changes your approach to Rush. As believers, we are given power from the Holy Spirit and can confidently be ourselves in all situations, including throughout the Rush experience. I would ask a student thinking about going Greek, “Do you know that God loves you?” If you aren’t secure in God’s approval, you will necessarily be over-dependent on the approval of these fraternities and sororities, which are not able to offer the same type of unconditional love as our Lord. I think it is also important for students to examine their motivation for going Greek and consider their expectations. My hope and challenge is that they go through Rush with others who will listen and pray with them throughout the process. I loved this wisdom offered by one of our upperclassmen panelists: First, be honest with yourself about why you want to experience Rush. Second, know that the love of Christ is infinitely better than the love (or lack of love) that may come to you in the Rush and pledging process. After reflecting on these things and whether choosing to rush or not, Lane and I both hope our students will know they are fully loved by Christ and find their identity in Him first, above any group or activity they choose in their college experience.
Bill Wilder, Ken Elzinga, Daryl Richman, David Turner and Drew Trotter. (Photo by Elisa Bricker.)
DARYL RICHMAN:
A SPECIAL VISIT FROM ONE OF THE STUDY CENTER’S FOUNDERS by Ashley Wooten, ashleyw@studycenter.net Director of Communications In September 2012, we enjoyed a visit from Daryl Richman, one of the key founders of Christian ministry at the University of Virginia, including the Center for Christian Study. Visiting from California, Daryl showed himself to be as genuine, humorous and passionate about sharing Christ with others as ever. He continues to be fully engaged in each conversation he enters, a rare quality in the busy and distracted time in which we live. During his visit Daryl joined Ken Elzinga for supper with our 19 Elzinga Residential Scholars in the newly named and renovated Richman Room at the Study Center. He and Ken also gathered with Drew Trotter and David Turner, two other former heads of the Study Center, for a special two-hour interview with Bill Wilder. It was a great time to share old stories and to recall God’s faithfulness over the years. He shared the story of the beginnings of the Study Center ministry, remembering 1967 as the year both he and Ken Elzinga, a new economics professor, had their first years on Grounds of the University. At that time Christian groups were not allowed to meet on Grounds, and few Evangelical fellowship groups had a presence. Today, the University of Virginia boasts over 20 undergraduate Christian groups, most of which meet either at the Study Center or on Grounds. We’re grateful for the legacy and inspiration Daryl Richman has left for us at the Study Center.
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