Content The Forum Advisor Dr. Jonathan Gates Content Designer
Benjamin Tse
Staff Writers
Features:
3 Editorial from The Forum Advisor 4 Nyack Scholars Symposium
Kaelah Byrom Susannah Devenney Yoo Jung Jo Gianna Justo Hanna Lee Moriah Spencer Benjamin Tse
8 Movie Review: The Fall
Photo-Credits
9 Small Groups for Spiritual Growth
Writing Exposed Humans of Nyack: Niki Morales
Dr. Amy Davis Abdallah Susannah Devenney Hanna Lee Benjamin Tse Nyack College Spiritual Formation Unsplash.com
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Colored Pencil Illustrations of Nyack 11 What is Missions?
15 Feeling inspired to write a piece . . . to share your creativity through the arts & photography, contact (theforumnc@gmail.c om) to get more information and to get involved.
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Humans of Nyack: Megan Ma’alafa Maiava
16 Netflix Passion for Fashion (Or Anything, Really)18 Interview with Dr. Amy Davis
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Editorial from The Forum Advisor
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t home at Nyack” rests on the old adage that “home is where the heart is,” yet in the pages that follow we aim to spark contemplations beyond the warm feelings often evoked by memories of drinking hot cider and eating homemade donuts around the family fireplace. For most of us, when we think of home, along with pleasant memories, we remember struggles and heartaches and the longings to explore the world. “Nostalgia” from the Greek means “homesickness,” which seems apt. When we’re nostalgic, we often forget the harsh and sad memories and focus on the pleasant recollections. Sometimes the good old days weren’t so good, but viewed through the rearview mirror, the past’s troubles fade. Over the last 25 years I’ve thought a lot about Okonkwo, the main character in Chinua’s Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. He’s taught me many things as I’ve explored this work with my Global Literature classes. After overcoming considerable odds and achieving success, he is exiled for committing manslaughter and he and his family must leave their community immediately. In this desperate moment, this proud leader flees to his motherland, where his family welcomes him home. Home is a place of refuge and for many of us Nyack offers a refuge from a harsh world. Yet at its best home is also a place where we are challenged by those who love us and we challenge those we love. Living in the Nyack
community, we soon realize that “family is family,” and the bumps and scuffles we had at home surface in our relationships here too. We didn’t stop being human when we arrived on campus, and those we share life and learning with will, by necessity, need to enter into grace-based partnerships if we’re going to succeed. Whether it’s learning to negotiate the challenges of dorm life, investing in the academic rigors of the semester, or participating in a small group or attending a Writing Center event, we have opportunities to fellowship, worship, encourage, and learn at Nyack that will shape us today and prepare us for a lifetime of challenges and opportunities. For some “at home at Nyack” will refer strictly to the years of living in a dorm. For others the phrase will describe a refuge from another place called home or the difficulties in the world. And for others the phrase will represent the experience of learning about God, others, and oneself in a supportive, though imperfect, community. For each of us, may we appreciate our Alma Mater, our “nourishing mother,” and live these days to the fullest at home at Nyack. Faithfully,
Dr. Jonathan Gates Jonathan Gates, Ph.D Language, Literature, and Writing Department Chair Director of Nyack Honors Program Volume 2: The Forum | 3
Nyack Scholars Symposium BY BENJAMIN TSE ‘19
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very fall semester the Nyack College’s Center for Scholarship and Global Engagement (CSGE) presents the Nyack Scholars Symposium (NSS) on both the Rockland and Manhattan campuses. This two-day academic event invites scholars, professors and students representing various disciplines from around the world and from Nyack’s own campuses to address the annual theme.
tive to Do Justice.” During the closing plenary, Dr. Andrea Ramirez, the FEC Director, will introduce the next keynote speaker, Dr. Irvin Scott, senior lecturer at Harvard University, who will be speaking on “A MacroView of Education Equity and Predictions of Hispanic Educational Outcomes.”
This year CSGE is partnering with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference’s (NHCLC) Faith and Education Coalition (FEC). Plenary sessions, panels, and workshops will address the theme, “In Search of Accountability in Closing Educational Gaps.” This is CSGE’s ninth annual NSS, and the FEC will be hosting its eighth annual NHCLC.
The second day will take place on Thursday, November 9, in the Rockland Campus. The Symposium begins at 9:30 a.m. in Pardington Hall, where students and faculty will gather to attend the opening plenary by Mr. Jer Swigart, co-founding director of The Global Immersion Project, alongside with Ms. Noemi Hernandez, a communications major. They will present “Mending the Divides: Creative Love in a Conflicted World.” The Global Immersion was founded on the vision to mobilize men and women to practice everyday peacemaking in their realm of influence.
On Wednesday, November 8, at the New York City campus, the day will open and conclude with bookend plenary sessions that delineate the collaborative and partnering work between the two organizations: CSGE and FEC. Dr. Vilma “Nina” Balmaceda, the founding director of CSGE, serving as the initial keynote speakers, will present “Seeking Equity in Education as Part of the Biblical Impera-
Throughout both days, students, faculty, and visitors will have an array of breakout sessions which explore the conference theme. In addition, during the plenary sessions, the Nyack College Theatre Ensemble will preview several scenes from Lin -Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical, In the Heights, which will be performed during the early weeks of December.
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Click below to be directed to the full schedule of event
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Writing Exposed
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BY MORIAH SPENCER ‘19
o you like to write? Do you have any good stories to tell? A novel to unleash? A poem to share? As students, sometimes it can be difficult to enjoy writing when we are required to write papers and assignments for so many classes. Many of us, when we see a poster or e-mail about writing, tend to skim the details and conclude “that's not for me”. This year at Nyack College, writing opportunities have been increasing and expanding. Here follows some exciting ways to get involved, because as your peer, not as your professor or as your mentor, and your fellow classmate, I want you to remind you that writing is more than writing for classes. Writing of all kinds can be a creative outlet, stress relief, and a way for your voice to be heard. This year there is a new group for writers led by Emmanuel Jean-Pierre. Known as The League of Extraordinary Writers, this group welcomes writers of varying talents and writing interests. Though for the fall semester this group is a closed, come Spring ‘18 it will open for more additional students to join. To make certain that everyone has an opportunity to receive feedback, the group remains fairly small. Members read and critique each other’s writing on a regular basis. The League provides a safe place to generate new ideas and give and receive constructive criticism to help writers grow whether the prefer writing sci fi, fantasy, short stories, children's book, or a journal. Recently, Isaiah Velez's Album release offered students and faculty an opportunity to hear about his creative process. He performed some of his songs and was interviewed by Dr. Brad McDuffie, assistant professor of English. Sometimes we narrow writing into one box, we forget that it can be turned into song. Isaiah did a beautiful job expressing this and sharing what he created.
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Open Mic Nights provide another outlet for student’s creativity to soar. Many students come to this event with different talents; some participants sing, others share poems, or read other artist’s works, and spoken word. Even for those who don’t choose to present, these are great evenings to celebrate creativity and support peers and their talents. But there’s so much more, and it's not too late to participate! On November 9th The Platform, hosted by staff from the Nyack Writing Center, will feature student’s collections of poems that were previously submitted. This will be a great event to attend to support your fellow classmates! Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Emmanuel Jean-Pierre, a peer leader at Nyack’s Writing Center to hear more about the center’s vision for this new writing culture at Nyack College. In sum Mr. Jean-Pierre’s responses boiled down to a central theme: many students have concluded that writing is just for school, but these events and writing groups, and the Writing Center are shifting this perspective. The Writing Center wants students to understand that it supports writers whether for class preparation and assignments and for all other types of writing. They want to spread the word that the Writing Center can help students with any type of writing—poems, song lyrics, short stories, or a novel. The new clubs at Nyack are also offer students different outlets. He concluded that the vision of the writing center is to change the mindset of students and to let them know why the Writing Center and clubs are here to help students to flourish and become the best they can be.
Humans of Nyack Featuring . . . Niki Morales
Courtesy of Benjamin Tse
“Home is where my mama is.”
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Movie Review The Fall
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BY KAELAH BYROM ‘20
eleased in movie theatres in May of 2008, The Fall quietly disappeared after a short run, yet this now nineyear old film is worth a second look. The plot revolves around the encounter between Alexandria—played by Catinca Untaru—a young Bulgarian immigrant, whose broken arm has forced her to stay in the hospital and Roy Walker—played by Lee Pace— an injured stuntman, who tells her an extravagant story about five mythical heroes. Yet Roy’s interest in Alexandria is selfish since he is using her as a means to an end in his own miserable life. Through symbolism, the story explores the loss of innocence and coming of age. With his various works, including The Cell and Mirror, Mirror, director Tarsem Singh has made a name for himself as a visually adept filmmaker, and The Fall is further proof of his talent. Singh financed the majority of production which was approximately 30 million dollars. Had a studio undertaken the project, the cost could have easily topped 80 million dollars. Director Singh did not want to make The Fall another CGI-filled film and as a result it took nearly four years to make. Financing the film himself, Singh found more freedom to direct and follow his own vision which included dispensing
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with any CGI and filming all scenes on location. Amazingly, he filmed The Fall in fourteen different countries, including India, Italy and Indonesia. Though The Fall is a movie that could be lost among the tens of thousands of films produced in the past decade, it is first and foremost a visually stunning movie. The cinematography is jaw dropping. Every shot reveals so much Taken from IMDb.com thought; no wonder it took four years to create. Not only is the cinematography astonishing, but the costumes are intricate. They are unusual and different, but very specific to the each of the characters which reveals their personality. And there is so much imagery.
The Fall is more than an artistic film. It is a well told story about an actor who loses everything and uses a child as a way to cope with that loss. It stirs our emotions and it makes us think. It invites viewers to realize that our actions have consequences that can gravely hurt people. Among the vast list of great movies, this is a hidden treasure. Though few know its name—it did not get the publicity it deserved when it released, it is a film that can be watched repeatedly. This film can still be enjoyed for its beautiful cinematography and great storytelling. If you love artistic films, this is the movie for you.
Small Groups for Spiritual Growth
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BY YOO JUNG JO ‘20
yack College offers some great small groups. Are you part of one? If not, you may want to learn more about these great opportunities. Currently, there are twelve small groups; some are led by faculty and many by our fellow students. Each small group has a theme or distinctive characteristics. There are some groups that are open only to males or females, others appeal to athletes and sports fans. Although each group has a different focus, they all agree that “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). Hye Sook Kang serves as Nyack College’s small group coordinator. Passionate about raising and equipping the next generation of leaders, she trains seven small group leaders and all the small group leaders’ assistants. Hye Sook’s experience as an educator in NY state public schools for many years and most importantly her calling by God led her to serve the students of Nyack in this way. In a recent interview, Hye Sook explained that her job is not only to meet and encourage small group leaders to facilitate the groups but also to develop and equip the leaders; she meets with them one-to-one and feels she receives more from them than she could possibly give to them. Some might wonder why there are small groups when students have
chapel three times a week. What is the purpose of small groups? Hye Sook clarified: “The purpose of small groups is to encourage students to be more intimate and open to one another in God. Chapel is usually between God and myself, but when it comes to small groups, it is between us (you and I) towards God. God designed us to flourish not just through Him but with people.” She explained that small groups should be of our spiritual activity to spend time with and to share our lives with fellow Christians. Leading a study on the book of 1 Peter, Renzo Meza is a Nyack College junior who is a Bible and Theological Studies major. Following the example of his father who used to teach at church, Renzo learned a lot from his father and other church leaders and this has motivated him from a young age to help people interpret the Bible correctly so that they could walk deeper with God. That motivation has led Renzo to serve as a group leader in his church and his small group at Nyack College. The 1 Peter Bible Study sets as its goal each week to study a half chapter from 1 Peter. They focus on examining the book through the history and culture rather than as a devotional. He believes that there are important differences between reading the Bible devotionally Volume 2: The Forum | 9
and reading the Bible to discover meaning of the text. To prepare for the Bible study, Renzo reads the text, spends time on challenging verses, and studies the commentaries and Greek to find the most accurate meanings. Then, Renzo and his co-leader would meet up to discuss their studies. They also create a list of questions to ask participants in the Bible study because they want people to join and study the Bible together. As a leader, Renzo shared about one of his happiest moments which was the second group meeting when all the people brought their Bible and notebook. For Renza this confirmed that they desired to learn, were ready to study, and took the Word of God seriously. In conclusion, Renzo offered an invitation, “Come to our Bible study on
Wednesday night! We’d love to have you. Studying the Bible is not a daunting, difficult task. I think that we could start living lives that are more glorifying to God when we know exactly what we believe. The letters in the Bible were read to the whole congregation, and that is one of the reasons why I love to come together and study the Word of God.”
If you would like to be a small group, please contact Hye Sook (kangh4@nyack.edu). There’s likely to be one that is suited to you and a place for you to contribute to others. New leaders are also encouraged. Hye Sook provides training for those who are interested in leading a group as well. So what are you waiting for?
Courtesy of Spiritual Formation 10 | Volume 2: The Forum
Colored Pencil Illustrations of Nyack BY HANNA LEE ‘18
Courtesy of Hanna Lee
Cultivate Coffee
Courtesy of Benjamin Tse
More next page . . . Volume 2: The Forum | 11
Courtesy of Hanna Lee
Cafeteria
Courtesy of Hanna Lee
Chapel Service: Prayer Summit by Dave Powers 12 | Volume 2: The Forum
What is Missions?
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BY KAELAH BYROM ‘20
Nyack College was founded in 1882 under the name The Missionary Training Institute. It was not until 1972 that Nyack College changed its name to what it is today. Our college has evolved from great roots of missions. From the very start, A.B. Simpson created this to be school for training missionaries to reach people all around the world. In three years, students walked out prepared to do just that. As the years have passed, Nyack has transformed into a college. It a school where students can walk away with degree in Business or English, not simply a religious education. The question is how has missions evolved since Nyack College was first established?
College campus from different backgrounds and majors. Many of the answers mirrored one another, some of them did not. Still, it is interesting to see different individual’s callings and how it might relate to their major.
As a missionary kid myself, I wanted to see what students within our campus define missions as. Over the years, evangelism and missions has changed a lot. Over the years, different ministry organizations have been established. With this, new ideas have formed. Even the church has changed within the last hundred years, from the way we worship and the roles women and men play within the church. Culture has also shaped missions and the church. If we were to look back a hundreds of years ago, we would see an even greater change.
Jesse Hacking: Missions is attempting to conform to the images of Jesus Christ in your interactions.
Missions is hard to define, especially on the spot. Most of these students answered within five minutes or less, giving little room for contemplation. I chose to interview several students around Nyack
Aileen Mehboob: Missions is sharing the gospel with your neighbor. (Psychology major; She is called to open up a boarding school for children in sex trafficking in India).
Niki Morales: Missions: it doesn’t matter where. I want to go far but I don’t think that’s a requirement. Traveling to any place and spreading the gospel but also loving people. Even in a place where you can’t share the gospel, just loving. Don’t let travel get to your head. I have a calling to go Africa. She is called to teach but the more God aligns the desires of my heart, I realize that I want to love the people and evangelize to people. My heart is in an orphanage. Teaching is my golden ticket.
Elizabeth Ince: Missions is usually people going to other countries. (Computer Science Major) Kyndra Moser: Missions is spreading the good news to all people of the world. It is also understanding their culture and taking out our own culture so we can better understand them. (She is an Intercultural Studies major and is being called to Taiwan).
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Bryanna Yosick: Missions is spreading the gospel and loving people. (She is a Music Education Major. She is being called to New York City to teach music. Though, God is calling her to many other places as well).
James Hartsock: In the Bible it says to spread the good news over all the earth. I believe by that doctrine that is what missions is. I am called to lead worship. I don’t know if that is in a church or in a different country. (Music and Worship Major).
Nate Beebe: Missions is spreading the gospel, at the basics. (Intercultural Studies Major; God is calling him to work overseas).
When looking to the Bible, Mark 28:19-20 is often the verse that is looked to to define missions. Mark 28:19-20 says; “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. For the most part, the student’s answers reflected this verse. Some focused more on the spreading of the gospel. Others focused on the going out into the world. Then some spoke more of daily Christian living and how everyone’s lives involve missions.
Daniel Rubin: Forsaking the comfortability of an ordinary life in order to live and spread the word of God to wherever God calls. God is calling me to live my life as previously stated wherever I am and wherever God calls me to be. (Intercultural Studies). Marissa Antonucci: Missions is a calling for the Christian life. Do missions because you love Jesus. It applies to everyone no matter where you are or what you do. Refugees have been on my heart lately, but I feel called to go wherever God takes me. (Childhood Education with TESOL Major).
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Perhaps there is danger in limiting the definition of missions. With that said, perhaps there is also danger in expanding the definition of missions. Missions for so long has revolved around sending missionaries abroad to spread the good news. However, missions may be more than that. From the answers, the term “missions” goes beyond going across seas and lands. Missions is in the heart of every Christian. Missions is to love and spread the gospel to the world, whether that be going to China, Africa or staying in your original place and loving your neighbors. There are those called to go far, but those of us who stay also have a part to play with our friends and neighbors.
Humans of Nyack Featuring... Megan Ma’afala Maiava
Courtesy of Benjamin Tse
“Home is where I can kick back and relax.”
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Netflix
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BY GIANNA JUSTO ‘20
etflix and other streaming movie sources have exploded on college campuses like Nyack in the last few years. Many college students agree that they need time to relax and to take their minds off of the stress of being a student, and while there are many ways, watching shows has become a very popular choice, whether watching a favorite tv show, series, movie, or even a documentary. In a recent survey of Nyack College community members, over sixty percent had a Netflix account or borrowed some else’s account. Though the television of old has fallen on hard times, on-demand viewing has seized the day. This study was designed to discern what the relationship between Netflix and Nyack College students’ academic standing as determined by grade point average (GPA). The evidence suggests that in general a student’s GPA did not suffer when watching streaming online shows was for leisure time, but each person will need to assess the impact that such watching has on them and their success in the classroom. What follows is a review of some of the questions and data collected based on a survey of 30 Nyack College students.
“Do you spend more time watching Netflix than doing homework?” This question had a solid 15:15 split. Reviewing the responses, I noticed that this question did not give much information proving whether or not the amount one watched would affect overall GPA, since many students say their overall average has been around the same since they first en16 | Volume 2: The Forum
rolled at Nyack and the present. To the question regarding how many days of the week students watched Netflix, the answers varied. The graph below presents a picture of the varied response which suggests a significant diversity amidst the student body. It seems that the extremes are more representative of the student body.
There have been many studies conducted on Netflix and its affect on users. Netflix is close to reaching 100 million subscribers (Fiegerman, 2017), and that does not include the amount of people borrowing accounts from family, friends, and/or acquaintances—a common practice on college campuses where students live close to one another and money can be in short supply. Though many view Netflix as a great way to pass the time and catch up on good shows, it seems important that one does not overdo it. Articles are claiming that the biggest downside to Netflix, Hulu, and television in general, is its physical harm to the body. For students who spend a lot of time sitting in class, in front of the computer, and in chapel and the cafeteria, choosing to watch Netflix for
hours extends the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle. In particular, binge watching has been shown to lead to heart attacks. In our daily lives, half of our day consists of us sitting; whether we are driving to and from work or school, sitting at a job, eating at the table, watching a show, and then sleeping, most people get very little physical movement in 24 hours. “Being immobile for many hours each day does more than raise the risk of a host of diseases” (Neighmond, 2017). In a study conducted by Loretta DiPietro, an epidemiologist, she surveyed people from ages 50-71, in a span of eight to ten years. She proved that those who tended to sit for longer periods of time or have less movement had a tougher time walking by the end of her study; some were not able to walk at all.
“65 percent greater risk of reporting a mobility disability” (DiPietro, 2017). At least one to two minutes of activity during shows would make a very big difference in the long run. Sometimes, we have to walk away from the screen and start moving around. As this expose suggests, taking care to make good choices in how college students spend their free time and study time may have more significant result than the increase or decrease of one’s GPA. Our very health depends on our activities and too much time sitting and watching may not only impact our GPA, but it may compromise our health.
Though many of us do not like commercials, they are lowkey useful for us. DiPietro stated when a show would end, at least people would walk around and do something during something during the two minute commercial, but people can now watch shows for hours without actually having to move. Individuals who have watched five or more hours of television a day had a
Taken from OneClassBlog.com
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Passion for Fashion (Or Anything, Really)
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BY SUSANNAH DEVENNEY ‘18
ashion may not be your thing. But for many and for me, fashion is king; there’s little that inspires me more than wearing an outfit I love. For the past three years, I have undertaken what I have called “Fashion Week”, an independent project in which I dress thematically for a week. Each year has had its own blend of challenges and changes as I have developed this project from a self-timer picture-a-day to a precisely thought-out mini daily photoshoot. This personal challenge has opened conversations with others to encourage them to take pride in what they wear, and to welcome them to explore openly their passions. My first fashion week was during my second semester of college, the week before Spring Break in 2015. Feeling homesick, struggling with a horrible cold, and feeling tired and stressed, I could hardly get up in the morning and get dressed. I remembered the “Spirit Week” which American schools frequently host the week before a long break. Schools will feature a “hippie day” or “crazy hair day” and give students a chance to channel their extra energy into something fun. It also offered a bit of a prize for coming to school each day, when many people left early for vacations or illness. I realized that this chance to have something different to do each day was exactly what I needed as I dragged my way to spring break. I would travel through the decades each day, laying out my clothes the night before with care and effort. In order to fully
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Courtesy of Susannah Devenney
Week 1 (2015): Decades
embody each decade, I listened exclusively to music from that decade each day. I had a “Manic Monday”, wearing slouchy eighties clothing, “Twiggy Tuesday”, in a pseudo-mod sixties look, “War-torn Wednesday” which borrowed heavily from a Katharine Hepburn 40s look, and a “Tiny Dancer Thursday” in a 70s Americana look. On Friday, I went home for spring break, having not only made it through the week, but having woken up each day excited to try something new. My photos were taken with self-timer in the early afternoon, with my phone leaning up against the window and me running back and forth to make sure I got the look right. It was a completely independent adventure, which fully expressed the diversity of my style and pushed me through a difficult time.
After you do something unusual once, everyone asks when you are going to do it again. As my instagram post about the week circulated, I felt like this was something I could do again the next year. After much deliberation of themes, I decided to dress in the style of some of my favorite music videos. I went through my saved music videos folder (which has over 40, of almost every genre) and selected the ones I felt could be captured in an outfit. Each day, I dressed in the style of the video, taking almost an hour each day to get ready, and watching each video about ten times to make sure I was truly encapsulating the whole look. Throughout the week, I used my diverse closet to personify Kimbra’s “Cameo Lover”, Beyonce and Jay-Z’s “Deja Vu”, Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”, SZA’s “Babylon”, and Kanye West’s “Runaway”. Most days, no one had seen the music videos which I was
dressed up as (except for the pop princess, Taylor), but they were very excited to ask anyway. I was met with many, “What are you today?” instead of a “How are you today?”. This was exactly my intention. We were all stressed with midterms and papers, and I honestly was just making it through the week academically. I loved having something to spend time on each day which would make me, and others, happy. The photos for this week were also taken on a self timer, with my phone against the window in the early afternoon. I had gained a lot practice with this activity in the past couple of years, because I did not feel comfortable asking others to take my pictures. This may have been due in part to the fact that most people had not even seen the videos as which I was dressed. Either way, it was still an independent project, despite the growth in audience. Courtesy of Susannah Devenney
Week 2 (2016): Music Videos Volume 2: The Forum | 19
Courtesy of Susannah Devenney
Week 3 (2017): Halloweek
This year, I decided to do Fashion Week the week before Halloween of 2017, in my last semester of college. In the spirit of the holiday, I decided to make it a “Halloweek” and wear costumes for five days. Now that I have an established art and fashion instagram account, I gathered excitement by posting about my past fashion weeks on the weekend leading up to the new one. I spent the week before crafting fifteen potential ideas, including links to images and outfit ideas pulled from items I already owned. I narrowed the list down to ten blondes, fictional and real. Then began the dress up time! Each day, I determined who I would be based upon the weather, my activities for the day, and how my hair was acting. Throughout the week, I dressed as Twiggy, Sally Albright (Meg Ryan’s character in the iconic When Harry Met Sally), Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot, and Jill Munroe (Farrah Fawcett’s character in the equally brilliant Charlie’s Angels). Once again, not many people knew who I was each day. But it quickly became a daily delight to get to talk to people about who I was each day. I had various friends do mini photo shoots with me in pre-scouted locations, based upon a series of pictures I
gathered to show them the intended aesthetic. I wanted to honor these women’s style with flair and justice, and a legitimate photoshoot seemed to be the only way to do so. The online and in-person audience was just as thrilled as I was with how each day came out, and it gave all of them something to look forward to. I fortunately had a light load of assignments throughout the week, because preparing, editing, gathering materials, and posting consumed most of my time. Beauty is pain, and fashion is exhaustion with style. So, maybe fashion isn’t your thing. But maybe, just maybe, now that you’ve read about my experience of pursuing my passion, you are more into the idea of pursuing your own. It will take lots of work (2 hours to have hair like Beyonce is totally worth it), a little bit of asking for help (the pictures taken by others are eons better than my self-timer window photos), and some guts (some people really did not understand my diversity of looks in a span of five days). But, in the end, you will have done something you are proud of, something uniquely yourself which may or may not involve dressing like other people.
Courtesy of Susannah Devenney
Week 3 (2017): Halloweek 20 | Volume 2: The Forum
Interview with Dr. Amy Davis BY DR. JONATHAN GATES Dr. Amy Davis Abdallah, Associate Professor of Theology and Bible, founder of the Woman program, and author of The Book of Womanhood, offers her reflections on the following questions.
Through time travel you have the opportunity to speak with the Apostle Paul in person. What would be the first question you would ask him?
Deborah (who knows her last name? She was a judge in the Hebrew Bible’s book of Judges). Barak refused to go into battle without her, even though God had promised success. She must have therefore been amazing! Mary the mother of Jesus. To be human and physically carry God inside of you is incredible. I’d love to know her, and then ask about the traditions that have grown around her in Christianity. How should we think of her? Were Joachim and Anna really her parents?
Courtesy of Nyack College “Paul, tell me about the women you supported in ministry and why you supported them.” I’d of course want to have Jesus, but for Paul’s words about women are somethe Christian that’s such an obvious antimes hard to understand; I think I have swer. To eat with him the same way the correct interpretation when I see those who knew him did would be amazthem in the context of an egalitarian ing. But Jesus always came with at least church, but I wish it were clearer to eve12 of his friends, so I’d have to make lots ryone. I’d love to chat with him about and lots of food. :) (I guess I’m inviting at some of his letters. We might cry togethleast 4 people). er about the historical misinterpretation of many of his ideas about women, slavery, What is your favorite movie of all time? worship, and other subjects. Though, You’re probably thinking Wonder Womhonestly, he was so firm, he might not an, but to my chagrin, I’ve not even seen cry; we might have to get the heavy bag it. out and express our emotions there. I don’t get to watch movies much these You are throwing a dinner party. Which th days, and it’s hard to choose something three people who lived before the 20 “for all time,” so I’m going for 2 (or, deCentury would you invite and why? pending on how you count, this may be Eva Peron. I’ve been fascinated with this 4). I love Robert DeNiro’s The Mission. woman since I studied Evita in middle It’s such an epic struggle for human digschool. When I lived in Paraguay and visnity that has historical underpinnings. ited Buenos Aires, the fascination just inI’ve been to the missions in Argentina creased. While I’m not sure she’d get and Paraguay. The haunting soundtrack along with everyone at my table, it would and the images at the end of the movie sure be interesting to chat with her. never fail to leave me in tears. Volume 2: The Forum | 21
And, of course The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Though Samwise Gamgee was much cooler in the books, the quest has an unparalleled storyline. Certain scenes inspire such hope, and such willingness to give up one’s life for others. And when Princess Eowyn takes her helmet off, declares “I am no man,” and kills the Lord of the Nazgul, I kind of loved it.
If someone wanted to understand Biblical womanhood better, what two books published in the last twenty-five years on the topic would you recommend? Similarly, which one would you not recommend? Ummm. I’ve heard of this one called, The Book of Womanhood. I can’t remember the
author’s name, but she really goes into the meaning of womanhood and doesn’t make it a box to fit into; it’s freedom to be who God made a woman to be. I’d also recommend Growing Strong Daughters by Lisa Graham McMinn. She’s a sociologist who offers evidence that helps women become. I would not recommend Captivating. In fact, I write about it in my book. While I know this has helped many women, it’s not helped those who do not fit the “box” Eldredge offers. Since two of the three characteristics of women (to unveil beauty, to be romanced, to have an irreplaceable role in a
great adventure) are solely dependent, I question whether her views evenfit the image of God in women. (and side note-I identified more with the characteristics in Wild at Heart, but I’m pretty sure that doesn’t make me a man).
What one book on your bookshelf would students be surprised to find? Bhagavad Gita
What is your favorite kind of reading? It depends on the season—during semester, I need light, fun reading that I can easily put down. At other times, I like deeper theological reads or novels that capture your mind for hours.
What one book in addition to the Bible would you recommend that everyone read at least once? Besides The Book of Womanhood? Is
there another parallel book? Maybe Pride and Prejudice? Or Redeeming Love? I feel like I should be citing a historical primary text, but none are coming to mind. I’d better go find one.
When you were in college, what writer captivated your interest? I honestly don’t recall being captured by one writer in particular. My reading was for class or my elementary education major. College for me was in the dark ages, you know?
Courtesy of Dr. Amy Davis Abdallah
22 | Volume 2: The Forum
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