Daily Journal

Daily Journal

Day 10: Community of Reconciliation

published on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 by fg37@duke.edu

At a Glance

Theme:

Life in the Spirit: The Church as a Community of Reconciliation

Faculty Speaker:

Jonathan Wilson-Hargrove and Sarah Jobe

Lectionary Texts:

Ezek. 37:1-14; Ps 104:1a;24-35; Romans 8:14-27; Acts 2:1-14;22-47

Reflections on the Lecture

This morning students heard from two Duke Divinity School alumni, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Sarah Jobe on the topic of reconciliation, the second topic in a series on “Life in the Spirit.” Students were asked to look at Acts 2 and the call for Christians to be a community of reconciliation.  The two speakers are members of the Rutba house, an intentional Christian community in the Walltown neighborhood of  Durham, N.C.  They shared testimonies of the faith and trust involved in living in community.  They then invited students to engage in small group discussion about sharing and community in their own churches.

Quotes

“Everyone wants a revolution, but nobody wants to do the dishes.”
— Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove encouraging students to begin to make small changes by doing everyday things for the glory of God

“Dancing zombies?  That’s ridiculous.”
— Ronya-Lee Anderson in worship, comparing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to the dry bones in Ezekiel 37

Other Activities

In the afternoon, we embarked on a pilgrimage of pain and hope around Durham. The academy had an abbreviated version of a three-day pilgrimage that Duke Divinity School offers students each winter. First, we traveled to Lyon Park Center to hear Ms. Ann Atwater tell her story of growing up in a racially divided Durham. Our second stop took us to the historical Hayti neighborhood of Durham, where local historian John C. “Skeepie” Scarborough shared with us about Durham’s culturally-rich legacy. Lastly, we traveled to Asbury Temple United Methodist Church in east Durham and heard the Rev. Shane Benjamin and members of the church talk about their work and ministry in that community. It is our hope that these stories will help students to see and hear the painful and hopeful stories of their home communities with new eyes and ears.

Looking Ahead

It’s hard to believe that week two is already coming to a close. Tomorrow we will have our final arts village session, in which students are invited to return to a particular artist and “go deeper” in exploring that medium. We’ll have our last prayer practice session in the afternoon, followed by our final hospitality meal provided by Asbury Temple UMC. Faculty director Fred Edie will teach on the topic of “vocation” and our own Matthew Nickoloff will lead us in worship.

 

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Day 9: The Church as a Witness

published on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 by fg37@duke.edu

At a Glance

Theme:

Life in the Spirit: The Church as a Witness

Faculty Speaker:

Dr. Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics

Lectionary Texts:

Deuteronomy 6; Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 84; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; and Acts 1:1-8

Reflections on the Lecture

Dr. Hauerwas pressed us to understand that salvation is known through the witness of the church. We were invited to reconsider no less than two of our previously studied topics, incarnation and baptism. He referred to the church as an extension of the incarnation which is the doctrine that teaches that God is made man and has come to Earth in the form of Jesus Christ. He called us to consider that beginning with the very act of our baptisms we are being shaped as Christ for the world.

His lecture continued by making a familiar claim of his that the first task of the church is to make the world the world: to witness to the world by telling the world what it is, who it is, and how it might be different than the church. In the midst of a violent world, Christians are called to live peacefully, to learn how to receive and offer forgiveness.

Quotes

 “Christianity is a faith that lives on the basis of witness. There is no way for you to know the story of Jesus other than having it told to you by someone else.”
— Dr. Hauerwas in morning plenary

“We're going to screw your life up, if we do it well.”
— On the Youth Academy’s attempt to change the way students understand “success”

“Excuse me. You have on a Methodist cross, you’re carrying a rosary, and you’re reading a book of midrash. … What are you doing here?”
— A visitor to Duke Divinity School library observing a DYA student after Prayer Practice workshops

“We are not a memorial society for Jesus.”
— Rev. Lisa Yebuah in evening worship

Other Activities

After a particularly provocative and challenging morning plenary, students were encouraged to continue thinking about the church’s calling to be Christ’s witnesses in the world. Afternoon Prayer Practice workshops again steeped us in various prayer traditions of the church throughout time. In the evening, students led a beautiful contemplative worship service in which we reflected on who we are called to be as Christ’s body at work.  Former DYA staff member the Rev. Lisa Yebuah preached on Acts 1, and the Rev. Melanie Dobson-Hughes, also a former staff member, celebrated Eucharist in the tradition of the community of Iona off the British Isles. 

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow we turn our eyes toward “The Church as a Community of Reconciliation.”  In plenary, Rutba House community members Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Sarah Jobe will lead us in plenary. In the afternoon, we’ll travel on a pilgrimage of pain and hope through Durham, listening to the stories of members of this particular community and – hopefully – discovering new ways to understand the places from which we each come

 

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Day 8: Resurrection

published on Monday, July 20, 2009 by fg37@duke.edu

At a Glance

Theme:

Resurrection

Faculty Speaker:

Dr. J. Warren Smith, Associate Professor of Historical Theology

Lectionary Texts:

Exodus 14:10-14, 21-25, 15:20-21; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-23; and Luke 24:1-35

Reflections on the Lecture

As the second week of DYA continues we found ourselves discussing the biblical theme of resurrection. Dr. Warren Smith highlighted the importance of Christ’s resurrection for us by suggesting that to neglect it is to do a great disservice to our own created bodies and being. Through the lens of the resurrection, Christians come to understand that death is not the final word over our existence; we are thus capable of being bold in our faithfulness knowing that we too will be resurrected in spirit and body. Since Christ has resurrected we now look toward the future with hope and expectation, forming our lives in accordance to God’s plan instead of a mere worldly agenda. Rev. Smith closed by answering questions related to sexuality and death in which he stated that the resurrection has ramifications for all aspects of our Christian livelihood and practice.

Quotes

“Three days in the tomb, and does he have a case of the munchies?”
— Dr. Smith on why Jesus asks for dried fish in Luke 24:36-43

“If we are to have hope in the resurrection, then is it proper for us to grieve?”
— Question from a DYA student during plenary

“If God is constant, then why was there a need for him to be resurrected?”
— Overheard by a DYA student at dinner

Other Activities

Week two started off on a high note as we celebrated Christ’s resurrection with songs of praise in morning prayer. This afternoon was our fourth arts village session, which means that each group has visited each artist one time. On Thursday, students will have an opportunity to “go deeper” and return for a second session with the artist of their choosing. We enjoyed a delicious hospitality meal hosted by the Congregation at Duke Chapel. Tonight’s worship – an Easter vigil – was the first of three student-led services, with our own Rev. George Linney preaching and Rev. Andrew Thompson presiding at table. 

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow we’ll welcome Dr. Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, in plenary on the topic of “Life in the Spirit: The Church as Witness.”  This plenary is always a crowd favorite and causes quite a discussion! In the afternoon we’ll explore our second prayer practice, then will welcome Rev. Lisa Yebuah and Rev. Melanie Dobson-Hughes in our second student-led evening worship service.  Stay tuned!

 

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