Daily Journal

Daily Journal

Days 6 & 7: Social Justice & Sabbath

published on Sunday, July 19, 2009 by fg37@duke.edu

At a Glance

Theme:

Saturday: Social Justice

Sunday: Sabbath

Lectionary Texts:

Saturday: Deuteronomy 24:19-22; Ruth 2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-14; Matthew 15:32-39

Sunday: Amos 8:1-12; Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 52; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42

Activities

What a great weekend!  Saturday morning we rose extra early to spend much of the day at United Methodist Camp Chestnut Ridge, learning about their practices of sustainability and caring for the earth as a Christian community.  We took turns working in the community garden at camp, harvesting vegetables, feeding the animals, and weeding the garden beds.  We also journeyed with center director Rhonda Parker on a pilgrimage through the camp, reflecting on care for the earth and stewardship of resources. 

Saturday afternoon brought lots of time for rest and playtime, a cookout on the terrace at the Divinity School, and the opportunity to hear one of our artists, Tracy Radosevic, tell the entire Gospel of Mark from memory.  On Sunday morning, several DYA students assisted with worship in Duke Chapel as lectors, symbol-bearers, and communion servers.  In the afternoon we practiced Sabbath-keeping, and ended the evening with vespers on the terrace.

Quotes

“What are their names?”
— A DYA student asking about Camp Chestnut Ridge’s pigs
“Ham and Bacon.”
— The farm director, reminding us of the connection between our food and its source

“I think I’d run out of things to pray about!”
— A student reflecting on Into Great Silence, a documentary about Carthusian monks who take a lifetime vow of silence

Looking Ahead

The start of week two begins with Resurrection!  Dr. Warren Smith, professor of historical theology, will join us in plenary.  In the afternoon, we’ll again visit the arts village and will welcome the Congregation at Duke Chapel at another hospitality dinner.  In the evening, DYA mentor Rev. George Linney will preach during our first student-led worship service and DYA ministry coordinator Rev. Andrew Thompson will preside. 

 

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Day 5: Passion

published on Friday, July 17, 2009 by fg37@duke.edu

At a Glance

Theme:

Passion

Faculty Speaker:

Rev. Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric, Assistant Research Professor of Theology and Hispanic Studies and Director of the Hispanic Studies Program

Lectionary Texts:

Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18-19

Reflections on the Lecture

Our patterning of time here at the Youth Academy often means a swift movement from one part of the Christian calendar to the next. After celebrating “Christmas in July” yesterday, we spent today learning about and reflecting on the passion of our Lord. Dr. Colón-Emeric joined us in lecture, helping to deepen our understanding of the suffering and death of Christ for our sake. Students were pressed to consider whether or not God suffers in the person of Christ, being reminded of Malachi 3:6 which tells us that the Lord does not change. We struggled through questions not only of Jesus’ suffering, but also wondered how it is that the cross heals the history of humanity, the history of Adam and Eve. Dr. Colón-Emeric concluded with the comforting affirmation and beautiful truth that it was Christ’s love for us and for the Father that kept him on the cross.

Quotes

“When you get to follow Jesus really closely, you may find that it is no longer you who really lives, but Christ who lives in you.”
— Dr. Colón-Emeric during plenary

“We were looking for God and then God found us.”
— Dr. Colón-Emeric during plenary

“I had never known in my entire life that I could be so drawn to worship.”
— A student’s comment while reflecting on the most meaningful part of the first week at DYA

“This is the first time I have experienced truly being immersed in the presence of God throughout a whole day.”
— A student reflecting on her first week at DYA

Other Activities

Our afternoon was full today, with a third visit to the Arts Village and our first Prayer Practices workshops. Students explored prayer journaling, lectio and visio divina, praying the rosary, and praying the psalms. Resurrection UMC in Durham shared a delicious dinner with us, and we finished the day with a deeply moving and somber worship service that recounted the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. After sharing in the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples, we journeyed through the stations of the cross as Jesus made his way to the death that would redeem us all. Our evening ended in silence, appropriate to the theme of the day and also the very tired students, anxiously awaiting rest for body, mind, and spirit.

Looking Ahead

Saturday and Sunday will bring a much welcomed break in the rhythm of things. Tomorrow morning we will journey to United Methodist Camp Chestnut Ridge in Efland, N.C. Saturday morning we will work in their community garden, then enjoy lots of free time Saturday evening on campus and a full day of Sabbath on Sunday.

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Day 4: Incarnation

published on Thursday, July 16, 2009 by fg37@duke.edu

At a Glance

Theme:

Incarnation

Faculty Speaker:

Dr. J. Kameron Carter, Associate Professor in Theology and Black Church Studies

Lectionary Texts:

Exodus 3:1-15; Philippians 2: 5-11; Luke 2:1-20; John 1:1-18

Reflections on the Lecture

We plunged into the theological deep end today as we contemplated the incarnation. Dr. Carter’s lecture “Christmas in July” was broken into three parts: the truth, the story, and the ethic of God’s divine humanity. First, Dr. Carter explained that the truth and power of the incarnation is fundamentally in the person of Jesus Christ and not some credible philosophy. Second, that the revelation of God, the story of incarnation, is one of reconciliation and restoration. And third, that speaking Emmanuel, God with us, is to affirm an ethic of partnership, solidarity, and shared power. Finally, Dr. Carter moved the discussion from the academy to the world, from our heads to our laps, when he narrated the Church’s failure to understand and be the true incarnation as evidenced in colonialism and the slave trade.

Quotes

“To speak of truth is not to speak of what, to speak of truth is to speak of who.”
— Dr. Carter during plenary

“If you want to go to Jesus, go to the people that everyone else tells you not to be around.”
— Dr. Carter during plenary

“I think I’m going to take a vow of silence.”
— A student during an arts workshop on storytelling after considering the seemingly infinite number of ways an audience might hear a single spoken phrase.

“God intends to act with us rather than on us.”
— Fr. Rowell

Other Activities

Today brought our second arts village session, followed by some free time to relax on campus.  During free time, some students took a class on Haitian dance, others talk with the director of admissions at Duke Divinity about college and graduate work, still others enjoyed Frisbee on the lawn or ice cream at the Bryan Student Center.  We also began our first small-group planning sessions for leading worship next week.  Fr. Andrew Rowell joined us for worship and helped us to better understand some of the rituals and practices of highly liturgical Christian traditions.

Looking Ahead

It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of week one.  Tomorrow’s theme of “Christ’s Passion” will bring a somber mood to the community as we explore what it means that Christ lived and died for us.  We’ll again visit the arts village and will also participate in our first prayer practice session, in which we’ll taste a few of the ways Christians have prayed over time.  We’ll welcome Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric in plenary and will explore the Stations of the Cross in evening worship. 

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