THE VINE A JournAl of ChristiAn thought At Middlebury “WhAt does fAith MeAn to you?” Voices of Middlebury students pg. 18 “Jesus: Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?” Is it plausible to rationally have faith in Jesus Christ? pg. 8 “reckLess Faith” Why take risks in God’s name? pg. 28 VoL. 1 no. 1 The Vine “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.” John 15:5 To have faith in someone suggests an awareness of their necessity and added value. To have faith in God means acknowledging him as the source of life, metaphorically “a gardener,” who tends to and nurtures a vineyard. Entering into a relationship with this God includes surrendering to him the right to prune, to replant, to reorder, trusting his wisdom and ability to bring forth the greatest harvest of fruit. This idea is what the scripture John 15:5 speaks of – it implies that humanity was made for a relationship with God and that closeness to him yields abundance. It implies transformation is imminent when we draw close to him, and consequences arise if we pull away. This logically follows if God is indeed “love” itself, as the bible describes him, then remaining in “the vine” means, in fact, to remain in love: “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 14:11-13 This love has inspired us, convicted us, and changed the way we think about the world. We therefore hope to share our faith through The Vine with the Middlebury community. We desire to convey why we’ve found Christianity worthwhile, valuable, essential… it’s why we’ve spent time putting together this journal. We believe the love we’ve found will beneft others as well on the indispensible, life-long journey of searching out mysteries, seeking answers to challenging questions, and having conversations where the two parties involved do not see eye to eye. May we share a closer bond through our tough discussions and come away with fresh revelation on all sides. As a place of discovery, Middlebury serves as a platform for us to engage each other and the world. The invitation is open to us all. We want to send many thanks to The Augustine Collective and Cecil B. Day Foundation for their continued support. Contents Nativity 4 What Does Faith Mean to You? 18 My Beginner Bible 6 Coffee Grounds 20 Discovering Jesus: Lord, Liar, or Lunatic? 8 Not That Kind of Christian 24 Choosing to Believe 12 Audrey Assad - A Music Review 26 What Does It Sound Like? 15 Reckless Faith 28 Translations of The Bible 16 Christian Communities at Middlebury 29 A Collection of Resources 17 The Editorial Vision of The Vine 30 Vine staFF Editorial Board Layout Editor & Special Thanks Emma McDonald `16 Photographer Tank you to the many Jamie Hand `16.5 Liz Stasior `17.5 contributors to Liz Stasior `17.5 “What Does Faith Matthew Blake `17 Contributors Mean To You?” p.18 Blake Harper `15 including Middlebury Faculty Advisor David Park `15 students and alums Maria Hatjigeorgiou Purpose in The Process We here at The Vine come from a range of Christian backgrounds. In our group, there have been and continue to be Christians that identify with Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Congregationalist, Charismatic, and Presbyterian traditions. Even within denominations, there is great variety in perspectives. While this diversity of views has resulted in time discussing important issues in Christianity, it has led to a product that we hope refects a diversity of thought and perspective in the Christian world. For us, the process has been just as important as the product. Over time, we have all learned more about our faith and the importance of listening with love. One of our main goals at the outset was to create a journal that represents, in part, the multidimensionality of Christianity and shows that faith is not one thing. We hope this diversity makes the experience of reading more rich and enjoyable. For this frst issue of The Vine, we asked members of the journal and the Christian community on campus, “What does faith mean to you?” You will fnd in the following pages a variety of answers to that question. The Middlebury Vine 3 Nativity Matthew Blake `17 Curtains of snow and sand blow in shafts of dwindling sunlight. As Earth nestles in night, angels hum in the ears of the shepherds who lead their focks across the plains of Palestine. Dark faces cloaked in pashmina follow these same whisperings to the city under the star where husband and wife, huddled together, wander through packed alleys. Drunken no’s and doors slammed again and again lead the couple to seek refuge in a barn on the edge of town. While oil anointed kings, appeased by feasting, freplaces, and foreign wine, stumble off to silken sheets and smooth pillows, the Sculptor of Suns comes clothed in cold, swaddled in shadow. In this holy of holies, a candle casts the baby in twilight. Ten fngers. Two brown eyes. One mouth. Begotten in obscurity, God sleeps. w 4 The Middlebury Vine -- My Beginne Bible -- Why Keeping it Simple Makes an Impact Emma McDonald `16 Being a reLigion maJor and a practicing ies of Christianity – when I came across the Bible I had Catholic has given me newfound insight into religion as as a kid – “The Beginner’s Bible.” Flipping through it, I well as facets of Christianity. The more classes on Chris- began to realize that the illustrations in this book, which tianity I take, the more I realize how much I still do not I had read as a child, were often present in my imagin- know or understand - and how no matter how much I ings of Bible stories, even in my academic study of them study religion, I will always have so much more to learn. in college. The cartoon characters of this children’s book Though I’m starting to accept this fact, it makes had become a tool for me to understand these stories me wonder – if I, a privileged college student who is and their basic frameworks. spending years of her life studying Christianity, am In revisiting this book, I recognized the beau- coming to this realization, how must those who don’t ty of narrative in the Bible. Of course the details are have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth study of important: the change in meaning due to translation, the Christianity and its texts feel about the ostensibly daunt- historical context of each story, etc. But I was reminded ing task the Bible presents? that for me, and perhaps for many other Christians, the Recently, I was feeling overwhelmed by this stories themselves are what I remember best, what helps realization – that my whole lifetime, no matter how long, to guide me as I confront challenges and make decisions. is not enough time to wrap my head around the myster- Sometimes focusing on the simplicity of Jesus’ 6 The Middlebury Vine Artist Anonymous These illustrations depict the story of Jesuus on earth, beginning with the night of his birth when a star appears in the sky to guide the wisemen to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12). Jesus recieves his baptism and sees the Holy Spirit descend on him from above (Matthew 3:13-17). On the cross, Jesus suffers a painful death; the sky turns dark for three hours (Matthew 27:27-66). Three days later, an angel comes to roll back the stone from the tomb and to anncounce “He is Risen” (Matthew 28:1-10). message is best – it helps me to avoid excuses, to avoid theological questions. Anyone can love, and everyone putting off what might be hard to do even though it’s needs to be loved. Though this message is simple and right. Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God does not release us from the necessary task of Biblical with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all and ethical scholarship to address the complex problems your mind.’ This is the greatest and frst commandment. of our time, it’s a good place to start. Going back to the And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as Beginner’s Bible reminds me of what was so obvious yourself ”’ (Matthew 22:37-39). to me in childhood: that we are called to love and to be This passage, though short, is so powerful in loved. As St. Therese of Lisieux said, “Jesus has shown conveying what we are called to do, and when I feel me the only way that leads to the fre of divine love: it is bogged down by the arguments among intellectuals or that of a little child who, full of trust, falls asleep in its theologians, I come back to this passage and remember father’s arms.” This is what faith means to me. w that love should always guide how we think about I come back to thIs passage and remember that love should always guIde how we thInk about theologIcal questIons. anyone can love, and everyone needs to be loved. The Middlebury Vine 7 Discovering Jesus “Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?” Liz Stasior `17.5 “‘But what aBout you?’ he asked.