Fall 2013

Ivy League Christian Observer

Either click on the magazine below to launch a full-screen Flash-based reader (and then hit your 'esc' key to return to this site), download this issue in a .pdf format, or scroll down to read a selection of the feature articles in the magazine.

November 8, 2013

A Path Marriage Proponents Should Take

By Ryan T. Anderson, Princeton ’04

Supreme_Court

In a 5–4 majority opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy (Harvard Law '61), the Supreme Court in U.S. v. Windsor struck down section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage in federal law for federal policy as the union of one man and one woman. The Court held that the federal government has to accept state redefinitions of marriage for federal policies.

The majority concluded its opinion by stating: "This opinion and its holding are confined to those lawful marriages." So while the federal government has been ordered to recognize all state-recognized marriages, the Court declared that "the definition and regulation of marriage has been treated as being within the authority and realm of the separate States." The states remain free—and should continue—to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

The Court got the case wrong. While there is little of value in the majority opinion, the three dissenting opinions signal the path that marriage proponents should take from here.

November 1, 2013

Analyzing the Analysis: Is the Narrative Changing?

By Jordan Monge, Harvard '12
The following story was reprinted with permission from Christianity Today.

My story is almost always met with surprise: How could an atheist convert to Christianity at Harvard, the bastion of secular intellectual elitism?

Now this reaction has some empirical justification. A recent meta-analysis of studies on religion and intelligence found that yes, overall, people with high IQs and test scores are less likely to be religious.

Intellectual Engagement

October 18, 2013

Leadership Development Ministry Co-Hosts Event with Harvard Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics

Students of various faith backgrounds (and no faith backgrounds) gathered in Harvard's Science Center's Auditorium B on the first Sunday after the start of classes for a debate on the topic, "Can the Christian God Be Good in Light of the Suffering in the World?"

For the second consecutive year, Harvard College Faith and Action (HCFA) and Harvard Community Humanists, Atheists, and Agnostics (HCHAA) co-hosted a debate. HCFA is a leadership development ministry supported and resourced by Christian Union.

October 11, 2013

Ministries Reach Out with a Sense of Urgency

Timing is everything; especially when it comes to freshmen.

The first few days on campus are filled with opportunities for the new students to make choices about relationships and social circles that will impact their college years, and beyond.

That's why ministry leaders throughout the Ivy League are working tirelessly to reach out to freshmen and help them make intentional choices about being part of a Christian community.