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Religious Liberty in the United States; St. Augustine and J.R.R. Tolkien; It Takes a Village; The Most Diverse Movement in History; Join Believers in Seeking God Together During the November Great Experiment and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
 
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After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
— Rev. 7:9-10

Scholar Served for Seven Years Following Death of Peter Gomes 


By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer

Harvard’s minister of Memorial Church has stepped down after seven years of service to become dean of Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity. Jonathon Walton, who also served as Harvard’s Plummer Professor of Christian Morals, is a highly-regarded scholar and author.

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Jonathon Walton, Harvard University’s minister of Memorial Church, stepped down to become dean of Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity. 


In 2012, Harvard appointed the Atlanta native to Memorial Church, where he succeeded the university’s beloved, longtime minister Peter Gomes ’68 after his unexpected passing. Walton began his stint on the faculty of Harvard Divinity School in 2010.

While at Harvard, he focused his research on the intersection of religion, politics, and culture, and frequently spoke out about social issues on campus and beyond. 

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
— Colossians 4:12

Sometimes prayer is hard work, plain and simple. One friend in ministry is committed to spend four hours in prayer every day. While he has experienced some moments of great pleasure in God’s presence, he said that it’s mostly an exercise of buffeting his body and mastering the desires of his flesh. 

Graduate School of Design Ministry Hosts Finals’ Event

By Eileen Scott, Contributing Writer

 

This spring, the Harvard Graduate School of Design Christian Fellowship offered a soothing cup of tea and encouraging conversation to 200 students in the midst of final projects, writing essays, and perfecting drawings.

 

TeaSummer19On April 27, ministry leaders hosted a Finals Tea for their colleagues at the Graduate School of Design. The event, which began four years ago, is designed to offer calm amidst the academic storm and give students an appreciation for sabbath rest. It’s a critical gesture of kindness during a time when students can become so overwhelmed they are susceptible to depression, and even thoughts of suicide, according to event coordinator and design student Vivian Kuong.

The Finals Tea was spot on in providing respite that allowed sabbath peace to permeate the lives of students who often plow through busy schedules without much thought of the power of rest. Kuong helped transform the Stubbins Room of Gund Hall into a sanctuary; candles burned in the dimly lit room that was fragranced by fresh flowers. Acoustic worship music helped to soothe frayed nerves.

A Graduate Student’s Faith Journey Through MATHEMATICS

By Jon Garaffa, Princeton ’20

 

Princeton mathematics student Evan O’Dorney’s accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary. Yet, even with his many feats, he gives all glory to God. A trailblazer among the next generation of mathematicians, O’Dorney credits his Catholic faith as the source of his exceptional work ethic.

mathPrinceton doctoral candidate Evan O’Dorney glorifies God through his amazing mathematical abilities. 


While homeschooled in California, he medaled four times in the International Math Olympiad and won the Intel Science Talent Search at the national level. After graduating from Harvard summa cum laude, he completed Part III of the Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge, one of the most challenging mathematics courses in the world. Having received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program award in support of his research, O’Dorney is currently undergoing his doctoral studies under Fields Medal winner Manjul Bhargava.

John Lennox: Has Science Buried God?; Bible Course Brotherhood; Groaning for God; Why (More Than Ever Before) You Need to Read Deeply; Judge: U of Iowa Officials Have to Pay for Repeated Discrimination Against Christian Groups and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
 
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During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
— Exodus 2:23-25

Christian Union Hosts Three Engaging Events

During the spring semester, Christian Union’s ministry at Cornell organized three different outreach events in an effort to serve the community and further God’s kingdom in big and small ways.

In March, the ministry hosted a screening of the documentary Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution to spark a conversation on the dangers of the hookup culture. A panel discussion and Q and A session followed.

by whit hazelton

On April 7, 2019, our team posted a short video to the Christian Union Day and Night Facebook page. Compared to our usual daily posts, the video was unremarkable. It featured a stock video clip of rain drops softly falling on a street, overlaid with the following quote from David Wilkerson, evangelist, pastor, and author of the book The Cross and The Switchblade:

“When God calls you to something, He is not always calling you to succeed, He’s calling you to obey. The success of the calling is up to Him; the obedience is up to you.”

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Orchestra, Choir Ensemble Celebrates 20-Year Anniversary 

By Chris Bolton, Columbia ’19

The Columbia University Bach Society’s spring concert featured the music of its namesake, including selections that proclaimed Christ as Lord.

Since its founding in 1999 through its twentieth anniversary campaign this year, the student-run orchestra and choir ensemble has been a major part of musical life at Columbia. Comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as young musicians from New York City, the Bach Society consistently delivers stellar performances of sacred music from the Baroque and Classical periods. In the last five years alone, concerts have included selections from Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat, and Mozart’s Requiem, among others.

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The Columbia Bach Society held its spring concert, "Bach to Bach," on  April 27 at St. Paul's Chapel. 

Dartmouth Christians Unite to Seek the Lord 


By Lauren Curiotto, Contributing Writer

 

Each June, the entire rising junior class returns to Dartmouth College’s campus for what is known as Sophomore Summer. For ten weeks, students have the opportunity to try out new extracurriculars, gain momentum within their major in a more relaxed environment, and build stronger relationships with their classmates. This summer session in scenic Hanover, New Hampshire is a welcome respite from the usual academic rigor. Despite the university’s modest undergraduate population of 6,300 during the academic year, students are often too busy to dedicate as much time as they would like to connect with their peers and venture outside their familiar social circles. 

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