Conversations from Campus: Emily sunshine

I call her Emily sunshine.

She sat down at my table in the Student Union and reported she was experiencing serious doubts about her faith, due to a philosophy class and an influential atheist friend.

In class, the philosophy professor insisted on exposing students to outspoken skeptic Sam Harris on a regular basis, wearing Emily down.

The atheist friend wasn't helping much, either.

I asked if she wanted to maintain her faith or slip into deep skepticism, a la David Hume, the famous 18th c. Scottish philosopher.

"Faith," she insisted.

We talked through some arguments for the truth of Christianity.

"The arguments are pretty good, huh," I pointed out.

She nodded.

"But not exactly proof. Good reasons, but not proof."

"She nodded again."

"Arguments take us only so far. Christ needs to be confirmed in our personal experience as well."

She was into it. "Okay, this is good. This is what I want."

A step in the right direction -- aiming for a life of faith.

Then it happened.

Not two seconds after Emily's realization about faith the clouds parted and the sun shown down through an overhead window, directly on her face. Literally, she was beaming.

"What? Is this really happening?!!" we both blurted out, laughing.

Next day I saw her again, still glowing. Emily sunshine. Or maybe I should call her Moses.


graphic credit: http://laptopclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/clip-art-sun-140.jpg

Conversations from Campus: Ruth in 9a, part 3

See my prior two posts for how the conversation landed here.


"I have a diagram for you," I said to Ruth in 9a.

The light was dim in the cabin as the pilot announced our initial descent into St. Louis.

"Okay," Ruth nodded.

"Here's Judaism." I drew a vertical line in the air, top to bottom. "And here's an off-shoot." Now the line had become an h.

I continued: "This is how we normally think about Judaism and Christianity. Judaism is the straight line, Christianity the off-shoot."

"Right."

"But what if it's the other way around?" I continued to mime. "What if Christianity is the true Judaism and the off-shoot is simply a hold-over from the past?" *

Ruth regarded me for a moment without speaking. For the first time in an hour I was aware of the low rumble of jet propulsion. Finally I offered gently, "Am I pushing you too hard?"

"Not at all. I want to think about these matters. Maybe you should come and talk to students at Wash U sometime."

"Just invite me. I come cheap."

She grinned and we talked more about her campus.

The big Delta plane was barreling down through banks of dense clouds. Sensing the Spirit, I asked Ruth if I could put one final idea on the table. One I rarely use. She agreed without hesitation.

I said carefully, "Perhaps God placed me here to talk with you on this flight."

"You're actually the second InterVarsity person I talked with today," she responded.

I laughed. "Maybe the Lord is trying to get your attention. Anyway, I don't want to get a messiah complex here. I don't normally tell people that God placed me in their life."

"It's okay. I know what you're saying."

We deplaned and walked up the jet bridge together. In the terminal there was a brief handshake as I gave her my card but didn't ask for her info. "Email me if you wish," I said lightly.

"Enjoy St. Louis."

It was over. I kept my distance as we wound through the terminal.

Lord, would you touch the heart of Ruth in 9a.

* See Rabbi Michael Hilton and Father Gordian Marshall, The Gospels and Rabbinic Judaism: A Study Guide (SCM Press, London, 1988), pp. 115-17.

Conversations from Campus: Ruth in 9a, part 2

See last week for the run-up to "Ruth in 9a's" point-blank question to me: "Am I going to hell?"

I hesitated. She reassured me: "Seriously. I want to know."

Looking back across the empty seat between us, I could no longer see Ruth's face. Just her profile in the fading 6pm light, framed in the cabin window at 30,000 feet.

"Hell is a place God will never bother you again," I said. "None of his good gifts will be there. Is that what you want? It's your choice."

"I believe even an atheist will be accepted by God if they're a good person. More so than a bad religious person," she asserted.

Religious pluralism. I thought as much.

"May I challenge you with something?" I asked.

"Sure."

"It sounds like you're saying that anyone who's a good person will be accepted by God. It doesn't really depend on any religious commitments."

"Right."

"That goes against how many Christians practice their faith. They believe the only path to God is through Jesus. So you're telling us we're wrong."

"Yes . . . I suppose I am."

"Usually it's the other way around. People accuse Christians of being exclusive. But I guess everyone is exclusive at some point."

"I hadn't thought of it that way."

"Never sit by an evangelist on an airplane."

She laughed and waved a hand. "No, I love these conversations. I find them enlightening."

"You're a brave soul."

I asked about her studies. She feels called to be a doctor (like her father), to help people in need.

She explained her affiliation with an organization that provides free medical service to the rural poor in Latin America.

She was articulate, impressive.

God was with me. I suggested she think of her calling and abilities as divine gifts and that if she would connect them to Jesus they'd come alive. She'd be empowered beyond her imaginings.

"I'll have to think about that," she reflected.

St. Louis was imminent. Before touchdown, our conversation took an unusual turn. I'll share it next week.

photo credit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brett-gallaher/four-reasons-why-you-are-_b_4152013.html

Conversations from Campus: Ruth in 9a, part 1

Delta Airlines, seat 9c, Ruth was in 9a.   

9b -- between us -- was empty.

I asked if she lives in St. Louis.

"I go to school there."

"Wash U?"

"Yeah, pre-med."

"Wow, I could never do that. Must be hard."

"It's a challenge but I love it. And you?"

"College campus ministry. Headed to our national staff conference in St. Louis. Ever heard of InterVarsity? There's a chapter at your school."

"Yeah, one of my friends goes to InterVarsity. What do you do there?"

Only 60 seconds gone and I was fully engaged. She was sharp, conversational, mature.

"We study the Bible and try to apply it to our lives. You ever read the Bible?"

"I'm Jewish, Reformed. Not really practicing Judaism. So, no."

"How do you define what it means to be Jewish? I'm told by my rabbi friend that it's an on-going discussion in the Jewish community."

"True. Not everyone agrees on a definition. My parents are both Jewish, so I was born into it."

We talked a bit more about Jewish identity -- Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, secular. Something along those lines. Then she asked about my Christianity.

"I'm an evangelical Christian."

"What does evangelical really mean?"

"Evangelicals believe in the authority of the Bible and all that it teaches about Christ and salvation."

"So you take the Bible literally?"

This question comes up frequently in my travels. I was ready for her.

"Just the literal parts," I responded.

She smiled. 

After a moment's pause she looked me dead in the eye and said abruptly, "Am I going to hell? Please tell me. I want to know what you think. I won't be offended by what you say."

Next week: the middle of our conversation.

graphic credit: http://www.blisstree.com/2009/08/16/sex-relationships/new-airplane-seat-cover-by-sure-fit/

See you next week!

Conversations from Campus: Bible Interpretation 4: The Impasse (part 2)

Last week we saw that college students Bob and Alison disagree on the meaning of a Bible passage:

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John 2).

Alison thinks the text was written as a general well-wishing in the Lord, as if to say, "Be blessed in all things."

Bob thinks the passage refers to financial blessings. He's been in economic hardship all school year and believes the Holy Spirit gave him the text in a time of intense prayer as a promise of financial prosperity.

Two thoughts:

1. In their excellent book, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Fee and Stuart insist that "a text cannot mean what it never meant."*

So if the author of 3 John, under the inspiration of the Spirit, never intended to promise financial blessing per se, then we are not free to read it that way. We cannot override the author.

2. Bob seems to be spiritualizing things, making his interpretation unquestionable. Who can question anyone who says, "God said this to me."

I'm not saying God cannot speak directly to his people. He certainly can and does. 

But I do think we need to receive such direct words from God with a sense of humility, aware of our own fallibilities. Best to turn to trusted advisors and ask, "What do you think? I seem to be getting this message from the Lord. Does it sound right? Does it line up with Scripture?"

So: Both Alison and Bob cannot be correct here, in my view. I'm siding with Alison. What do you think?

* Introduction

Conversations from Campus: Bible Interpretation 3: The Impasse

Alison and Bob, two sincere, God-honoring, Bible-believing college students disagree on the meaning of a biblical text.

So who's right?

The choices are:

1. Alison is right, Bob is wrong. Or:

2. Bob is right, Alison is wrong. Or:

3. They're both wrong.

That all seems plain enough.

Question: Can they both be right?

Well, not in the same respect. To my thinking the Scripture cannot ultimately contradict itself. Thus opposing interpretations cannot both be correct.

At this point Bob, who's actually a sophomore at Big U, offers a way around his impasse with Alison. He insists the text "means" whatever it "means to me." That is, the Holy Spirit has led him to interpret the text a certain way for a specific situation in his life. Surely no one can forbid such reliance on the Spirit.

How would you respond to Bob? 

(I'll offer a suggestion next week.)