During the pottery session within the Youth Academy’s Arts Village, student Elyse Martin participated in a meditative prayer practice through the use of clay. |
At a Glance
Theme:
God and Creation: Finding Exilic and Baptismal Themes in the Creation Story
Faculty Speaker:
Dr. Ellen Davis, Professor of Bible and Practical Theology
Lectionary Texts:
Genesis 1:6-2:4a; Psalm 8; Genesis 2:15-25; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Evening Worship:
Maria Surat began the service with a flute solo. Rev. Lisa Yebuah preached on the re-Creation of old self in Christ of which Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians 5. She helped us to reflect on the things of our ‘old life’ that hold us back from being completely transformed and encouraged us to “threaten them with Resurrection.” Rev. Janice Virtue led us in the Eucharist.
Reflections on the Lecture
Today Dr. Davis helped us read the stories of Creation in Genesis 1 and 2 with new eyes. We learned that the first story of Creation is a liturgical poem that was probably first written in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC. We explored this familiar story from the perspective of both an exiled people and a baptized people.
Quotable Quotes from the Plenary Lecture
“[Our creation in God’s image] tells us that we are more like each other than we are different.”
“To read the Bible well, you must use your imagination, which is that part of us that looks beneath the surface of things.”
“We as humans are not ‘favored’ but instead have a ‘special species perspective.’”
Overheard in the halls of the divinity school...
“We often misuse the term ‘Christian’ as an adjective when it is truly a noun. Inanimate objects are not ‘Christian’; instead we should think of ourselves as Christians engaging in art as creatures made in the image of a creative God.” —Sarah Arthur, artist-in-residence
“Icons are divine images, written by humans’ hands led by the Holy Spirit.”
—Carole Baker, artist-in-residence
Dorm Life 101…
(15 minutes after lights out)
Brian Hardesty-Crouch, chaplain: “Dude, you’re supposed to be in bed!”
Student: “Really?”
(During move-in on Sunday)
Staff member: “Glad you could afford to send two teens here.”
Parent: “I can’t afford not too!”
What’s ahead...
Tomorrow we will welcome the congregation at Duke Chapel into our community as they serve us our second hospitality meal.
Our plenary lecturer for Wednesday will be Dr. Thea Portier-Young, Assistant Professor of Old Testament. She will speak to us on the theme of God and Covenant.
We are excited about tomorrow’s service opportunities as ways to put our newly-learned theology into practice. Members of our community will travel to such places as
Anathoth Community Garden,
the Murdoch Center
and the Ronald McDonald House.
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