At a Glance
Theme:
Christ’s Resurrection: The Miraculous and Supernatural Central Event of our Faith
Faculty Speaker:
Rev. Dr. Warren Smith, Assistant Professor of Historical Theology
Lectionary Texts:
Exodus 14:10-14, 21-25; 15:20-21; Psalm 118:1-2,14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-23; Luke 24:1-35
Chet Sigmon and RA Forrest Boone play a game
of “Frisbee tennis.” |
Joseph Herrera helps
lead evening worship. |
Kiersten Jeske and Louisa Meyer lead music during evening worship with Arts Village Asst. Vince Gaulin and Mentor Josh Hubert. |
Rev. Dr. Warren Smith leads the morning plenary session. |
Reflections on the Lecture
Dr. Smith began the lecture with a definition for and differentiation between adiaphora and dogma. He defined the former as those things on which Christians can “agree to disagree” while still calling themselves Christians. Adiaphora would include celibacy of ordained ministers, and different forms of baptism (immersion or sprinkling). Dogma, on the other hand, is the set of beliefs on which Christianity is based and which must be accepted by believers. This includes the triune concept of God, the belief that Jesus was God incarnate, at once fully man and fully divine, as well as belief in resurrection.
Dr. Smith then helped us explore this theme by focusing on three different areas: resurrection of believers, Jesus' resurrection, and the implications of Christ's resurrection. We saw through reading Paul's letters to the Corinthians that resurrection was the central belief of the early church. Without resurrection, we can't make sense of the rest of the biblical narrative.
Jesus' resurrection from the dead means that He achieved victory over sin and death, triumph of justice, and bodily resurrection. We are baptized into Jesus' death and then raised with him so that we no longer must fear death. In light of Jesus' victory, the politics of fear associated with this world's power struggles have no hold on us.
Theological Jargon of the Day
adiaphora vs. dogma
From Dr. Smith (plenary session):
“The Romans did not invent crucifixion. They simply perfected it as a political tool.”
“Resurrection brings evidence that Christ’s justice triumphed.”
“Your body is something sacred that God has made. Take care of it, for it is going to be with you for eternity.”
Quotable Quotes
“I’ve always been so scared to die until our Plenary this morning.”
— A DYA student reflecting on the morning’s discussion
“Say a Christian never takes communion. What does that mean for them?”
— A question from a student during Rev. Dr. Warren Smith’s Plenary Session
“Sparticani, Epicureans, and Platonists…He’s got the whole world in his hands.”
— Fred Edie leading our community in a song following Plenary
Other Activities
This evening, Korean Agape United Methodist Church provided a delicious Asian-fusion hospitality meal. We went to another prayer practice this afternoon where students explored the Book of Common Prayer, Catholic prayer practices, a service of healing, Lectio Divina, prayer journaling, the potter’s wheel, and solo spiritual direction with our chaplain, Brian Hardesty-Crouch. In evening worship, the Rev. Shane Benjamin of Asbury Temple United Methodist Church preached a powerful sermon on the power of Christ’s resurrection in turning the common into the sacred. Tonight was the first night that worship was planned and led by a team of DYA students.
What’s Ahead...
Tomorrow we will begin a three-part exploration of Life in the Spirit. Dr. Stanley Hauerwas will lecture on “Life in the Spirit: The Church as Witness.” Students will continue their preparations for leading evening worship this week as well as ways to encounter God through the arts in the DYA Arts Village. We welcome Rev. Margot Hausmann as our preacher in worship and visitors from Mt. Level Baptist Church, who will be providing our hospitality meal.
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