Old “Hot News” Items

Date Posted	Announcement
1 October 2008	December 27–31, 2008 Marriott Magnificent Mile, Chicago, Illinois This conference, held every five years, is the highlight of the IV graduate and faculty program. Several of us from Stanford attended it in 1998 (Chicago) and 2003 (Atlanta). The previous Chicago meeting was a wonderful experience for me: the thrill of being with some 1,100 other academics (grad students, postdocs, faculty, staff) who see Jesus as simply the best has never left me. Especially memorable was a midnight session where we welcomed in the New Year with worship and prayer. If you can make it at all, do so! This is the best conference I have ever attended. Also needed are donors who can supply funds for student scholarships for this event. Contact Pete Sommer if you can help. See http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/features/fc08 for full details. —from Ray Cowan
6 June 2008	Event honoring the work of Dr. Paul Hensleigh June 6, 7:30 pm Mountain View campus of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church 1667 Miramonte Avenue, Mountain View MPPC is presenting a viewing of the full-length NOVA-PBS special A Walk to Beautiful at 7:30 PM on Friday, June 6, 2008, at the MPPC Mountain View campus (1667 Miramonte Avenue, Mountain View). This film portrays the lives of five Ethiopian women who fight to reclaim their lives after giving birth, and is presented by MPPC to honor Paul's work, who was one of our own until his passing last November. We all remember very well Paul's irrepressible enthusiasm for his work saving the lives of women in childbirth in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and other countries, his "Zoe" anti-shock garment ("Zoe" being the Greek word for spiritual life), and his deep trust in God. —from Ray Cowan
29 February 2008	Belief in An Age of Skepticism? A Lecture By Dr. Timothy J. Keller, author of The Reason for God and Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City March 5, 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:45pm) Dinkenspiel Auditorium, Stanford University Parking available at Tresidder Union On MARCH 5TH AT 7:30 AT DINKELSPIEL AUDITORIUM (just across from Tresidder Union on Stanford's campus; see map), Tim Keller, will deliver a lecture entitled, "Belief In An Age of Skepticism?" He will address many of the common objections raised in response to Christianity, such as the following: Doesn't Christianity stifle individual freedom and destroy diversity? How could a good God allow suffering? Isn't the Bible historically unreliable and culturally regressive? Why has the church been the cause of so much injustice? Why isn't Christianity more inclusive? A question-and-answer session with members of the audience will follow the lecture, which is sponsored by Reformed University Fellowship at Stanford University and co-sponsored by the Veritas Forum. For questions, contact Dan Tucker at danieldaytucker AT gmail.com. More information about Dr. Keller's book, The Reason for God is available at www.reasonforgod.com. The Influentials issue of New York magazine featured Dr. Keller as "the most successful Christian evangelist in [New York City] by recognizing that young professionals and artists are 'disproportionately influential' in creating the country's culture and that you have to meet this coveted demographic on its own terms." Says the New York Times, "Observing Dr. Keller's professorial pose on stage, it is easy to understand his appeal." —from Pete Sommer
29 February 2008	God and the Genome: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief A talk and Q&A session with geneticist Francis Collins Earlier this month, on February 5, Francis Collins, the coordinator of the Human Genome Project, Director of the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, and author of The Language of God, presented reasons for belief in God in a talk and Q&A session at Memorial Auditorium. Dr. Collins, introduced by Prof. Bill Newsome (chair of the Stanford Department of Neurobiology), spoke to an overflow crowd of 2300 people. Audio and video recordings of the event are available for download at franciscollinstalk.stanford.edu. The event was sponsored by InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship at Stanford, the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship at Stanford, and co-sponsored by The Veritas Forum. —&8211;Ray Cowan
8 November 2007	Paul Hensleigh Breakfast in Arbuckle, June 22, 2007. Left to right: Paul Hensleigh, Pete Sommer, Marga Jann, Merritt Maduke, and Merritt's son Max.   Breakfast in Arbuckle, June 22, 2007. Top to bottom: Paul Hensleigh, Pete Sommer, Marga Jann, Merritt's son Max, and Merritt Maduke. Dear Friends, Paul's Memorial Service will be held next Thursday, November 15, 2 PM at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, 950 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, California. Paul's website is http://www.paulprayer.blogspot.com/, and I imagine Bonnie will give any needed updates. I know we hold her in our prayers. Jesus, rock of strength, our tower,             In your death we put our trust. When you died, death lost its power,             When you rose it turned to dust. Let your bitter agony,             Suffered for us, comfort me. Dying safe in its protection,             We have life and resurrection.                            - Johann Heermann (c. 1640). —Pete Sommer The Hensleigh Family Trust Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. —Psalm 20:7
8 November 2007	It's time to update our "Who We Are" page As the new academic year begins, it's time to update our Who We Are page. All regular and occasional participants in any of the faculty fellowship groups (campus, medical, or SLAC) are encouraged to review the listings and send any changes (add a listing, update your listing, or remove your listing) to rcowan@stanford.edu. Many thanks for helping us keep our information up-to-date. —Ray F. Cowan
17 September 2006	Faculty Fellowship monthly lunches to start October 6, 2006 On Friday October 6th at 12 noon, the Faculty Fellowship is holding our first monthly "bring your own lunch" Fellowship meeting. The aim is to re-connect, encourage each other, report and pray together. Drinks will be provided. It's our plan to meet once a month on a noon hour, through the year. Place: Building 60, next to Memorial Church, in the Common Room. We hope to see you there. In Christ, Bill Newsome (Neurobiology), Merritt Maduke (Molecular Physiology), Jeff Strnad (Law), Paul Hensleigh (Med Emeritus), Christina Kong (Med-Cytopathology), Andy Chan (Business), Ray Cowan (SLAC), Pete Sommer (InterVarsity Grad) Date: Friday October 6, 2006 Time: 12 Noon–1 PM Place: Building 60 Common Room Building 60 is right next to Memorial Church on the Quad—first structure to the right, facing the Church.
17 September 2006	It's time to update our "Who We Are" page As the new academic year begins, it's time to update our Who We Are page. All regular and occasional participants in any of the faculty fellowship groups (campus, medical, or SLAC) are encouraged to review the listings and send any changes (add a listing, update your listing, or remove your listing) to rcowan@stanford.edu. Many thanks for helping us keep our information up-to-date. —Ray F. Cowan
29 March 2006	Christian Faculty "Bring Your Own" Lunch, April 7, 2006 We have several Christian faculty new to Stanford this year. Let's welcome them and re-connect with each other. To that end, we're holding a Christian Faculty "Bring Your Own" Lunch: Date: Friday April 7th, 2006 Time: 12 Noon – 1 PM Place: Building 60 Common Room Building 60 is right next to Memorial Church on the Quad — first structure to the right, facing the Church. —Pete Sommer, Ray Cowan, Merritt Maduke, Jeff Strnad, Paul Hensleig
12 October 2005	New InterVarsity G&FM Staff Leadership This fall Pete Sommer takes over for Rick Hernandez as our InterVarsity Graduate & Faculty Ministries staff person. We want to thank Rick immensely for his wonderful service with us, and we are sorry to see him leave, but know he is looking forward to new opportunities. At the same time, we want to warmly welcome Pete and look forward to his time of service with us and the new adventures coming. Many thanks to you both, Pete and Rick! —Ray F. Cowan
24 May 2005	Veritas Forum at Stanford: May 1–5, 2005 Participants included Michael Behe, Douglas Geivett, Gary Habermas, Greg Jesson, Scotty McLennan (Stanford's Dean for Religious Life), Nancy Pearcey, Stanford's own Richard Rorty (Comparative Literature and Philosophy), and Dallas Willard. See www.veritas.org/Stanford for the full schedule and other details. The Veritas site also has many multimedia (audio and/or video) recordings from prior Veritas Forums around the county. Enjoy! The schedule, in brief: Sunday, May 1, 2005 Step Show and Concert With Curtis Zachery 9:00–10:30 PM, Cubberley Auditorium, School of Education Monday, May 2, 2005 Life Will Break Your Heart: Reflections on Evil, Suffering, and the Meaning of it All Greg Jesson (Philosopher, University of Iowa) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center The Empire Strikes Back: My Rejoinders to Scientific, Theological, and Social Criticisms of Intelligent Design Michael Behe (Professor of Biochemistry, Lehigh University; author, Darwin's Black Box 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library The Question of Authority Lecture and discussion with Richard Rorty (Professor of Comparative Literature and Philosophy, Stanford University) and Dallas Willard (Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California), moderated by Rev. Scotty McLennan (Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University) 6:30–8:00 PM, Lecture Hall 200, William R. Hewlett Teaching Center (TCSEQ) The Argument for Intelligent Design in Biology Lecture and Q&A with Michael Behe (Professor of Biochemistry, Lehigh University; author, Darwin's Black Box) 8:30–10:00 PM, Lecture Hall 200, William R. Hewlett Teaching Center (TCSEQ) Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Miracles: Fiction or Reality? Douglas Geivett (Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center How Can Reason Survive the Modern University? Dallas Willard (Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California) 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library Ethics and Authority on the Campuses Today: What it is and How it Works Lecture and Q&A with Dallas Willard (Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California) 7:30–9:00 PM, Memorial Church Musical Performances Approximately 9:30 PM, Stanford Coffee House, Tressider Union Wednesday, May 4, 2005 New Testament Reliability and the Implications for Today (i.e., The Da Vinci Code Phenomenon) Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center Darwin Meets the Berenstain Bears: The Cultural Implications of Evolution Nancy Pearcey (Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar, World Journalism Institute; senior fellow, Discovery Institute; author, Total Truth) 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library Total Truth: Getting Past the Gatekeepers Nancy Pearcey (Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar, World Journalism Institute; senior fellow, Discovery Institute; author, Total Truth) 7:30–9:00 PM, Memorial Church Thursday, May 5, 2005 The Silence of God: How do we react when God doesn't relate to us as we expect, doesn't answer our prayers and we feel abandoned? Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center Near Death Experiences: True or False? Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library The Resurrection Evidence that Changed a Generation Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 7:30–9:00 PM, Lecture Hall 200, William R. Hewlett Teaching Center (TCSEQ) —Ray F. Cowan
3 May 2005	Next Veritas Forum at Stanford: May 1–5, 2005 Another Veritas Forum is coming to Stanford! Participants include Michael Behe, Douglas Geivett, Gary Habermas, Greg Jesson, Scotty McLennan (Stanford's Dean for Religious Life), Nancy Pearcey, Stanford's own Richard Rorty (Comparative Literature and Philosophy), and Dallas Willard. See www.veritas.org/Stanford for the full schedule and other details. The Veritas site also has many multimedia (audio and/or video) recordings from prior Veritas Forums around the county. Enjoy! The schedule, in brief: Sunday, May 1, 2005 Step Show and Concert With Curtis Zachery 9:00–10:30 PM, Cubberley Auditorium, School of Education Monday, May 2, 2005 Life Will Break Your Heart: Reflections on Evil, Suffering, and the Meaning of it All Greg Jesson (Philosopher, University of Iowa) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center The Empire Strikes Back: My Rejoinders to Scientific, Theological, and Social Criticisms of Intelligent Design Michael Behe (Professor of Biochemistry, Lehigh University; author, Darwin's Black Box 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library The Question of Authority Lecture and discussion with Richard Rorty (Professor of Comparative Literature and Philosophy, Stanford University) and Dallas Willard (Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California), moderated by Rev. Scotty McLennan (Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University) 6:30–8:00 PM, Lecture Hall 200, William R. Hewlett Teaching Center (TCSEQ) The Argument for Intelligent Design in Biology Lecture and Q&A with Michael Behe (Professor of Biochemistry, Lehigh University; author, Darwin's Black Box) 8:30–10:00 PM, Lecture Hall 200, William R. Hewlett Teaching Center (TCSEQ) Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Miracles: Fiction or Reality? Douglas Geivett (Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center How Can Reason Survive the Modern University? Dallas Willard (Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California) 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library Ethics and Authority on the Campuses Today: What it is and How it Works Lecture and Q&A with Dallas Willard (Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California) 7:30–9:00 PM, Memorial Church Musical Performances Approximately 9:30 PM, Stanford Coffee House, Tressider Union Wednesday, May 4, 2005 New Testament Reliability and the Implications for Today (i.e., The Da Vinci Code Phenomenon) Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center Darwin Meets the Berenstain Bears: The Cultural Implications of Evolution Nancy Pearcey (Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar, World Journalism Institute; senior fellow, Discovery Institute; author, Total Truth) 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library Total Truth: Getting Past the Gatekeepers Nancy Pearcey (Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar, World Journalism Institute; senior fellow, Discovery Institute; author, Total Truth) 7:30–9:00 PM, Memorial Church Thursday, May 5, 2005 The Silence of God: How do we react when God doesn't relate to us as we expect, doesn't answer our prayers and we feel abandoned? Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 9:30–11:00 AM, Kissick Auditorium, Arrillaga Family Sports Center Near Death Experiences: True or False? Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 3:15–4:45 PM, Meyer Forum, Meyer Library The Resurrection Evidence that Changed a Generation Gary Habermas (Distinguished Professor of Apologetics and Philosophy, Liberty University) 7:30–9:00 PM, Lecture Hall 200, William R. Hewlett Teaching Center (TCSEQ) —Ray F. Cowan
13 September 2004	PBS four-hour documentary The Question of God A documentary entitled The Question of God will be broadcast nationwide on PBS on in two segments on Wednesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 22. This documentary is an outgrowth of a course taught at Harvard by Dr. Armand Nicholi on the philosophical stances of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis. Quoting Dr. Nicholi: “When Harvard invited me to teach a course on Sigmund Freud many years ago, I focused the readings on Freud's philosophical writings. The students found these works provocative but unbalanced. When I added C.S. Lewis as a counterpoint, the class discussion ignited. The writings of Freud and Lewis are strikingly parallel. Freud raises an argument and Lewis attempts to answer it. While Freud continues to serve as the primary spokesman for the secular worldview in our culture, Lewis, for many, serves as the primary spokesman for the spiritual worldview.” More information is available from PBS at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/. A 16-page discussion guide is also available. Local (Mountain View cable) listings show that Part I will be shown on KQED at 10:00 P.M. on Wednesday, September 15, and on KTEH at 8:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 21. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area. You may also want to check the C.S. Lewis Foundation's website at www.cslewis.org for other Lewis-related events, including retreats, seminars, and summer schools. —Ray F. Cowan
24 August 2004	Ideas for the Fall 2004 Quarter At a recent meeting of the campus group, Rick Hernandez proposed a topic for us to focus on during the Fall 2004 quarter. Rick writes: What special opportunities and/or challenges do you personally experience as a Christian working in academia—issues related to relationships, witness, intellectual problems, occupational pressures, vices & virtues, etc.? In what ways does being a disciple make sense of (or complicate) what your are doing here? My hope is that we can make some sort of regular (once a month?) rotation of discussions based on these questions--either on a person-by-person or a topic-by-topic basis--and that the fellowship can better serve (pastorally, at least) its members in this way. I'm interested not only in your own reflections on the questions I've raised above but also on how we might go about exploring those reflections together. Thanks to Rick for posing this very interesting question. What difference does it really make if you are a Christian at Stanford (or in academia in general)? —Ray F. Cowan
22 June 2004	The Journey with Jesus continues! After a year's hiatus, our former InterVarsity staffer, Dan Clendenin, has re-started his The Journey with Jesus essay series which he began while he was still with us at Stanford. You can find his new essays at his new website, www.journeywithjesus.net. This is part of Dan's new, non-profit The Journey with Jesus Foundation emphasizing scholarship, philanthropy, and consulting for the global church. —Ray F. Cowan
18 May 2004	C.S. Lewis Summer Conference: The Fantastic Worlds of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien The second C.S. Lewis Summer Conference at the University of San Diego, June 24–27, is rapidly approaching. Last year, we celebrated Lewis as a champion of "Mere Christianity". This year, during "The Fantastic Worlds of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien" conference, we commemorate the imaginative legacy left by both Lewis and Tolkien, poignantly exhibited in their fantasy works. The conference considers how myth captured the creativity of Oxford's two legendary twentieth century scholars and the lingering influence of their "faerie-stories" in our own time (to register, visit: http://www.cslewis.org/programs/regional/west/2004/index.html). We invite you to enjoy a program of lectures and seminars by renowned Lewis and Tolkien scholars, Peter Kreeft, Jerry Root, Joseph Pearce, and Paul Ford, who will be joined by poet Luci Shaw, and presenters, Nigel Goodwin and Ben Patterson. These speakers will be complimented by performing artists, Tony Lawton, Annie Herring, and Mark Jennings, with a special appearance from Lamb's Players Theatre and Fernando Ortega. Further program features include a panel discussions, dramatic and artistic performances, worship, and great fellowship on the beautiful mission-style, ocean-view campus of the University of San Diego! Come "further up and further in", into a milieu of learning, reflection, prayer and celebration that will feed the mind and nourish the imagination. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information, visit our website at www.cslewis.org. In Christ, Stan Mattson Founder President, C.S. Lewis Foundation
18 May 2004	New College Berkeley Presents: For the Healing of the Nations: Following Christ in a Time of AIDS Arthur J. Ammann, M.D., Mary Ann McCoy, R.N., Ellen Schell, R.N., Ph.D., & Paul Tshihamba, M.Div. Consultation for Health Care Professionals Saturday, May 22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Munzer Auditorium, The Beckman Center, Stanford Medical Center, Palo Alto Call NCB for information about CNEs Cost: $60 (student fee, $50; $65 for CE units)-includes lunch We live in times of great suffering as well as unprecedented medical advance. How do we as Christian health-care professionals bring our faith and skills to bear on the growing tragedy of the worldwide AIDS epidemic? How do we inform our church communities about the situation and enable them to respond? Join us for a full day with physicians, nurses, medical missionaries, and ethicists knowledgeable about the international work being done to stem this tide of disease and despair afflicting, so dramatically, the poorest of the poor. This will be a time to learn from experts, contribute from our own expertise, pray together, and develop practical strategies for being God's agents of healing and justice for the nations. — Frederick G. Mihm M.D.   Professor of Anesthesia   Assoc. Medical Director, Intensive Care Units   Stanford University School of Medicine
17 May 2004	InterVarsity Graduate Fellowship Annual Banquet Faculty fellowship participants are are cordially invited to join the InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship at Stanford University to celebrate God's grace and provision during the past year at our Annual Banquet: When: Wednesday, June 2, 2004, 6:30 P.M. Where: Oak Room, Second Floor, Tresidder Student Union, on the Stanford Campus Speaker: Mark Labberton, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley Cost: $10/person We would love to have you join us as we celebrate the end of another successful year in our ministry. —Rick Hernandez (Let Rick know if you and your spouse would like to come. Please RSVP by May 31 to: rick.hernandez@stanford.edu.)
22 January 2004	InterVarsity Grad/Faculty Winter Conference, Feb. 13–15, 2004 at Camp Hammer, Boulder Creek Rick Hernandez, InterVarsity Graduate Ministry Staff at Stanford, writes: “Our Winter Conference is coming up in mid-February and we hope that faculty will be interested and able to come. The conference speaker, Ken Meyers, is a particularly thoughtful commentator on issues of faith and culture and we are very glad to have him. I have several CDs and tapes of Ken's audio journal called "Mars Hill Audio" for you to sample his excellent work. Let me know if you are interested and I can pop one in campus mail for you. Beyond the conference program, and just as important, the time spent with students and other faculty in small group discussions, seminars, and over meals will be invaluable to forming relationships of enduring quality between us.” To register, download the Winter Conference flyer containing the registration form and mail it or give it to Rick (address on the flyer). Additional information about the conference is available at http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/event_item.php?id=194. I have attended these conferences in the past. The speaker is always excellent, and the interactions and discussions with students even better. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
23 January 2004	Prayer event for InterVarsity undergraduate ministries at Stanford, Feb. 7, 7 P.M. Susan Van Riesen, InterVarsity Undergraduate Ministry staff at Stanford, writes: “Greetings in Christ! I am writing to invite you to participate in a prayer event at Stanford University for the undergraduate ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. The staff and students are planning a "concert of prayer"-type event on February 7. It will be held on Stanford campus at the Asian American Association Ballroom on the second floor of the Old Union. The evening will involve alumni and church leaders surrounding the students and praying for blessing, empowerment and protection. It would be incredibly significant to the students if alumni and the greater local church community came and prayed with/over them. Would you be willing to come and pray? God has made us more aware that, given some spiritual dynamics on campus and in the community, now is the time to solicit prayer. Also, both the staff and student leadership communities will be in major transition next year. We want our main strategy to be prayer rather than human effort. The prayer event will be at 7pm. There will also be an option for the guests to come at 5:30 to meet up with a student and go have dinner together in a dorm dining hall. We hope that a secondary fruit of this time is more personal connection to the students of this current generation. We had a workday fundraiser in September and the feedback from both students and alumni was, ‘It was so encouraging to connect! Lets have more personal connection’. I also want to let you know that this will not be an explicit fundraising event except that we will share about the various needs of the ministry, including prayer for support raising for our new staff. Guests will also have the opportunity to sign up for prayer letters. Our main goal is to have a greater body of people praying for the work of InterVarsity to the undergraduate students at Stanford. Finally, would you be willing to help spead the word about this event? One idea would be to publicize this event in any appropriate way at your church. I am sure that it will be of special interest for Stanford alumni but anyone who cares about the mission on campus is welcome to come.” For more info or to RSVP, contact Susan at SVanRiesen@aol.com or Jeannie Schley at GNE4Jesus@hotmail.com. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
16 September 2003	Friday campus group meeting plans finalized for fall quarter 2003 At its first meeting of the fall quarter last week, the campus group finalized plans for activities and location for the quarter. Firstly, we have a new location for these 07:30 A.M. Friday meetings: building 520, room 520G. Directions (from Tom Bowman): Building 520 is directly behind Memorial Church on the corner of Duena Street and Panama Mall. Walking down Duena toward the Church from Tressider Union, the building is on the right-hand corner. At 7:30am, the entrance to the Building is from the Escondido Mall side, facing Memorial Church. (not Duena Street). There is only one door, which I will block open. The conference room is 520G, on the ground floor. Turn right after entering the building. I will provide orange juice and coffee. Everyone should bring their favorite treat for breakfast (but I will bring one coffee cake for those who forget). Many thanks to Tom Bowman for making this room available! Secondly, Bill Newsome, the campus group's volunteer leader for this quarter, has announced the activities plan after a survey of those present at our last meeting and discussion: We will ask for volunteers from the group to lead each Friday AM, but the format will be flexible. We will have a default program of reading through and discussing the gospel of John, but each week's leader can substitute another program instead, be it personal sharing/story-telling, prayer, or providing food for reflection from another source (current book-reading, etc). “John” will be our fallback when other things are not pressing. Many thanks to Bill for taking the time to keep us organized! Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
4 November 2003	Kathleen Norris, author of Amazing Grace, to speak at MPPC Nov. 14 On Friday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m., Kathleen Norris, best-selling author of Amazing Grace, The Cloister Walk, Dakota, and The Virgin of Bennington, will speak at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park on Spirituality in the Real World. Author of seven books of poetry, Kathleen Norris is well known for her non-fiction works, a combination of memoir and theology, which explore the desolate landscape of life in the Dakotas, the Andy Warhol arts scene in New York City during the 70's, as well as the reawakening of her own spirituality within the confines of  a Benedictine monastery later in life. Norris will share her own experiences of rediscovering God and explore ways we can seek and find spiritual truth and rest in today's world. The San Francisco Chronicle calls her “one of the most eloquent and earthbound spiritual writers of our time.” The New York Times Book Review says “Norris ...is one of history's writing pilgrims but also a contemporary American one, boldly willing to forsake any number of cultural fads, trends and preoccupations in favor . . .[of a] searching expedition within herself.” Tickets are on sale for $15/person and may be purchased by mail, at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, or online at the MPPC website. Once at the website, click on "Resources", "Register for Events", and then "Register" under "Kathleen Norris". Menlo Park Presbyterian Church is located at 950 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, 94025, and is easily accessible from Highway 101, 280 or Caltrain.  To order tickets by mail, send a check payable to "MPPC", attention Kathleen Norris and please include a SASE. The event is expected to sell out and the organizers encourage you to purchase tickets before hand. For more information, contact Mary Ellen Lemieux at 650-298-8650 or email melemieux@rcn.com. For directions to MPPC, call 329-7414.
4 November 2003	Burlingame man who worked with Mother Teresa to speak at St. Matthews' Episcopal Church, Nov. 5 Michael Collopy, photographer and protege of Ansel Adams and Richard Avedon, will give a lecture and slide show Wednesday, 7:30 PM, Nov. 5, 2003, at St. Matthews Episcopal Church in San Mateo. Collopy, who documented her work with the poor, accidentally began his 15-year long association with Mother Teresa when he arrived late at a talk she was giving in the Bay Area: "I went around backstage so I wouldn't have to go down the middle aisle to get to my seat," Collopy said. "And there she was. We talked for a bit and she asked me for my business card. Then she gave me hers, which I thought was hilarious." Michael has just returned from Mr. Teresa's beatification ceremonies, and is an inspiring speaker. The talk will be held at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Julia Beylard Hall at 7:30 PM, Nov. 5, the corner of El Camino and Baldwin, San Mateo, with parking on site or just around the corner in the Mills Hospital lot on Baldwin St. Earlier scheduled as a charity benefit, the talk is no longer a fund-raiser and will be free of charge or of request for donation. For more details, see the article Lecture to raise funds for Peninsula charities in the San Mateo County Times by staff writer Tara Ramroop. If you plan to attend, please contact Albe Larsen at 888-8897 or 650-926-2748 (at SLAC) so they can get a head count.
29 August 2003	Condi Rice in Christianity Today The cover story of the September 2003 issue of Christianity Today, “The Unflappable Condi Rice”, takes a look at the impact faith has had in the life of our former provost. The article, subtitled ‘Why the world's most powerful woman asks for God's help’, can be found in the print version of CT or online at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/009/1.42.html.
19 August 2003	Memorial Service for Jim Theodore, Wednesday, 20 August 2003 Jim Theodore, who was very active in our medical group, passed away Sunday, 17 August 2003. Here is information I've received from Paul Hensleigh and Jack Morrill: From Paul: Friends, After going home from the hospital the end of last week, Jim died peacefully on Sunday morning. His memorial service is at MPPC 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 20th at the Menlo Park Pres. sanctuary. As many of you know, Jim's great joy was his regular participation in the faculty Christian fellowship (essentially every Wed morning at 07:00). His faith renewal of recent years was significantly enhanced by our discussions ...and not to mention Dan Clendinen's hand of encouragement, constant referral to Christian literature, and lots of mentoring thru personal discipleship. Hope you will be able to join in the celebration of Jim's life and his GRADUATION!! From Jack: A very special person, Dr. Jim Theodore (heart-lung transplant fame) left us for his new address with our Lord. Gale Theodore said that one of the places they would like donations to be sent to in lieu of flowers, was the Stanford Faculty Fellowship. IVCF can receive donations for the Stanford Faculty Fellowship since this group meant so much to Jim. The medical group was Jim's special place of fellowship to learn, grow and share. Dan Clendenin had a special role in helping Jim discover the vitality and reality of the person of Christ in his life and his awesome future. We are deeply saddened by Jim's passing and wish to express our condolences to his family and friends. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
19 August 2003	Dan is leaving us! All good things must come to an end...or, at least, transition somewhat. Dan announced earlier this summer that he will be leaving the Stanford IV faculty fellowship and moving on to new ventures. I quote from his announcement: I have just finished eight gratifying years at Stanford. Remarkably, this is the longest that I have lived and worked in any one place in my entire life. After a long period of reflection, prayer, and discussions among family, friends, and donors, I have asked to resign from my assignment at Stanford. InterVarsity has accepted my request, and it is effective immediately. This was not an easy decision, but I am absolutely confident that it is the best and right decision. In reaching this decision I have often thought of the verse from Acts 15:28 when the apostles sought God's guidance in making important decisions: “It seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit.” We are also confident about the next interim step. InterVarsity has encouraged me to take a six month paid leave of absence (until December 31, 2003). Since finishing grad school eighteen years ago (1985), I have never taken a sabbatical or study leave. What will I do during this time? Right now I am working out the details with my IVCF supervisor. We are talking about a broad range of options, including writing, another personal retreat in a monastery, and definitely a course of reflection about my next steps in ministry. What is not clear at this time is what I will do after December 31. So, you can easily imagine that as we seek Godıs tender mercies and guidance, we need your love, prayers, encouragement and financial support more than ever. As I think about the last eight years with InterVarsity at Stanford there is one word that impresses itself upon me very deeply, and that is the word “gratitude.” I remain grateful to InterVarsity. When I interviewed with IVCF eight years ago I remember telling the committee that I wanted to be in a place where I would grow as a Christian. That has surely been the case. I have often been fond of telling people that IVCF has been good to me and good for me. I am also deeply grateful to so many faculty and grad students at Stanford, people in our church, and friends all around the country, for all the many ways they have shaped me. So, for all the many good and generous people who have loved us and made the ministry here possible, please accept our thanks. I hope that you will pray for us. Your financial support remains as critical as ever. Since I will no longer be at Stanford, you might take note of my new email address: dbclendenin@hotmail.com. In the name of Jesus, Dan and Patty Dan's The Journey with Jesus essays will remain on our website. There will be no more new ones, of course, but the existing set (quite extensive!) will be available for the foreseeable future. We will miss Dan dearly, and wish him the best as he seeks new directions for ministry and career. Thanks much. —Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
6 October 2003	Brainstorming session with InterVarsity, October 13 Time: 12 noon, Monday, October 13, 2003 Place: Faculty Club, President's Room (PDR #3) Cost: Around $20 (depending on number attending) We have arranged to have lunch with InterVarsity faculty ministry leadership at the Faculty Club on Monday, October 13. Topics to be discussed include what form our relationship with InterVarsity may take in the future and how as faculty we can support ministry to students and others in the Stanford community. This should be a fun brainstorming session. All fellowship participants are invited and welcome to attend. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
7 September 2003	Summer New Testament read-through comes to a close! Our summer New Testament read-through was a fine success. Our last meeting was this past Thursday, September 4. In twelve weeks we read through the entire NT, and had very engaging weekly discussions over lunch outside Tresidder. If you have suggestions for other group activities, let us know! And many thanks to Dan, who initiated it. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
7 September 2003	Fall Activities Plan is coming together! Thanks to the volunteer planners, and to everyone who has sent in suggestions and comments, we have just about finalized our schedule for the fall quarter. Since we do not yet have a staff person to replace Dan, our activities are now more self-organized, and I want to especially thank the volunteer coordinators who have taken on the task of organization for the Fall Quarter 2003. For the three groups, these are: Bill Newsome (campus), John Dorman and Paul Hensleigh (medical), and Ray Larsen and myself (SLAC). Our meeting details are listed further down this page, but in brief they are: Campus: 7:30 AM Fridays (kick-off: Sept. 12), location TBA; group discussions. Medical: 7:00 AM Tuesdays (kick-off: Sept. 9), Bing Dining Room, Stanford Hospital; Bible study with rotating leaders. SLAC: 12 noon Thursdays (kick-off: Sept. 11), Fuji Room, Building 214, SLAC; reading and discussion of C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. This week all three groups will be meeting for their respective kick-off sessions for the quarter. We are looking forward to an engaging time discovering more of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Anyone interested in exploring this topic is welcome and invited to join us. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
29 August 2003	Fellowship planning for Fall 2003 As has already been announced, Dan Clendenin, our beloved InterVarsity staffer, is moving on to new fields (see “Dan is leaving us!” below for details). This leaves us in something of a transitional period. A group of volunteers has been discussing possible directions for the three groups (campus, medical, and SLAC) and for the overall fellowship. At this time the medical and SLAC groups have definitely committed to continuing their weekly meetings, but plans for the campus group are still uncertain. It would be helpful if those of you who are definitely interested in participating in a campus fellowship group would let me know of your interest (drop me a message at rcowan@stanford.edu), along with any comments and suggestions you may have about activities, venue, meeting day/time/frequency, ideas for funding cost of room/food (if any), etc. Our biggest need for the campus group is for someone to volunteer to be the coordinator who will see that the logistics are covered (especially making sure any room reservation is made, a discussion/activity person is selected ahead of time for each week, and things like that). I think this job should rotate on a quarterly basis, until such time as a new staff person is found. We are discussing with InterVarsity about their possible continued involvement, but at least for now we do not have anyone from InterVarsity to fulfil this role. Watch this space and our e-mail lists for more information as plans become more definite. Thank you.—Ray Cowan, Stanford faculty fellowship webmaster.
23 June 2003	This week's Journey with Jesus essay, The Presence of the Future, asks the question "What does it mean for the future reality of the kingdom of God to invade the present?" (it offers some answers, too...)
16 June 2003	This week's Journey with Jesus essay, Many Things in Parables, comments upon the use and interpretation of the parables of Jesus in ancient times, the modern day, and in-between.
8 June 2003	This week's Journey with Jesus essay, Help in Our Weakness, reviews the surprising periods of uncertainty and struggle that were a little-known part of Mother Teresa's life.
1 June 2003	This week's Journey with Jesus essay, Caesar is Not God, considers the degree to which the church and state share common means and purposes—or, in some cases, do not.
26 May 2003	This week's Journey with Jesus essay, The Dark Side of Democracy, discusses the effects of capitalism and democracy in the world.
19 May 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Croatia Revisited, Dan reflects upon his recent trip to Croatia and how God is working there. In what ways is the gospel evident in a war-torn land?
13 May 2003	REVISED DEADLINE - Call for Papers: National Faculty Forum at UC Berkeley C.S. Lewis Foundation NATIONAL FACULTY FORUM October 11, 2003 — 9 a.m.–9:00 p.m. FREE SPEECH: ACADEMIC FREEDOM and RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION on the campus of UC Berkeley, Dwinelle Hall We invite you to join with Christian faculty, administrators, trustees, and graduate students from across the United States and Canada for an informative consideration of the legitimacy and import of religiously informed thought and expression within the curricular life of the academy. Consistent with C.S. Lewis' own commitment to the primacy of "Mere Christianity," the Forum embraces a wide range of ideological, political, theological and disciplinary orientations to bring together scholars and educators of all Christian persuasions. The program schedule includes morning meditation, plenary addresses with Q & A, Academic Paper Sessions, Distinguished Faculty Award Luncheon (honoring Robert N. Bellah), panel discussion, dinner address, and evening reception with book signing. Participants will include: Robert N. Bellah, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Sociology, UC Berkeley; author of Habits of the Heart; Beyond Belief: Essays on Religion in a Post-Traditional World; The Broken Covenant: American Civil Religion in Time of Trial. J. Budziszewski, Ph.D., Professor of Government & Philosophy, University of Texas, Austin; author of What We Can't Not Know: A Guide; The Revenge of Conscience: Politics and the Fall of Man; Written on the Heart: The Case for Natural Law; True Tolerance: Liberalism and the Necessity of Judgment. John C. Eastman, Ph.D., J.D. Professor of Law, Chapman University and Director, The Claremont Institute Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence; filed amicus briefs on behalf of the Institute in the School Vouchers case, the Boy Scouts case, and the Pledge of Allegiance case before the Ninth Circuit; relevant publications include "Stare Decisis: Conservatism's One-Way Ratchet Problem," in Bradley Watson, ed.; The Courts and the Culture Wars (Lexington Books, 2002); "'We are a Religious People Whose Institutions Presuppose A Supreme Being,'" Nexus (Spring 2000). G. Dennis O'Brien, Ph.D. President Emeritus, University of Rochester (1984-95) and Bucknell University (1976-84); author of All the Essential Half-Truths about Higher Education; The Idea of a Catholic University; Hegel on Reason and History; God and the New Haven Railway; and What to Expect from College. Katherine Clay Bassard, Ph.D. Assoc. Professor of English, Virginia Commonwealth University; author of Spiritual Interrogations: Culture, Gender, and Community in Early African American Women's Writing; published in African American Review and Callaloo. Patricia N. Benner, R.N., Ph.D. Professor of Physiological Nursing, UC San Francisco; author of nine books; internationally noted researcher and lecturer on health, stress and coping, skill acquisition and ethics; Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Nursing. Philip Selznick, Ph.D. Professor of Law and Sociology Emeritus, UC Berkeley; organized Berkeley's Center for the Study of Law and Society; publications include TVA and the Grass Roots; The Organizational Weapon; Leadership in Administration; Law and Society in Transition: Toward Responsive Law; The Moral Commonwealth; and his latest The Communitarian Persuasion. Dick Staub, Panel Moderator Seattle-based radio talk show host, a leading observer of belief in popular culture, award-winning interviewer, popular campus speaker, board member of Martin Marty's Public Religion Project, author of numerous articles and the book, Too Christian, Too Pagan. Call for Papers Papers must address a topic related either to the conference theme or to how Christian faith informs the practice of one's profession within higher education. Paper presentations should not exceed 20 minutes. Submit a 300-word abstract describing the content and relationship to the theme with a 2-page C.V., including complete contact information. Acknowledgement will be made by email. Revised Deadline for proposal submission: July 1, 2003 Contact: Jill Fort, Faculty Forum Coordinator, C.S. Lewis Foundation, P.O. Box 8008, Redlands, CA 92375 — Email: facultyforum@cslewis.org — Fax: 909-335-3501 — www.cslewis.org Conference Details and Registration — http://www.cslewis.org/programs/facultyforum/index.html
12 May 2003	"Be yourself" -- is this good advice for Christians or not? We are encouraged to be transformed and "be our new self" through our relationship with God, but this can also lead to legalism where we fail to come to God just as we are. Dan discusses this topic in his latest Journey with Jesus essay: Love Thyself.
27 February 2003	Stem cell research—a discussion On Friday, 9 May 2003, we will have a special guest at our campus faculty fellowship breakfast meeting: David Adamson will lead us in thinking about the stem cell research debate. David is a friend of Paul Hensleigh, Director of Fertility Physicians of Northern CA, voluntary clinical professor at SUSM, and past president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies. All visitors welcome! Coordinates: 7:30–8:30 AM, Stanford Faculty Club, Private Dining Room #3 (directions).
5 May 2003	New Journey with Jesus essay: Conflicts Without, Fears Within: A Spirituality of Struggle. The Christian life isn't a "picnic on a green lawn", but the reality of stuggle can bring about gifts from God.
29 April 2003	Remembering Columbine: for the 4 year anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, Dan discusses violence in America in his weekly Journey with Jesus essay.
21 April 2003	For Easter, Dan reflects on the kingdom of God -- the "firstfruits" that we already have and the promise of what is still to come: Our Women Amazed Us -- Easter 2003.
14 April 2003	Reflecting on Palm Sunday, Dan contrasts "the kings and kingdoms of this world" with "the reign of King Jesus" in his latest Journey with Jesus essay, Kings and Kingdoms.
7 April 2003	From the small act of giving up something for Lent to the ultimate act of giving our lives to Christ, Dan discusses how we can "position ourselves to live life all the more fully in His kingdom today" in his latest Journey with Jesus essay, Give It Up and Let It Go.
31 March 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, God Loves the World, Dan continues his Lenten series with reflections on the familiar verse "For God so loved the world...". He contrasts this love with the tendency to view ourselves and/or America as either the instrument or the object of God's wrath.
24 March 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Lent and the Law, Dan discusses our relationship to God's law in light of the grace of Easter.
17 March 2003	In the latest Journey with Jesus essay, He Spoke Plainly, Dan reminds us that "... the road to Easter resurrection zig zags through the valley of the shadow of death."
11 March 2003	With this Journey with Jesus essay, Tempted, Tried, and Sometimes Failing, Dan continues his Lenten series with an essay about temptation and grace.
3 March 2003	This week's Journey with Jesus essay, Ash Wednesday 2003, is the first of a series of essays on Lent and Easter. This week Dan discusses the practice of giving up something for Lent.
24 February 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Mea Culpa, O Felix Culpa! The Gravity of Sin and the Glory of Grace, Dan offers us a lesson on sin and grace in the form of a Latin lesson.
17 February 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, What Would Jesus Bomb?, Dan discusses Christian morality and the possible war in Iraq.
10 February 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Getting by -- Sort of, Dan discusses the economic difficulties of low wage workers in America and how Christians "should care deeply about these inequities and do their part to make a difference".
10 February 2003	Atheism vs. Evolution—A lecture by Dr. Alvin Plantinga of Notre Dame “The evolutionary argument against naturalism” Usually thought to be wedded and even mutually-entailing theses, Dr. Plantinga argues that evolution and naturalism exhibit quite the opposite relationship. Dr. Plantinga is perhaps best known for his work in the field of epistemology, and recent publications include a trilogy on the subject, consisting of Warrant: the Current Debate, Warrant and Proper Function, and Warranted Christian Belief. Where: Annenberg Auditorium (in the Cummings Art Building on the Stanford campus: directions) When: Thursday, February 13, 2003 Lecture begins at 7:30 PM Q&A session to follow This lecture is sponsored jointly by Campus Crusade for Christ and Cornerstone Ministries. Many thanks to the InterVarsity Graduate Student Fellowship for providing the information in this announcement. Note from Dan Clendenin: Alvin Plantinga is considered to be one of the top 2–3 philosophers in his field in the English-speaking world. Even though Plantinga is at Notre Dame, he is not Catholic but a rock-ribbed Calvinist.
3 February 2003	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Religious Terror, Dan discusses violence in the name of religion.
25 January 2003	A quote from Dan's current Journey with Jesus essay, Where the Action Is: "Where is the Spirit blowing today? Think charismatic. Think global. Then pray that since 'we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit' (Galatians 5:25)"
18 January 2003	For Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2003, Dan's weekly Journey with Jesus essay considers the state of race relations in America and the Christian role in racial reconciliation.
14 January 2003	This Friday, January 17, we have a special presentation at the campus group meeting regarding the Village Enterprise Fund, which funds business start-ups in poor areas of Africa.
12 January 2003	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Shifting Boundaries and Protestant Conversions, Dan discusses the phenomenon of Protestants converting to Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Whether it is a defection or a homecoming, what can we learn?
5 January 2003	The pagan Magi increased God's Kingom by submitting to Jesus and showing that Jesus is King of everyone, not just King of the Jews. Herod tried to narrow God's kingdom by placing Jesus under his power. Which do we do? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Epiphany 2003: Herod and the Magi, investigates.
20 January 2002	Please mark your calendar for another important date: December 28, 2002 – January 2, 2003, Atlanta Mariott Marquis for IVCF's second national conference for faculty and grad students. In 1998 at Chicago we had about 1100 people from across the country, and this year they expect about 1500. Attenders last time included Ray Cowan, Gordon Matheson, Bill Newsome, and others. Families definitely welcome.
30 December 2002	Much of society judges us based upon merit and success; God our Father unconditionally loves us and accepts us. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, God Our Father: New Year's Day, investigates some of the ramifications.
23 December 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Mary's Availability: Fourth Sunday in Advent, Dan discusses the "Blessed Virgin Mary": Why is she blessed? In what ways are we like her? What can we learn from her?
16 December 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Dan discusses the theme of Testifying to the Light: Third Sunday in Advent (2002), and how and why that can be a joyful act rather than something done with dread and obligation.
9 December 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Dan continues his Advent series with Prepare Him Room: Second Sunday in Advent (2002). Dan discusses the theme of preparation through confession and repentance and how this opens us to God's forgiveness and love.
2 December 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Watching and Waiting: First Sunday in Advent (2002), is the first in a six week series of biblical meditations based upon the Scriptures from the lectionary texts: Advent (four weeks), New Year's, and Epiphany. The four advent essays are on waiting, preparation, witness and availability.
24 November 2002	Grace and gratitude may often be trivialized, but in reality all that is good in life originates with them. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Thanksgiving 2002: Giving Thanks in an Age of Entitlement, takes a look at some modern and not-so-modern examples.
17 November 2002	A politically- and socially-advantaged person gives up a promising career in academia and government to become a pastor and poet in a period when clergymen have been publicly disgraced. Why? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, George Herbert (1593–1633): Pastor and Poet, investigates.
21 November 2002	This Friday (November 22) we have a special speaker, Art Amman (pediatric immunology), whom you do NOT want to miss. Art taught at UCSF in the early 80's and was one of a handful of physicians to document the first cases of HIV. He is the founder of Global Strategies for the Prevention of HIV, an NGO in the forefront of AIDS/HIV work. Art worships at First Presbyterian in Berkeley, and if that is not enough, then know that he also married Fred Mihm's sister and was a high school classmate of Diane Komp of Yale (our banquet speaker last spring).
9 November 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The New Cyber Intifada, Dan reviews Thomas Friedman's recent book Longitudes and Attitudes and notes how technology, in particular the instant communication capability of the internet, can be very destabilizing in our world of suspicion and distrust.
3 November 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Borg on the Bible, reviews Marcus Borg's approach to interacting with the Bible. While clearly at odds with much of evangelical thought, his approach may nevertheless help in taking the Bible seriously.
26 October 2002	How do we view sainthood? Who exactly is a saint? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Modern Sainthood: All Saints Day 2002, takes a look at differing views.
19 October 2002	What is the source of the anti-western sentiment growing increasingly evident around the world? Are the problems limited to a few extremists, or do they arise from fundamental differences between worldviews? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Why They Hate Us: Cultural Reform or Resurgent Culture?, investigates.
13 October 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Bottled Lightning: Early American Pentecostalism, examines the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement in the early days of the 20th century, and what it has brought to Christianity in the years since.
6 October 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Successful Failure, considers the episodes of failure which we all experience. Many times we learn from them. But how does God deal with our failure?
29 September 2002	Like a huge wildfire that creates its own windstorm, high technology and big science drag us into situations we aren't prepared for, politically, socially, or morally. What is the right course to take between the extremes of no control and total restriction? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Biotechnology and the Future of Humanity, investigates.
21 September 2002	How much of our faith is merely cultural, and how much is real? In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The View From Austria, 2002, Dan reflects upon the international nature of Christianity.
14 September 2002	In a culture engaged in a moral struggle commonly described by military metaphors, where, or how, does grace fit in? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, God's Grace in Popular Culture: Two Books, takes a look.
8 September 2002	Regarding the 9/11 tragedy, what are some ways we can respond as followers of Jesus? What are some relevant guiding principles that we should keep in mind? See this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Remembering 911: One Year Later for some ideas.
29 August 2002	What is a prophet? What purpose does a prophet fulfil? What do prophets tell us about the connection between God and ourselves? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Malachi: Prophets Don't Joke, takes a look.
27 August 2002	We hear a lot about dreams and visions, and their meanings or lack thereof. Turns out Zechariah had quite a few too. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Zechariah, takes a look.
18 August 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Haggai: God is with us?!, looks at this prophet's four messages to the children of Israel as they return from exile. They show how God's ways are different from ours...and that He is to be acknowledged and trusted despite appearances.
11 August 2002	God's judgment is an infrequently-discussed topic. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Zephaniah: The Day of the Lord, takes a look at its characteristics and benefits as presented by this minor prophet.
4 August 2002	Have you ever had doubts about your Christian faith? What if you lost six loved ones in one day? Or if your nation was about to be destroyed? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Habakkuk: Faith and Doubt, investigates possible responses.
28 July 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Nahum on Nineveh: Whatever Happened to Jonah?, we are given a far different take on Ninevah from that of Jonah. How are we to reconcile them?
21 July 2002	This week Dan takes a break from the minor prophets and considers the grim AIDS/HIV situation in Africa, and suggests how Jesus might want us to react to it. Read this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Barcelona 2002, to find out.
14 July 2002	What were those O.T. prophets really up to? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Micah: From Hell to Hope, takes a look at Micah's “prophet concentrate”, where he hits all the bases.
7 July 2002	Why is it so hard to carry a message of repentance and grace to an enemy? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Jonah, a Fish and a Vine, investigates.
30 June 2002	Violence and destruction are anathema today, particularly so when done in the name of religion. So how then do we interpret the message of Obadiah? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Obadiah and the 4th of July, investigates.
22 June 2002	Which is more remarkable: that God chose a rough-hewn, uncultured man to carry a message of caring for the powerless to religious sophisticates, or the fact that they needed to hear it in the first place? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Amos: The Farmer Theologian Meets the Wealthy Elite, investigates.
16 June 2002	How are God's designs for us made known? Can we see God's hand at work in the events and circumstances of our existence? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Joel: God's Hand in My History, investigates.
8 June 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Hosea and Free Love, the first of twelve essays on the Minor Prophets, takes a look at God's exasperation with, and love for, the nation of Israel in Hosea's day.
1 June 2002	Is Biblical prophecy mostly fortune-telling, or is it something much more? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Twelve Fortune-Tellers, introduces an upcoming series of twelve essays on the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament.
20 January 2002	Please mark your calendar for an important date: Friday June 7, 7 P.M., for our annual faculty fellowship spring banquet. Our confirmed speaker is Diane Komp, former chief of pediatric oncology at Yale. This is a time to bring spouses, friends, colleagues, etc. for a nice dinner among peers at the Stanford Faculty Club. You may sign up using this reservation form. Reservations must be confirmed with Dan!
25 May 2002	Has evangelicalism fallen prey to a desire to make the Good News more palatable to modern ears? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, A Sectarian Manifesto, looks to the Gospel of John to find out.
18 May 2002	What is the ministry of the Spirit? What does it mean to live a Spirit-filled life? What did it mean to the Christian believers in the first century? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Pentecost 2002, investigates.
12 May 2002	What does it take for us to make progress on the journey with Jesus? Surprisingly little, it would seem. Dan takes a look at this question in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Ruth.
4 May 2002	What is our relationship with God really like? What is happening when we feel alienated from God, when it seems that no attention is being given to our needs? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, He Heard My Cry, examines this puzzling question.
29 April 2002	The cinema is a mirror of modern life, a potential point of contact where Christians can engage, understand, and express their views concerning today's hopes, dreams, and worries. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Faith and Film, takes a look at three ways to view movies.
20 April 2002	In the words of the familiar adage, "we're in a world of hurt". How do we make sense of the pain that mere existence often brings? Dan comments on pain and weakness in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Permission Granted.
13 April 2002	Dealing with death in all its ugly forms is difficult for us all. Surprised by the loss of a good friend, Dan addresses our search for wholeness and belonging, the antitheses of death, and how we can help each other in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, I-Chun Lin (1964–2002).
6 April 2002	The world favors the young, the strong, the brilliant, the famous: and forgets the rest. But is meritocratic society overlooking something vital? Dan presents an alternative in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The World of the Weak.
30 March 2002	Why would a religion widely acknowledged to have provided the greatest moral teachings ever known be coupled so inseparably and unwaveringly to ludicrous claims of the resurrection of its founder? Dan addresses this and other resurrection questions in The Journey with Jesus essay, Resurrection Power: Easter 2002.
24 March 2002	The dark side of existence plays a prominent role in the Star Wars movie saga: but do we recognize how big a role our own personal ‘dark sides’ play in us? Dan takes a look in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, That Your Faith Might Not Fail: Palm Sunday 2002.
17 March 2002	Are saints those who have been distinguished by great acts of faith and sacrifice, or are all of us who believe aptly called by this title? Dan takes a look at this in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The Prayer of Saint Patrick, as we remember the life of a beloved example.
9 March 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, A Long Way To Go, marks the one-year anniversary of this series! In it we are told of a monastery visit with a puzzling pronouncement, which Dan relates in several contexts to our own individual journeys.
13 January 2002	Mark your calendars for March 1–4, 2002, when Stanford will host its third Veritas Forum. Started in 1992 at Harvard, and now with hundreds of events across the country at virtually every major university since then, the Veritas Forum is a campus wide event in which capable scholars proclaim the Gospel in the public, university context. Just one example: at Stanford's first Veritas a few years ago, our own Bill Newsome gave a fine address on science-faith to perhaps 700 folks at the opening plenary sesion. —Dan Clendenin
3 March 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The Voice of Experience, Dan grapples with the role that experiences play in interpreting and furthering our Christian life.
24 February 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Warrior Politics: Making the Best of a Bad Job, investigates the tough choices that face those in leadership positions: implementing rule of right, not might, is not as easy as it sounds.
17 February 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Presidents' Day 2002, provides a fascinating glimpse at the life of one U.S. president who described his own conscience as “neat and easy”.
10 February 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Ash Wednesday 2002, examines the role certain spiritual disciplines play in the life of the Christian church today.
3 February 2002	The human condition illustrates vividly that all is not well with the world. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, My First Prozac, looks at ways that sin divides us from ourselves, from each other, and most of all from God, and in a beautiful quote from Luther reminds us of God's grace to those who believe.
27 January 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, A Prayer for the New Year 2002, marvels at the grace and forgiveness God has shown to us, and prays for wisdom, direction, and mercy for others as we consider the extent of our time upon this earth.
23 January 2002	This Friday, January 25 we have a special treat scheduled at the campus fellowship meeting: Robert Hamerton-Kelly, former Dean of Memorial Church and current pastor at Woodside Village Church (where Bill Newsome's wife Zondra is assistant pastor) will share with us. I have asked Bob to speak on “Christian Life and Witness at Stanford”. —Dan Clendenin
20 January 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Honoring King, looks at racial hostility and reconciliation, and what the New Testament has to say about them.
13 January 2002	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, America the Beautiful?, Dan investigates symptoms of change in American society and diagnoses the most likely outcome: culture death.
6 January 2002	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Epiphany 2002, discusses several revolutionary effects that Christ's appearing has had on this world, and challenges us to persistently seek increased understanding of our lives from Him.
30 December 2001	The approach of a new year is always a time for reflection about where we have been and where we are headed. This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The Fullness of Time, looks at a number of views of history, both Christian and secular.
23 December 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Be Not Afraid, the last of four essays for Advent, Dan considers events that cause us to fear, and God's reassuring statements to people of faith.
16 December 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The Man Without the Miracle, the third of four essays for Advent, Dan considers several cases where people of faith endured suffering, including a few who died without deliverance from their persecutors-and what this means for us.
9 December 2001	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The Fork and The Fire, the second of four essays for Advent, considers the generally unpopular topic of judgment and the modern propensity to trivialize it.
2 December 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Between the Times, the first of four essays on Advent, Dan takes a look backward at the birth of Christ and considers some of the implications this event holds for us today.
25 November 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Thanksgiving 2001, Dan takes a look at the nature of true gratitude and reminds us that we can indeed do something for others.
18 November 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Pluralism: A Theological Challenge, the third of three essays on religious pluralism, Dan takes up the challenge of theological constraints and contrasts it with the feel-good, all-roads-climb-the-same-mountain approach to pluralism.
11 November 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Pluralism: A Civic Responsibility, the second of three essays on religious pluralism, Dan considers how national unity might be obtained in a religiously diverse culture.
4 November 2001	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Who Are We? Religious Pluralism as Our New Social Reality, is the first of three on the diversity of cultures and religions in America. Dan surveys several aspects of “religious pluralism” and shows how they are in evidence in American society today.
27 October 2001	All Saints' Eve: aka “All Hallow Even” (circa 1700), or today, Halloween, according to Mr. Webster and the brothers Merriam. In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, All Saints Day, Dan contrasts the commonplace practice of the customs of Halloween with the immensely more important but almost totally neglected remembrance of the saints.
20 October 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Constantine's Sword, Dan reflects upon James Carroll's recent book of the same name, drawn from the “Christian complicity in history's greatest evils” genre. Dan considers collective guilt, personal moral choice, whether traditional theology inevitably leads to tragic history, and contrasts arguments supporting Christian self-incrimination with arguments supporting the non-complicity of traditional Islam in the September 11 tragedies.
13 October 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Bombs Bursting in Air, Dan weighs the sometime necessity of military intervention in holding back evil against the ideals and responsibilities of worshiping the Lord who loves all people, and examines three reasons for his unease at our response to the acts of September 11.
6 October 2001	In this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, Surviving Church, Dan discusses the disinterested manner in which many people view the activity known as “attending church” and discovers some of the bleak reasons for it. He comments on Philip Yancey's recently released book Soul Survivor and discovers several clues to improvement.
29 September 2001	What are we to make of the aesthetics of life? Are beautiful things merely fortunate extras in our technological society, to be noticed only when we have time and inclination? Or are they something more? Dan investigates the goodness of beauty in this week's The Journey with Jesus essay, For Glory and For Beauty.
23 September 2001	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, The Blame Game, examines politics, culture, and the Gospel.
1 May 2001	Want to let us know you were here? Have comments about the site? Sign our new Guest Book!
30 August 2001	The Campus and Medical groups' weekly meetings resume at their regular times the first week of September (and the SLAC group will continue meeting as usual). Come join us!
16 September 2001	This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, When Darkness Reigns, looks at peace, prayer, and September 11, 2001.
9 September 2001	Christians are frequently perceived as regarding the good and pleasurable things in our world with a healthy dose of suspicion and distrust. However, the Bible designates much of the world as good. How has this disparity come to be? This week's The Journey with Jesus essay, A Very Good Place, investigates.
2 September August 2001	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Peet's and The Prince, Dan recounts an adventurous trek through Costa Rica and Ethiopia in search of good coffee and discovers a challenge for Christians.
25 August 2001	Stereotypes, labels, superficial interactions—these are mechanisms we use every day to avoid interacting with the people around us. In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Dan considers the ways in which Jesus loved and interacted with people in his day.
28 April 2001	Our Related Links page is growing! Check out the links to online Bibles, Christian classics (some in MP3 audio), other classic works, and Christian MIDI hymns: all online!
18 August 2001	Ever feel like your life has been reduced to a series of numbers? That you're just a cog on a nameless wheel? Do you dread hearing the chant “Press 1 for service, press 2 to leave a message, press 3 for...”? In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Strictly By the Numbers, Dan muses upon the quantity and quality of life.
12 August 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is Summer Reading: Books enrich us all...and Dan investigates several recent favorites in this essay (and a few he didn't finish, as well!).
5 August 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is The Bible Tells Me So: Scripture confusion: you read it, I read it, someone else reads it...and among the three of us there are five opinions about what it means. What's going on? Dan takes a look at the role Scripture plays in our faith. Coming next week: Summer Reading
29 July 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is Luther on Marriage: Luther often contrasted “unregenerate, natural reason” with Christian faith—and ended up married as a consequence. This essay reminds us that things deemed to be important in contemporary culture may not be so in the kingdom of God...and vice versa.
29 July 2001	Suffering, martyrdom, death: since day one Christian believers have been persecuted by mainstream society for their differences (belief in Jesus' resurrection, refusal to worship other gods, among others). But what does this mean for us today? How does it play out in the world we know? Dan considers persecution in this week's Journey with Jesus essay, Nero. Coming next week: Luther on Marriage.
15 July 2001	In this week's Journey with Jesus essay, London, a rookie tourist experiences culturally diverse London and reflects upon diversity and commonality in the Christian experience. Coming next week: Nero.
8 July 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay A Poem of Saint Bonaventure takes a look at reconciling the life of the mind and the life of the heart: a topic of considerable relevance to all of us! Coming next week: London.
1 July 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is Eat the Fat, Drink the Wine: do we enjoy ourselves as much as we ought as Christians? Do we restrain our impulses more than we should? Dan takes a look at the serious business of rejoicing!
24 June 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is The Monastics on Money: when it comes to money, most of think we could use more of it. But what does it take to be faithful to God and each other in our use of it?
17 June 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is The Genealogy of Jesus: A family's genealogy tells us a lot about where they've been, and perhaps something about what may be expected of them in the future. But what does Jesus' genealogy tell us about God (and ourselves)? Next week's essay is The Monastics on Money. (Previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page.)
10 June 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is Embracing Bad Taste: Dan takes a look at popular expressions of Christianity vs. ‘higher’ versions of the same: are they adversaries or allies? Next week's essay is The Genealogy of Jesus. (Previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page.)
7 June 2001	Special Friday Breakfast, June 15: Edwin Meese will share his Christian story with us, usual time and place: 7:30 A.M., faculty club. Note: for this meeting only PLEASE RSVP (dan2@stanford.edu) so Dan will know how much food/space to secure. Edwin Meese was President Reagan's chief advisor from 1981–1985, then US Attorney General from 1985–1988. Today, he is a distinguished visiting fellow at Hoover. For a longer bio see www-hoover.stanford.edu/bios/meese.html.
3 June 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is When Wrong Feels Right: how is it that enormous evil can be done in the name of good? And often by those who are considered “normal, everyday people”? Next week's essay is Embracing Bad Taste. (Previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page.)
2 May 2001	Details for our annual Spring Banquet have been finalized! Official RSVPs are needed now: you can submit them via this reservation form. Spring Faculty Fellowship Banquet Date: June 8, 2001 Place: Faculty Club (next door to Tresidder Student Union) Time: 6:30 P.M. Speaker: Dr. Mark Labberton (Ph.D., Cambridge U.), Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley Cost: $65 per person, checks payable to "Dan Clendenin"
28 May 2001	At this Wednesday's medical fellowship meeting, we have a special treat: John Kilner, director of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity (Chicago), will lead us. John earned his BA at Yale, then did an MA and PhD at Harvard. The Center seeks to bring a Christian perspective to bear on the many bioethical issues that challenge us today.
27 May 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay Vincent's Vexation follows up last week's topic, unity in the faith: how do we approach the task of deciding what is essential vs. what is merely important? Next week's essay is When Wrong Feels Right. (Previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page.)
20 May 2001	The Journey with Jesus: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, neo-apostolic: what are we to make of the fragmentation of the faithful? The church should value both doctrinal purity and complete unity: this week's essay A Prayerful Admonition investigates. Next week's essay follows up the same topic: May 28,Vincent's Vexation. (Previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page).
13 May 2001	This week's Journey with Jesus essay is Welcoming Embrace: are evangelical Christians seen as grace-filled people? There's plenty of evidence that cuts both ways. Up next, on May 21: A Prayerful Admonition. (Previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page).
19 March 2001	Our website Calendar is beginning to take shape, with both near-term and long-term events listed. Check it out!
5 May 2001	The Church, Our Mother: as Mother's Day approaches, Dan considers a motherly role of another sort in this Journey With Jesus essay. Up next, on May 14: Welcoming Embrace (previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page).
29 April 2001	A Boring Problem: see if this is so in the latest Journey With Jesus essay! Up next, on May 7: The Church, Our Mother (previous essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page).
17 March 2001	Our annual Spring Banquet is on the way! At the Faculty Club, either June 1 or June 8—let Dan know your preference. You can sign up using this form!
22 April 2001	Does Religion Matter? See what Dan has to say in the latest Journey With Jesus essay! Up next, on April 30: A Boring Problem. (Earlier essays may be found on the Comprehensive Index to Essays page.)
15 April 2001	Check out Take Up and Read the latest Journey With Jesus essay! Next, on April 23: Does Religion Matter? Earlier essays may be found on our Comprehensive Index to Essays page.
8 April 2001	Check out Getting To Yes: Dan's latest Journey With Jesus essay! Coming next on April 16: Take Up and Read Earlier essays may be found on our Comprehensive Index to Essays page.
26 March 2001	Lunch With Dan: “This is one of the best parts of my job. I also do coffee. Click here to set up a date.”
1 April 2001	Check out Borg on Belief: the latest Journey With Jesus essay! And coming on April 9: Getting to Yes Earlier essays may be found on our Comprehensive Index to Essays page.
17 March 2001	InterVarsity Faculty Luncheon at Cornell, 6 April 2001. Speaker: James Sire, author of Habits of the Mind: Intellectual Life as a Christian Calling. Topic: Two Virtues of the Christian Intellectual—Courage and Humility.
26 March 2001	Check out Life Unfiltered: the latest Journey With Jesus essay! And coming next (on April 2): Borg on Belief
17 March 2001	C.S. Lewis Foundation Faculty Forum, A Place to Stand: 30 March–1 April 2001 at UCLA