"daring to discuss the important and the amusing"

NEWSLETTER #6

FALL 2001

"Words fail." If there is one thing we all shared in common on September 11th, perhaps it was this sentiment. Indeed, one of the more remarkable accomplishments of the September 11th terrorists was the silencing, albeit temporary, of the chattering class.

Not that a little silence is a bad thing. In fact, there’s something about being from New York and knowing some of those who perished that day that made the race to draw lessons from it all rather offensive. There is a time to grieve.

My own grief was complicated by the expectation of a new baby due that very same week. What is "supposed to be" the happiest of times was unavoidably something less than that. It was hard not to wonder–what kind of a world are we bringing this baby into? Will this baby’s lifetime be characterized by war or by peace? And if by war, would we have chosen to bring this baby into the world had we known?

Words can only fail us temporarily though, for on the far side of grief, we need to pursue understanding, and words are what we have. After all, Jesus himself came to us as the Logos–the Word made flesh.

At Chesterton House, we are doing what we can to help students understand the seemingly new world in which we find ourselves. In addition to acquiring a number of excellent books on Christian-Muslim and Arab-Israeli relations, we have co-sponsored a roundtable discussion that hosted a Jewish and a Muslim professor of Near Eastern Studies at Cornell, and we held an evening discussion on Andy Crouch’s provocative article "The End of Relevance" (see below). Looking forward to next semester, we will co-sponsor along with InterVarsity Graduate/Faculty Ministries, a one-day conference with Lamin Sanneh–an African Muslim convert to Christianity with a Ph.D. in Islamic history who is currently Professor of Missions and World Christianity at Yale University. Sanneh is among those who have commented very helpfully and insightfully on the terrorist attacks–links to some of those columns are included at the end of this newsletter. (Sanneh’s article appeared in the New York Times on 23 September.)

Of course, one of the questions that many ask in a time such as this, is How can you believe in God? It’s not as bad a question as many Christians think. Times like this should make us question all our gods, including the transcendent, the immanent, and the impersonal, all of whom are rendered incapable of comforting because they themselves have never known suffering. Christianity is unique. As Tim Keller, a pastor in New York City, has written, "there seems to be no way for people to deal with grief at this level without having recourse to the basic gospel dynamic of death-leading-to-resurrection," even if only at a civic level. Keller reports an additional thousand persons per week attending services at his church, which suggests that people are asking the right questions.

As for my question about bringing a baby into the world, it has been some comfort to consider that redemption itself came to us by way of incarnation, and that "little incarnations" just may someday yield small degrees of redemption. Some say that "getting back to business" is a form of resistance against fear-mongering terrorists, and maybe it is. I am more certain, however, that having children is a form of resistance to the tempting but pernicious notion that this world, especially when characterized by war, is a world not worth bringing children into. Such a view sees war in only material terms, as if there were not also a war of spirits that rages even in so-called peacetime.

On the topic of children, I wish to call your attention to the first two items below–a lecture this Saturday on abortion by Frederica Mathewes-Green, and an RQ Forum discussion later in the week on the movement among some Christians to remain childless. Other upcoming events are also noted below (including our line-up of outstanding speakers for next semester), along with an update on our finances and administration, and the above-mentioned weblinks.

As for baby Sarah, she is six weeks old, growing rolls of fat, and serving as a daily reminder of God’s grace amidst a deeply fallen world.

-Karl E. Johnson

Frederica Mathewes-Green has been a popular columnist and commentator for National Public Radio, Christianity Today, and Beliefnet.com. Her book Real Choices: Listening to Women; Looking for Alternatives to Abortion, is one of the best works on this difficult topic. She will speak at Cornell University’s Anabel Taylor Hall Auditorium Saturday, November 3rd. Her talk is entitled "Pro-Choice to Pro-Life, Unfolding a Journey." Mathewes-Green describes the lecture as "my reasons for converting to a pro-life position, and why I feel abortion hurts women and betrays feminism." Even if you have heard many lectures on this topic, this will certainly be well worth attending. Refreshments at 9:00AM, lecture at 9:30AM.

One of the rationales for starting Chesterton House is the so-called renaissance of Christian scholarship and quality commentary on culture. One of the publications we cite as evidence of this renaissance is re:generation quarterly–aka "RQ." It’s a lively publication, which, of course, you can find at your local Centre for Christian Studies. RQ’s pithy tagline is "community transforming culture," and one of the ways they pursue this mission is through local reading and discussion groups–aka "RQ Forums." Enter Tashya Leaman, former leader of an active RQ Forum chapter in Washington D.C., and now a graduate student at Cornell. Tashya managed to find Chesterton House her very first day in Ithaca, and in record time we scheduled monthly gatherings for the fall semester. Thanks to Tashya for her initiative on this! Our next discussion will be this Thursday, November 8th, when we will be discussing Jenny Staff Johnson’s recent article "No Baby On Board." See below for details and link to article; for more information on RQ, see http://www.regenerator.com.

Unlesss otherwise noted, all events are held at the Crossroads Life Center. Crossroads is located at 604 E. Buffalo, on the corner of Stewart Ave. in lower Collegetown. All events are open to the public.

Saturday, November 3rd, 9:00AM
Frederica Mathewes-Green
"Pro-Choice to Pro-Life: My reasons for converting"
Anabel Taylor Hall Auditorium, Cornell University
Sponsored by over a dozen fellowships and organizations

Thursday, Nov8th, 8:00PM
RQ Forum
Jenny Staff Johnson, "No Baby On Board"
http://www.regenerator.com/6.3/nokidding.html

Saturday, November 17th, 7:00PM Graduate Christian Fellowship Roundtable
Yrjo Grohn, Professor of Epidemiology
Christian decision-making

Friday, November 30th, 10:00PM
Movie Night: "Chocolat"
The Chesterton House resource room is staffed on Friday afternoons beginning at 1:00PM.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF SPRING 2002

In addition to our regularly scheduled reading groups, roundtables, and movie nights, we will be hosting at least three special events this spring semester. We are very privileged to announce the following line-up of prominent Christian scholars:

Friday-Sunday, February 1-3
Institute for Biblical Studies
D.A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Co-sponsored by Bethel Grove Bible Church

Saturday, February 9
Graduate Christian Fellowship Roundtable
Professors Don & Eleonore Stump of St. Louis University, along with daughter Monica, on raising a family as Christian academics.

Saturday, April 6
Upstate NY InterVarsity Faculty/Graduate Student Conference
Lamin Sanneh,
Syracuse University
D. Willis James Professor of Missions and World Christianity

More information on these events in the next newsletter.

There has been great progress over the past year in the behind-the-scenes operations of the Chesterton House ministry. We have received almost $15,000 since the beginning of the fiscal year on April 1, allowing us to continue paying rent, acquiring books, and advertising events. Some of this money is also now supporting me as a part-time director, allowing me to put more time and attention into the ministry. One of my projects for the coming year is to secure some substantial seed money from a few foundations to help us take the ministry to the next level.

In July we received our 501(c)3 determination letter from the IRS that establishes Chesterton House as a non-profit organization, making all donations tax-deductible. Speaking of donations, they are of course always appreciated. Chesterton House has been well received in the community and generously supported by a number of individuals. We now need to broaden our base of financial support. Regular support is especially helpful, and one-time donations are also greatly appreciated. We would ask you to prayerfully consider including Chesterton House in your year-end giving, and/or your plans for giving in 2002. Gifts may be sent to Chesterton House, 604 E. Buffalo St., Ithaca, NY 14850. If you would like a copy of our first annual report, just respond to me on email and I’ll be glad to send along a copy.

In the September 3rd issue of Christianity Today, there is a delightful feature article on Chesterton by Editor-at-Large Phillip Yancey, entitled "The Ample Man Who Saved My Faith." Yancey writes: "Chesterton himself said that the modern age is characterized by a sadness that calls for a new kind of prophet, not like the prophets of old who reminded people that they were going to die, but someone who would remind them they are not dead yet." Speaking of Chesterton’s influence on his own life, Yancey continues, "the prophet of ample girth and ample mirth filled that role well." The article can be found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/011/6.66.html.

Andy Crouch, "The End of Relevance"
re:generation quarterly
http://www.regenerator.com/911/crouch/html

Tim Keller
Redeemer Presbyterian, New York City
http://www.redeemer.com
See especially "Questions on Everyone’s Mind"

John Piper, "Terrorism, Justice, and Loving Our Enemies"
http://www.desiringgod.org

James Skillen, Center for Public Justice
http://www.cpjustice.org
There are several good articles here both by Skillen and CPJ Fellow Keith Pavlischek.