Dr. Robertson Turns 80

Regent University's Chancellor and Founder turns 80 on March 22. To celebrate, Regent is doing nothing less than the elegance of true regent style - white tents and fried chicken.

Early last week party trucks lined up in front of Regent University's communications building to set up a big white tent for our Chancellor's, birthday celebration. All students have been invited to the luncheon and a birthday card has been passed around the university so all who wish to may sign it.

Pat Robertson's wish for the event is personal donations provided on a monthly basis or a one time gift of $80. This money will go towards building Regent's own Chapel and School for Divinity. Dr. Robertson's vision for this building is that it may stand as a reminder of to all of what Regent University has done and will do in the world with its graduates. For more information on this birthday wish or if you would like to make a donation, click here.

I am sorry to say that I will miss this celebration as I will be in Philadelphia supporting another Regent on-campus group, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), the university's own business and community outreach group. For everyone here on campus, by all means show up have some good old fried chicken with our founder. These days with President Robertson are few and far between as his presidency will end in July 2010. Pat Robertson only turns 80 once, though I am sure 85 will be an even grander celebration, hopefully none of us students will be here that long.

Happy Spring.

Spring Break in the Dorm?

Regent University just finished Spring Break 2010. Students arrived back on campus after a much needed 10-day break before another eight weeks of grueling coursework ending with everyone's favorite finale - summer.

I found myself on a plane flying home to Denver to recoup from January and February's class load which was particularly challenging and included terrors such as British and American literature classes. I am sure someday when I am a 40-year-old deep in a riveting career it will be British literature that I look back on and realize it changed my life. Just kidding, as my mother used to say, there are somethings that if you don't laugh about you will probably cry about. I am sure that deep analyzations of "Porphyria's Lover" and other British poems are most definitely what she was referring to.

Denver was happy to receive me for a few days where surprisingly, the weather was much better than it was in Virginia Beach over Spring Break. What was even better was that when I left Denver I was happy and rested and full of new ideas about life. Some of these ideas were crazy like "I should try to finish 36 credits this year to graduate in May of 2011" and yet others were a little bit more rational like "I think I want to go to law school."

I don't know about you, but I have the next twelve months carved out for me. More than I like to admit, in college this is a really good feeling. One that is rare and should be treasured because personally, I don't think I have felt in four years. On toward the LSAT! And happy spring break to you whether you have had yours yet or not.

World Religions and the Great Commission Symposium

On February 27, 2010, I attended the World Religions and the Great Commission Symposium. Regent University's own, Katy Attanasi Ph.D., undergraduate professor of religious studies, moderated the morning presentation of papers. The papers presented discussed the question, how should charismatic Christianity respond to other word religions? and included four speakers.

The first presenter was Dr. Tony Richie, pastor of Church of God in Knoxville, Tennessee and Adjunct Professor at Pentecostal Theological seminary. He discussed inclusivism and the responding perspectives. He mentioned that the Spirit, or the move of the Holy Spirit as evidenced at Pentecost, should never be limited by the Word and is exhibited by “a close work between the Spirit’s work in our hearts and the Spirit’s work in creation.” In closing, he left the audience with the acronym NEWS which suggests that Christianity should (N) nuance our understanding of humanity’s spiritual experience, (E) emphasize evangelism and proclamation dialogue, (W) welcome fresh visionary venues and be open to what God is doing today.

Following Dr. Richie was Dr. Stevens Studebaker, Assistant professor of Systematic and Historical Theology and Howard and Shirley Bentall Chair in Evangelical Thought at McMaster Divinity College. He discussed the problem that Pentecostal theology often maintains a negative theology of other religions in its commitment to missionary ventures. He said that it is natural for humans to want to segregate the Holy Spirit is into residing in one location but not another. He also mentioned that religion is a “mixed bag” of the work of the Holy Spirit (as exhibited at Pentecost) and the way human response to the move of the Spirit.

Kirsteen Kim, lecturer at Leeds Trinity University College, spoke on theologies of religious pluralism. She discussed a case study of the Dalit in India who are stratified at the bottom of the Indian caste system as they pursue jobs in sweeping and tanning leather. Among the Dalit, a new religion is developing which academics are studying. Kim discussed that India has been the main scenery for inter-religious dialogue and the classification of “spirits” or spiritual forces has been a topic of much discussion. Kim argued that Christians must affirm “life” as a spiritual force as emerging from a Christological nature. She also discussed how Pentecostalism has the flexibility to embrace plurality but not necessarily pluralism. A pluralist correctly understands each and every manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

The final morning presenter was Veli-Matti Karkkainen, who discussed notions of suffering in Buddhism and Christianity. The conclusion was that suffering between these two religions differ. One such difference is that in Buddhism suffering is a result of individual activity. In Christianity, suffering can be a result of the wrong doing of others. Another difference is that Buddhists often refrain from intervening in human suffering whereas Christians are urged to intervene. Karkkainen also mentioned that Pentecostalism fails to often communicate the loving-kindness and compassionate picture of Jesus Christ and should improve in this area.

The symposium was enjoyable and dense. The approach to Pentecostal Christianity in the 21^st century is different than ever before. As Kristeen Kim said, “Uniformity is imperialist.” The attempt to conform the world to Christianity is becoming out-dated. A mutual respect of similarities and differences among world religions is necessary and the best attitude possible. This was a unique discussion to attend especially considering the religious roots and pentecostal nature of Pat Robertson, the founder of Regent University.

NYC: A Picture Story

Ok, my secret is out. Maybe I went to NYC on New Years Day this year. I turned 22.

And maybe it was wonderful. The best birthday I have had yet. (And this above was the Metropolitan Museum of Art).

New York City is a very special place. If you have not been, I sincerely encourage you to go. It makes you think and feel a little bit like anything is possible. Who knows? Maybe anything is possible.

21

So it is New Years Eve and I am stuck in Nashville. Eww... this was not what I had planned at all.....

They are taking us to Baltimore now? What? I think the fog should clear.

It actually makes absolutely no sense that they are taking us to Baltimore. I think they just want to waste gas in the plane and make everyone in this enormous room move (with their children in hand) over towards another door. Instead of moving with the massive herd of agitated passengers, I am getting on Facebook.

The Nashville airport reminds me of the Los Angeles airport, except I don't feel like I am going to get mugged or have my purse stolen. It sort of reminds me of the Hong Kong airport too, but that is mostly because when I left Hong Kong, the terminal looked alot like the terminal I am in right now.

And I will be 22 in five hours. 21 was good.


Hmmm....Happy New Years:)

Happy Endings

I hope that your Christmas season is incredibly happy.

Merry Christmas friends.

‘Til Next Year.

I've Got a Feeling

I've got a feeling....that tonights gonna be a good night.

The hot Black Eyed Peas song blared over the speakers at around 10 p.m. and people headed out dance on the marble floor of Robertson Hall.

It was a good night. Last night, December 5, 2009 was Regent University’s 2009 Christmas Ball. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Christmas ball, it is an annual dance held for Regent’s students both graduate and undergraduate.

Some people have been preparing for the ball since September when the ballroom dance lessons began. Regent offered a series of ten dance lessons for $25 hosted at a local dance studio.

The dance started at 8p.m. and was hosted in the lobby and three floors of Robertson Hall, a.k.a. the law building. There were a few waltzes, a few swing dances and much to my dismay – not many rumba dances. Then 9 p.m. rolled around and the crowds were pouring in the door. Everyone knows it is best to show up fashionably late.

The event’s theme was “Old Hollywood” but dresses of all kinds rustled on the floor and there were even a few glimpses of a tux or two – a very prestigious event.

Before coming to the ball I heard from my roommate there was a special dessert planned. Much to the wisdom of the party-planners, this special dessert was located on the third floor of the building right by the elevators.

It was a chocolate mouse-filled decadent cake. I could only eat ¼ of a slice and my friend had to finish the other ¼. Good thing we only took a half-slice. The cake was even decorated with flowers.

At 10p.m. the Regent dance team did a performance. It was a swing dance. I watched from the second floor, oohing and ahhing with the rest of the crowd as the boys swung the girls every which way around the floor - very exciting. Then the real dancing broke out. All the hip-hop you could imagine. There was an electric slide thrown in the mix too.

We have some talented break dancers at Regent. Unfortunately I did not get a picture, but they were bold enough to part the crowd into a small circle around them as they “broke it down.”

You definitely get a fair share of dancing culture at Regent. It is not a typical Christian college in the sense that they shy away from dancing or even hip-hop dancing for that matter. It makes for quite a varied crowd.

The Christmas ball was great. The only thing missing was champagne. This was a champagne kind of event. Then I remember we are a Christian university and don’t drink champagne - at least not on campus.

Anyways, it was a great night. If you went to the ball, you know what I mean. If you did not go to the ball, I suggest you go next year. It is definitely a defining moment of Regent culture and the Regent experience. ‘Til next year.

And for now, Merry Christmas.