the YALE LOGOS
an undergraduate journal of Christian thought.
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Who Do You Say I Am: The Centrality of the Church in the Christian Faith
Jan 23, 2016 | by Armando Ghinaglia YDS '17
He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’” (Luke 9:20). Just as the Apostles before us, Christians have developed many responses to this question Jesus asked two thousand years ago. Some answers— “the way, the truth, and the life”—have become standard across all of Christianity. Others—“the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father”—became tests of orthodoxy and heresy. Foundationally, however, any response to this question must lead back to the Church—not the individual—as the normative means by which we come to know Jesus as the Christ and deepen our relationship with God.
Jesus: Friend of Sinners
Feb 2, 2016 | by Nicholas Dacosta, DC '18
Jesus Christ has been one of the most influential and controversial figures in history. Embodying a message of radical love and a system of values antithetical to that of his day, Jesus’ teachings were contentious and unpalatable in a world where legalistic obedience and worthiness were inextricably linked. The church, as conceived after the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry, was intended to be the extension and manifestation of Jesus’ message of divine reconciliation here on earth. Historically, however, the church has been a source of division and derision, often creating a dichotomy of us-versus-them between believers and non-believers. This separation between the ecclesiastical and secular flies in the face of the message of the Gospel. Looking closely at the life and teachings of Jesus, we see that isolating oneself from those who are perceived to be “unclean” is completely contrary to the Gospel. Jesus Christ, rightly understood, has always been the defender of the downtrodden, the champion of the disinherited, and a friend of sinners.
Hope and Horror in the Cross
Jan 25, 2016 | By Tori Campbell MC '16
As a child, I grew up both terrified and fascinated by the sculpture of a dying man that hung on the wall of my grandmother’s church. As the priest evenly intoned through the mass, my gaze would slide up to the statue, darting back down when I saw the nails in the statue’s wrists. A few moments later, my eyes would inch their way up again. Invariably, I would end up having nightmares that night, related to the wrongly-accused Jesus hanging on the cross. After a few years, this image of the cross became somewhat sanitized in my mind; it gained the somewhat more dignified title of “crucifix.” Overall, the genre of statue seemed more artistic, somehow more tragically romantic, than frightening. There may, however, be some wisdom in my childhood fear. In fact, the biblical account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ actually has more in common with a horror movie than a romance. That said, in the midst of the cross’ darkness, God’s justice and love for humanity becomes clearer than ever before, and the object of horror becomes a beacon of hope.
To the One Who Not Only Speaks, But Listens
Nov 6, 2016 | Unknown
You and I worship a God who crafted the earth by simply speaking things into being, and planted entire planets in the universe, and sculpted the earth with mountains and valleys, and painted the sky with colors we can only dare to imitate. But I’ve always loved how beautifully David captures the intimacy of God. He wonders:
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8, ESV)
Pursuing Justice as the Justified
Dec 10, 2017 | By Christopher Kim '19
The New Haven Green was designed by Puritan colonists in the 17th century as the center of life for their settlement in New Haven. Over the years, it has cemented its place in history as a site of deep historic, political, and cultural significance, from presidential addresses delivered to protests held during the American civil rights movement and Vietnam War. However, the uncomfortable truth today is that the Green is symbolic of New Haven’s staggering poverty rate and the ever-increasing disconnect between Yalies and New Haven residents.
Agape: The Call to True, Radical Love
Feb 14, 2014 | By Tori Campbell, MC ‘16
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it
does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record
of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices
with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…” (I Corinthians
13:4-8)
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