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Get Volume 1 of The Warrior’s Pen

Get Volume 1 of The Warrior’s Pen

The first volume of The Warrior’s Pen is now available for download.

The editorial board has been hard at work, editing, compiling, and designing this issue. We are incredibly excited to bring you the best writing from Calvary students. This first issue includes essays, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Please visit The Warrior’s Pen page to download a copy and see what our students have been up to.

The Warrior’s Pen, a journal published annually by Calvary University since 2021, is dedicated to providing Biblical worldview-driven articles and works from all fields of discipline for the edification of God’s people with the purpose of glorifying Him. This journal’s contents are provided solely by the students, staff, and faculty of Calvary University. It is our prayer that those who read this journal will share and enjoy the articles and works and be built up in the truth of God. Occasionally a contributor may say some-thing that in content or tone does not reflect the opinions, practices, or positions of Calvary University.

All CU students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to submit work (academic papers and creative writing) for inclusion in The Warrior’s Pen.

Contact Thomas Crank or Mike Dodds for further information.

Special thanks to Mike Dodds, Tim Hange, and Amanda Harman for their hard work on the editorial board. Also a great big thank you to all the students who submitted work for publication.

Langston Hughes and Religion

Langston Hughes and Religion

If the churches Hughes attended were less focused on numbers of “converts” and numbers of dollars, perhaps they would have seen a searching soul.

Amanda Harman is a student at Calvary and is from Colorado Springs, CO. She loves to play her violin and entertain friends with her dry sense of humor. 

by Amanda Harman

 

February was Black History Month, and one can scarcely glance at black history without seeing the fingerprints of Langston Hughes. He is best remembered as a poet, but he also wrote novels, plays, essays, memoirs, children’s stories, not to mention influencing the movement that cemented black influence in modern culture. He was at the forefront of the Harlem Renaissance—a resurgence and celebration of black culture through music, writing, and art centered in the New York City neighborhood that inspired its name (“Langston Hughes”). It is tragic that such a great man with such a heavy influence on society was not a believer, so it is imperative that the modern church learns from the mistakes that drove him away.

Hughes spent part of his childhood in Lawrence, Kansas. There, his foster aunt took him to a Black Church for a revival when he was about twelve. Several children sat on a bench close together, and as the service went on, the others stood up one by one and approached the pulpit, declaring Jesus as their savior, until only Hughes was left (Oates). The congregation begged and prayed for him. He did finally give into the pressure and get up, but he felt like he had “failed to see Jesus” and, therefore, believed he had a forsaken salvation (Oates).

This early experience led to a general distrust of religion and its pressure to keep up appearances. As a man, Hughes was able to travel the world to places like Mexico, Cuba, and the Soviet Union (Oates). His travels opened his eyes to the major problems with American Christianity (Oates). In one of his most controversial poems called “Goodbye Christ” Hughes wrote:

“The popes and the preachers’ve

Made too much money from it.

They’ve sold you to too many

Kings, generals, robbers, and killers.”

 

The poem criticizes the commercial nature of Christianity in America, which made religion an impediment to society rather than a vehicle for God’s grace—an exploitation rather than a salvation (Piper).

The American church’s capitalistic focus on empty professions of faith for profit rather than sincere repentance from love impacted his view on Christianity for the rest of his life (Oates), and it is heartbreaking that Hughes is likely not in heaven. But his insight in this area can still be used to further God’s work here on earth (Piper). If the churches Hughes attended were less focused on numbers of “converts” and numbers of dollars, perhaps they would have seen a searching soul, one wanting the truth and finding only empty religion. Maybe they would have reached out to Hughes in love, answered his questions, and led him to a true saving knowledge of Christ. After all, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 [NLT]).

This is the lesson modern churches and believers must take from the life and work of Langston Hughes. Our conduct should invite others in with love, not repel them with disgust.

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Works Cited:
“Langston Hughes.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 29 Jan. 2021, www.biography.com/writer/langston-hughes. Accessed 22 Feb. 2021.
Oates, N’Kosi. “Religion in the Work of Langston Hughes.” Black Perspectives, AAIHS, 12 June 2018, www.aaihs.org/religion-in-the-work-of-langston-hughes/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2021.
Piper, John. “The Tragedy of Langston Hughes and a Warning I Will Heed.” Desiring God, 2 Feb. 2008, www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-tragedy-of-langston-hughes-and-a-warning-i-will-heed. Accessed 22 Feb. 2021.

 

Unseen Reality: God’s Call to Be A Nikao

Unseen Reality: God’s Call to Be A Nikao

…And behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.

Revelation 4:2

“Why are You silent?” 

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand asked God this question in the midst of his sermon. But this was not the typical new year’s sermon. The message was delivered at some point during his 14 years in solitary confinement. If you’ve seen the movie about his life called, “Tortured for Christ,” you know that he had been imprisoned under the tyranny of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu in the 1950’s and 60’s for teaching and preaching the Word of God. 

You read that right: a sermon preached in solitary confinement. Wurmbrand explained in a book he wrote later called, Alone With God

“During my years of solitary confinement I composed 350 sermons. I created them in my mind, because I could not write them down. I delivered them every night to an unseen audience. I also committed them to memory by using the simple mnemonic device of summarizing them in short rhymes, which I repeated again and again. When I was released from prison I did not sleep until I had committed all of them to paper. I managed to do so for 348 out of the 350.” (Prologue, p.7)

One of those sermons caught my attention as I read Alone With God. It was entitled simply, “New Year.” As you read a portion of that sermon, try to put yourself in his shoes for a minute or so. Put yourself in that dark cell. Alone. Not knowing when the solitary confinement might end. Not knowing when your torturers might return. Read Wurmbrand’s words with shoes removed. To enter that cell and listen in on a conversation between a tortured brother and the Sovereign Lord is to step onto holy ground: 

“HAPPY NEW YEAR, MY BELOVED FRIENDS. Outside, the wardens interrupt the silence. They wish one another a happy new year. It is midnight. The year 1948 has passed. I cannot congratulate Jesus. It has been 1915 years since He was crucified. The 1916th nail will now be driven into His cross. I know that every doubt of mine causes Him more pain, as if a new dart were piercing His heart… There was a time when Jesus ‘had no fault, or I no fault could spy, when He was all beauty or all blindness I.’ But now, since I have nothing left in this whole world but my wit to live by, it has begun to value itself very highly. All else seems of little importance. My wit has questions to ask and I cannot stop it.

“I realize now that the New Testament had never satisfied me really, because I found the miracles recounted there much too small for the Son of God. Three people were resurrected, but millions of corpses remained dead. Only three families had the comfort of seeing their beloved ones restored to life. Many widows whose only sons died remained without consolation. Jesus stilled a storm, but on so small a lake as Galilee. Tempests on the ocean sank countless ships, and men drowned. He did not help them. On one occasion 4,000 and on another 5,000 (plus women and children) had a good dinner through miracles performed by Him. What about the next day when they were hungry again? And what about the millions who have starved throughout the ensuing centuries? He sent an angel to free Peter from prison. The incident stands alone. James was beheaded, and since then thousands have been martyred. 

“Why? How can the world go on? It is New Year’s Eve … I don’t understand You. Don’t You have power enough? Don’t You have the will to wipe away all tears? …If I were in the pulpit today dressed in a beautiful cassock, I would speak about the one great miracle, that a lonely Galilean who hung upon a horrible cross became the subject of thousands of confident songs, that the painful execution of a Man deemed a criminal proved to be the means of salvation for the whole world. But inwardly I would be dissatisfied. What you have done is beautiful, but too little for an almighty God who could make the whole drama cease at once. Why are You silent?” (pgs.84-87)

We can relate — on some level — to Pastor Wurmbrand’s questions. We have questions of our own: Why did God allow 245 million believers (according to Open Doors International) to experience high levels of persecution last year? Why does He allow persecution to grow? Five years ago, only one country — North Korea — was on the “extreme level” list produced by Open Doors. Today, there are 11! Why did God allow 4,136 Christians worldwide to be killed/martyred for following Jesus last year?

Maybe — as you embark on a new year — those things are too distant. Your problems, your suffering, the struggles you face are causing you to ask, “Are you listening, God? Are you there? Why are You silent?”

No doubt, good Christians throughout every century have had the same questions. First-century Christians and churches were threatened by the same species of persecution as that which Pastor Wurmbrand faced some 1900 years later. 

But make no mistake: God was not silent. 

Jesus dictated letters to the Apostle John — not with promises of immediate health and wealth or deliverance from all trials and suffering and evil. No, Jesus instead challenged those second-generation believers to be “Nikaos” (“him who overcomes”; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7). How? What could possibly give persecuted, suffering and terrified believers the strength to overcome such horrible threats? 

God’s answer came in a vision given to John more than 60 years after Christ died, rose and ascended. John was shown something that was intended to give strength to all who live with questions. He was shown something that should help all believers keep the suffering and struggles of this life in perspective. John saw the unseen reality of God seated on His throne.

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.’ Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.” (Revelation 4:1-2, NASB95)  

Of course, the “One sitting on the throne” is God Almighty. And even though Revelation 4-5 will mostly take place in the future, this part of John’s vision describes the present reality as well. John was given the privilege of seeing the future when the “Lamb” of God will take the scroll, break open its seals, and begin the end of evil’s tyranny. That moment will be the beginning of the judgments of God (see Revelation 6-19) leading to the return of Christ — the King of kings and Lord of lords (Ch.19) — the millennial reign of Christ (Ch.20), and “a new heaven and a new earth” (Chs.21-22). 

But don’t skip ahead too quickly. 

Stop for a moment and take it in — read Revelation 4 as an act of worship! Don’t miss the significance of the imprisoned apostle being shown God on His throne. Don’t forget those for whom this vision was being recorded. And then, join with the “four living creatures” as they “do not cease to say”:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” (Revelation 4:8, NASB95)  

Fall down on your knees with the “twenty-four elders” who “will (future tense, but we can do it now too) worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying

‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.’” (Revelation 4:10–11, NASB95)

Why worship? Why fall down? Why cast our crowns at His feet? Why should we seek to be overcomers? Because God is on His throne! That is reality! It is the ultimate reality! It is the unseen reality! God is presently seated on His throne! God will forever rule and reign in majesty and splendor! No matter what nonsense is happening in the world, no matter how out-of-control it may seem, God is on His throne! 

Revelation 5-22 tells us God will — in His perfect timing — bring an end to the trouble, suffering and evil of this world. He is not neutral between good and evil. He is not disinterested in our struggles. He has a plan to wipe away every tear. But, Revelation 4 reminds us — those who are currently incapable of seeing the invisible reality in the heavenly places — of the constant invitation of the Bible: Trust the Sovereign God!

Pastor Wurmbrand’s “New Year” sermon did not end with the question, “Why are You silent?” He concluded with these words: 

“Probably I am too small — not Your miracles. I am a disciple of Yours… How could an architect explain his designs to a disciple? Only a master builder could understand him. I suppose that all the beautiful things I crave exist, but I cannot see them yet. We must also reject the mistaken notion that a whole can be perfect only if each of its parts is perfect. Iago is vicious, an intrigue-maker and a liar, but he is a necessary part in a perfect work of art, Othello. For my part, I am in a small cell. We are all confined to too small a world. Imperfections seen by me can be a useful part of a perfect reality. Thank You for one more year. I will try to use it well for growth. Perhaps I will question You less next New Year’s Eve.” (Alone With God, p.87)

These thoughts of John’s vision and Pastor Wurmbrand’s sermon are offered especially for the alumni, faculty, staff and students of Calvary who may share Pastor Wurmbrand’s dissatisfaction at the turn of a new year; who perhaps desire to cry out to God, “I don’t understand You!” 

Whatever questions you carry over from 2019, whatever the 20’s bring, whatever frustration you feel, whatever struggles you face, whatever suffering you must endure, let us thank Him for another year. Let us seek to use it for growth. And, let us seek to be true “Nikaos” by keeping our focus on the “One sitting on the throne.”

Shaun LePage is Chair of the Ministry Studies Department, Instructor of Ministry Studies, and Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Calvary University.

What’s in a Name?

What’s in a Name?

The names and titles for God found in the Bible are carefully brushed strokes on the canvas of God’s most awesome work: The revelation of Himself.

Shakespeare’s Juliet asked, “What’s in a name?” 

The irony of the question lies in the fact that her name was her biggest problem! The reason she could not be with her Romeo was precisely because her name was Capulet and his was Montague. Capulets didn’t love Montagues — they hated them. But Juliet protested:

“That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title.”

Juliet didn’t think his name mattered at all — what mattered was the person. And perhaps in that case, she was right. And perhaps in many cases, the name or title of something makes no difference whatsoever.

Ask for the whatchmacallit or the doohickey or the thingamajig and you’ll probably get what you want. Call him Santa Claus, Father Christmas or Saint Nick — it doesn’t matter. Name your son Austin, Peter or Max — it probably makes no difference. 

But not so with God. 

If Juliet was speaking of God and said, “What’s in a name? Call Him whatever you like,” she would be dead wrong. It’s true that this “Rose” — the true and living God — would “retain that dear perfection which He owes without (the Biblical) titles.” But, the names and titles of God found in the Bible were not given to us in a random and pointless way. They are not incidental. 

The names and titles for God found in the Bible are carefully brushed strokes on the canvas of God’s most awesome work: The revelation of Himself.

Each time we come across a name or title of God in the Bible, we learn another great truth about the God who created us. 

“YHWH” tells us He is eternal and personal. 

“Father” tells us He is the perfection of love and discipline.

“Shepherd” tells us He is our protector and provider and guide.

On and on it goes. The more we encounter these one-word revelations, the more we know Him, the more we appreciate Him, the more we — along with the psalm writers — see that “His name alone is exalted” (Psalm 148:13) and we want to “sing praises to His name for it is lovely” (Psalm 135:3). 

When we come to the stories of the birth of Jesus, we find them rich with names and titles for the newborn King. He is…

“The Messiah…son of David, son of Abraham…Jesus Christ…Immanuel…King of the Jews…a Ruler who will shepherd…son of Mary” in Matthew 1-2. 

“Jesus…great…Son of the Most High…the Holy Child…the Son of God…A Savior…Christ the Lord…her (Mary’s) firstborn son…a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” in Luke 1-2.

“The Word…light…life…the Only Begotten God (God the One and Only, NIV), who is in the bosom of the Father” in John 1.

“Jesus” is just one example of how each of these names is like a blast from God’s trumpet of revelation. The “angel of the Lord” told Joseph to give this name to the Boy because “He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). “Jesus” is a Hebrew name that means “Jehovah is salvation.”

Notice the word “son” popping up several times: “Son of David…Abraham…the Most High God.” He is called Mary’s “firstborn son”. All the “Son” references add up to tell us that He alone was qualified to fulfill two of the greatest covenants God ever made with humans — the Davidic and Abrahamic covenants (see the very first verse of the New Testament). As Mary’s Son, He not only took on human flesh that He might bleed human blood for the sins of the world, but He also became Heir to the promises God made to David and Abraham. 

“Son of the Most High…God” tells us His life did not begin in Bethlehem — He has always existed in an eternal relationship with the Father. This explains what kind of King can have a kingdom that will last forever: the Eternal King, God’s only, unique Son.

Or what about “Word”. What is a “word” for? Communication! What did this “Word” do, according to John? He wasn’t just another self-proclaimed guru speculating about things he didn’t understand. His perspective is like no other: “No one has ever seen God. But the one and only Son is himself God and is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18, NLT).

With all this in mind, read the Birth Narratives as part of your Christmas celebration. And when you do, let God’s Self-revelation — through His names and titles — renew your mind as you celebrate Christmas. Stop and enjoy every name. Underline every title. Each one is a delicate brush stroke deserving of close examination. But when seen together, they are a jaw-dropping revelation that should result in nothing less than what the Magi did when they saw the Child in His mother’s arms: “They fell to the ground and worshipped Him (Matthew 2:11).”

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Shaun LePage is the Ministry Studies Department Chair and Assistant Professor in Ministry Studies and Bible and Theology. He also serves as Associate Vice President of the CU Marketing and Communications Department.