Reflection, international flavor highlight emphasis week

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 Religious Emphasis Week wrapped up yesterday after 10 events that were intended to help participants follow their passions.

"This year is much more of a personal and communal reflectiveness," Campus Minister David Weatherspoon said.

Last year, he said, the theme was more about social justice. Programs taught about human trafficking and media advocacy, among other topics.

This week’s activities were kicked off with a trip to a Baptist seminary in Kentucky and a prayer walk on Monday. Preacher Marvin Chandler started the lecture series when he spoke during Tuesday’s chapel service. Chandler said the literal meaning of passion is suffering.

"It means a focus and deep experience-a feeling," he said. "It means being a little uncool."

Chandler, who received an honorary doctorate from Franklin, issued a challenge to find an "intellectual itch that you will feel the rest of your life," while still in school.

"Take a bite of it and chew on it..." he said, "and let that itch follow you."

Chandler, who is a jazz musician, as well, blended his speech with music. He taught the audience a hymn, creating a harmony with the varied voice types to demonstrate how passion can change music into something different. His use of music started an unplanned pattern that was continued by David Wright on Tuesday.

"It was not a specific, intentional theme, but it is a wonderful piece that we’ve added," Weatherspoon said.

Wright, a Wheaton College professor, poet and musician, taught the audience a couple of songs for which he’s written lyrics. His message urged others to use their creativity. Wright broke down his own poems, as well as those by other writers. He said religious literature often overlooks sadness and violence in the Bible.

"We don’t leave a whole lot of space in our churches for lament," he said.

Wright, who read his poetry Wednesday night, talked about the significance of each part of a body. He said a body of people is incomplete without all members.

One new activity this year was a prayer walk, which was held Monday and Thursday. Katey Humphries, a religious life team member, helped organize the walk.

The junior said the prayer walk would appeal to many people with its variety of quotes and figures represented. Humphries said she also liked Tuesday’s chapel service, but she was excited about the whole week.

"It’s always a time I enjoy because of the variety of things that are offered," she said.

Other programs included a presentation by Coordinator of New Student Programs Robin Murphey. She spoke Wednesday about the religions she encountered during a two-week tour of Ghana in 2008. Emma Justice spoke Thursday about listening techniques, and Tom Jackson brought a labyrinth workshop that afternoon.

Weatherspoon said the week offers students chances to learn.

"I always hope students will gain a few things," he said. "... A better understanding of the diversity of religious experience...new ways of expressing their faith, new outlets for expression ... These provide new ways, I hope, of tapping into that."