CC: Synesis, Faith and Reason Journal
As a member of and writer for Synesis, I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be able to write about my faith and see the words be printed on the page. I’ve been able to share stories, knowledge, and thoughts about Christianity and life through the articles that I’ve written for Synesis. I’m also so impressed with how many members of different ministries are involved in Synesis in some way, whether that be through writing, photography, publicity, editing, or publishing. And wow, the national conference that I attended with members of the Synesis board was absolutely fantastic. In this article, Emily Grinstead, a board member of Synesis, describes what Synesis means to her. If you’re interested in reading more of articles, please check out Vanderbilt Synesis! If you’re interested in reading articles on the Augustine Collective, please check out their website!
To quote from the website: “The Vanderbilt Synesis began in the fall of 2015 when a group of students felt called to bring Christian thought to Vanderbilt’s campus as member journals of the Augustine Collective have done at other colleges and universities. They sought to write multidisciplinary articles that integrated faith and reason to demonstrate how the Christian faith can inform intellectual thought. With the help and resources of university faculty and ministries, they published the journal’s first issue in the spring of 2016 and intend to publish one issue every semester and to engage students across campus in thinking about the gospel as relevant to their academic exploration.”
Synesis is Vanderbilt’s journal of Christian thought that seeks to bridge faith and reason. It’s an opportunity for students to explore topics of personal and academic interest in light of both Christian and secular worldviews. Topics have ranged from mental illness to the refugee crisis to chemistry and physics. I’ve had the pleasure of both writing and editing for the journal since its official beginning in the Spring of 2016. We are actually one of many Christian journals sprouting up on college campuses across the country. These journals work under an umbrella organization called the Augustine Collective that supports and connects the journals during the year and at their annual conference in Boston. I had no idea that I would get involved in something like this, but I’ve always loved to write and found myself wondering what the Christian worldview had to say about certain topics. Synesis has been the perfect outlet for assessing my spiritual questions, strengthening my passion for self-expression, and connecting with other students who are dedicated to starting a campus-wide dialogue about Christianity.
If you want any more information, email me at sophia.druffner@vanderbilt.edu! I would absolutely love to answer any questions that you may have!