I and others involved in the production of this magazine have rightly questioned what it means to have a “Christian” magazine. Will “non-Christian” voices be excluded from publication? Does Christianity or faith imply certain goals and/or common beliefs? Will the editors attempt to define what these goals and beliefs properly are? Are these pages best devoted to use as a forum, a canvas, a pulpit, or perhaps to something else altogether?
As I looked through the works submitted for this issue of Closing Remarks, a passage of the New Testament that describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for” came to mind. I think that hope, and the strivings and journeys that it entails might just provide one of the most cohesive explanations for what this magazine is about. My belief in God underpins my conviction that hope, faith, and love are properly taken away from no one. That’s why this magazine is for everyone.
The substance of things hoped for can assume diverse forms, whether it be a pilgrimage into the real world, critical reflection on faith and life decisions, calls for change in the world, or artistic expression of the epic journey of living faith. For myself, I hope that this magazine remains a place where the substance of hope and faith can take form in the context of the amazing openness and freedom that is our beloved Brown. In Deo Speramus.